Chobe National Park safari guide

One of the best wildlife reserves in southern Africa, it’s not only the huge herds of elephant and buffalo which tempt visitors to this corner of Botswana, but the chance to truly immerse yourself in this wild landscape, exploring by water and even by air, as well as traditional game drives. So, if you’re planning a safari holiday in Africa, here’s everything you need to know before you travel, with our Chobe National Park safari guide.

Chobe National Park is in the north of Botswana, near the borders with Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also stretches along the Chobe river, which forms the country’s border with Namibia.

How big is Chobe National Park?

Chobe National Park stretches for around 4,500 square miles, just over half the size of Wales.

Botswana’s first national park is home to the largest elephant population on earth, so it’s particularly popular with those looking to see the huge herds. As well as some of Africa’s other famous mammals, you’ll find more than 450 species of birds.

One of the other unusual highlights of Chobe National Park is the number of different ways that you can explore during your safari holiday. Along with standard game drives, there’s the option to cruise down the Chobe river to spot wildlife in the water and on the banks, plus a chance to fly overhead in light aircraft for some spectacular views over the national park.

Chobe National Park is famous for its huge herds of elephants

If you’re hoping to see elephants in the wild, it’s hard to beat Chobe National Park with more than 120,000 living within the park’s boundaries. It’s also possible to spot the Big Five, with herds of Cape Buffalo often numbering 1,000 or more, and a small but fierce lion population which has even been known to attack elephants. Leopard are extremely rare, as are rhino which have only recently been reintroduced after the park’s population fell to zero. Cheetah are another rare sighting here, but the park is also home to hyenas, wild dogs, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest.

You can also find huge numbers of hippos around the Chobe River, plus crocodiles and birds galore. With more than 450 species in the park as a whole, cruises on the river are a fantastic way to spot African fish eagles, along with waders and waterbirds, plus some migratory species if you visit from November to April.

Chobe National Park is home to the Big Five, including lions

There are several ways to reach Chobe National Park from the UK, although all journeys currently involve either a stop-over or travel via another country. If you’re planning to fly to Chobe National Park, the closest airport in Botswana is Kasane Airport. There are direct flights from the UK to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International airport in South Africa, where you can find connecting flights to Kasane Airport.

Alternatively, you can travel to Chobe National Park by road. Livingstone Airport in Zambia and Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe are both a relatively short drive from Botswana, although there are no direct flights from the UK to either airport, with most routes stopping over in Ethiopia at Addis Ababa airport. Travelling via Zimbabwe does also enable you to see the dramatic Victoria Falls before crossing the border to enjoy your Botswana safari, so it’s one of the most popular options.

There are no direct flights from the UK to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, and the routes with the fewest stops also travel via Johannesburg. If you’re already in Botswana, there are currently no direct flights from Gaborone to Kasane Airport either, with most travelling via Maun, known as Botswana’s tourism capital, or via Johannesburg. It’s also around a 12-hour drive from Gaborone to Chobe National Park.

A cormorant in Chobe National Park

If you’re planning a safari in Chobe National Park, the best months to choose are during Botswana’s dry season when temperatures are cooler overnight and you’ll avoid the rains of the country’s wet season. With often chilly early morning game drives and soaring temperatures during the day, layers are essential for your Chobe safari, such as a fleece or hoody to stay warm first thing or a scarf for evenings, plus comfortable, lightweight clothing for daytime, such as shorts or loose trousers.

Neutral shades, such as khaki, browns, beige and muted greens are best for a Chobe safari. Camouflage print is best avoided, as this tends to be reserved for members of the military in Africa and is illegal in neighbouring Zambia and Zimbabwe. Bright colours aren’t ideal as these can stand out against the surrounding scenery, while blue and black attract tsetse flies, and the dark shades also get very hot in the African sun. Cream or muted white shades are also fine, although it’s worth remembering it can get very dusty in the dry season and muddy during the rainy months.

You won’t need anything particularly smart or formal at the safari camps and lodges in Chobe National Park, which tend to have very relaxed dress codes, but casual clothes and swimwear are ideal for daytimes at the camp, and you’re likely to want a different outfit to change into for dinner.

Closed-toe shoes are also best for game drives and any walking safaris, to protect your feet against thorns, insects and uneven ground, although sturdy walking sandals are an alternative during dry season if you’re not exploring on foot. Sandals or flipflops are also useful at camp.

If you’re visiting between November and March, as well as early April and late October, you can expect some rain, so a breathable, lightweight rain jacket is useful to deal with the humidity and wet weather

As well as packing clothes to wear on safari in Chobe National Park, you’ll need some other essentials for your Botswana safari. The sun can be extremely strong year-round, particularly towards the end of the dry season, so high-factor SPF and a hat are essential.

There is also a high risk of malaria in Chobe National Park, particularly during the wetter months, along with other mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, so antimalarials and high-strength insect repellent are also vital. A well-stocked first aid kit is always useful too, especially if you’re likely to need anything specific, although camps and lodges will also have some first aid supplies.

A pair of binoculars is another essential to ensure you get the best views of the wildlife in Chobe National Park. A lightweight pair is often fine, as long as you look for 10 x 40 strength minimum. If you’re packing a DSLR camera, make sure you add a zoom lens, extra memory cards and batteries, so you can capture the unmissable shots of the park’s animals. If you’re planning to use your phone camera, portable battery chargers are useful for the same reason.

It's also worth packing a universal travel adapter as you may encounter three different types of plug across Botswana; Type G (the same as those found in the UK), but also Type D (three round pins) and Type M (three large round pins).

If you are taking smaller safari planes, these flights often have a smaller weight allowance than standard short-haul flights, usually 20kg for flights in Botswana. You may also need to use soft-sided cases or bags, rather than hard shell suitcases, so do check with the airline or your tour operator in advance. For more tips on what to pack for a safari in Botswana, check out our ultimate packing guide.

• Practical clothes in neutral shades such as khaki and beige

• Warmer layers such as fleece or hoody

• Shorts/lightweight trousers

• Lightweight rain jacket (especially if travelling in shoulder seasons)

• High factor SPF

• Hat

• Insect repellent and first aid kit

• Swimwear

• Comfortable shoes with closed toe for safari drives

• Sandals or flip flops for the camp

• Binoculars

• DSLR camera with extra memory cards and batteries

• Universal travel adapter

• A suitable suitcase for any additional internal flights (check before you travel)

Chobe River is home to a large population of hippos

Allow at least three days/two nights to explore this huge park, in order to have a taste of everything there is to see. However, as it’s not the most straightforward national park in Africa to reach from the UK, and because you can explore by land, water and air, it’s better to allow even longer to make the most of your time in the area. Spending four days or longer gives you chance to enjoy the different types of safari, as well as taking the holiday at a slower pace.

Botswana’s dry season runs from May to October, when the weather is warm and sunny during the day and there’s no rainfall in Chobe National Park. As the dry season progresses, the lack of water and limited undergrowth means it’s often easier to see the wildlife near the river and by water holes.

Evenings can be chilly, especially during midwinter in June and July, but that tends to be more pleasant than hot, humid nights during the rainy period, and midday temperatures regularly hit the high 30Cs by October. If you’re hoping to combine your safari in Botswana with a visit to the beautiful Okavango Delta, the dry season months also see high water levels which create the area’s famous waterways.

You could also consider visiting Chobe National Park during November and December; temperatures continue to rise during this period while these months also see the first rains arriving, but they’re usually limited to afternoon downpours so it doesn’t impact a Botswana safari too badly, and you’ll also see newborn animals in Chobe National Park.

Elephants: 120,000

Rhinos: Very few

Cheetahs: Very few

Lions: Around 30

Leopards: Very few

Hippos: At least 1,000

Explore our range of escorted safari tours to Botswana and discover Chobe National Park for yourself