Chobe National Park - Savute, Riverfront & Linyanti

The best time to visit Botswana is when the weather is cool and dry, and when groundwater is scarce, which draws wildlife to water sources (making them easier to see).

The dry, cool(er) months are from June to September, but the traditional popular travel season is June to August, making September (and October) excellent options with fewer other travellers. November offers excellent wildlife viewing before the first rains begin.

From November through April, temperatures are higher and rainfall varies. The presence of more groundwater (which allows wildlife to disperse widely) and the thicker vegetation from January to April make wildlife harder to find during those months.

Chobe National Park is a vast landscape at the centre of an enormous protected area in the northeastern corner of Botswana that incorporates the safari meccas of Chobe Riverfront, Savute and Linyanti

• Chobe Riverfront

  The Chobe River marks the border between Namibia and Botswana, and its banks and flood plains are Chobe’s most popular destinations, attracting vast numbers of wildlife during the dry season. In addition to the famed riverfront, there is a wide variety of landscapes, including vast floodplains, woodlands, grasslands, and clay pans, which can be enjoyed by boating, safaris and game drives.

  Because of the availability of water, this region has the highest concentration of wildlife in the national park and offers excellent boat-based safaris in addition to game drives.

  The river is home to a large population of hippos and giant crocodiles. Lush floodplains attract enormous herds of elephants, buffalo, and zebras. Away from the river, the Zambezi teak forests and open plains shelter good populations of predators.

  Close proximity to the town of Kasane and a short road transfer from Victoria Falls make the Chobe Riverfront a popular safari destination.

• Savute

  Savute (also spelt Savuti) offers abundant wildlife encounters, including lions that specialise in hunting elephants during the dry season and leopards that catch catfish in drying pools. Huge, old elephant bulls wander the vast plains and lions and hyenas - eternal enemies - battle for dominance.

  Savute predators are plentiful, with excellent lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dog sightings. Large herds of buffalo kick up dust, and thirsty elephants target the channel and marsh during the dry season, attracting the lions that target them.

  Savute is the remote western section of Chobe National Park, far away from the shores of the Chobe River. The Savute Channel, which flows through the area and drains into the Savute Marsh, was dry from the late 19th century until it flowed again in 1958, only to dry up again periodically for years and even decades. The dry savannas are dotted with rocky outcrops where ancient humans left their ochre drawings.

• Linyanti

  This delta-like and predator-rich section of Chobe is one of the most spectacular and unspoilt wilderness areas in Southern Africa. A watery wonderland, the Linyanti Marshes are divided by a series of lagoons and waterways just begging to be explored by motorboat or in a mokoro (a traditional canoe-like vessel). The marshy reedbeds hide unusual antelope such as sitatunga and red lechwe. The open habitats outside the riparian woodlands are ideal for viewing Linyanti’s famous packs of African painted wolves (wild dogs).

  Linyanti lies in the remote northwestern corner of Chobe National Park. It is bordered by the Linyanti River and Namibia to the north and linked to the Okavango Delta by the Selinda Spillway.

Chobe is home to lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, hyenas, wildebeest, zebras and many more species. You will also find rare and seldom-seen species such as pangolins, aardvarks and servals.

Many Chobe lodges welcome young children. The minimum age policy varies by lodge and should be confirmed at the time of booking. We will match your family to lodges that are genuinely child-friendly and age-appropriate, not simply those that technically permit children.

Chobe National Park is a malaria area. Prophylaxis is strongly recommended; consult your GP or travel clinic before departure.

Yellow fever

Botswana is not a yellow fever country, so a yellow fever vaccine is not mandatory. However, if you are entering Botswana from a yellow fever country (such as Rwanda), you will need to present your vaccination certificate upon entry.

Malaria

Malaria is prevalent across Botswana, and we advise you to consult your GP before you depart about taking prophylaxis. It’s also essential to cover up in the evenings when the malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquito usually feeds. The malaria incubation period is 1-3 weeks, so if you experience any flu-like symptoms, headaches, aching joints and back or nausea and diarrhoea, it is recommended that you get tested at the earliest opportunity and let the medical people know you’ve recently travelled to Africa. 

1. Our safaris typically cost from US$700 per person, per night, depending on the accommodation comfort level, time of year and activities. This price usually includes accommodation, all meals, game drives, experienced guides, airport transfers, and 24/7 support from our team.

2. You only make your first payment when you book your holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 105 days before you travel.

3. Peak season bookings require 12–18 months of advance planning. Trips outside of peak season can be arranged 6–9 months ahead, with better rates and availability.

Neutral-coloured, light clothing (khaki, olive, beige) is recommended for game drives – avoid blue and white, which attract insects. Layering is important as mornings can be cold, particularly from May to August. Essential items include a good insect repellent (DEET-based for malaria areas), sunscreen, a sun hat, binoculars, and a camera. Soft-sided luggage is required if flying by charter aircraft.

See our comprehensive packing list.