Chobe NP
The Chobe National Park is situated in northern Botswana and is home to a large variety of wildlife. Animals you can see in Chobe National Park include elephants, giraffes, hippo’s, many species of antelope and birds. The Chobe and Zambezi Rivers form the northern boundary of the park, as well as the boundaries between Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. The park, in the heart of southern Africa, is a popular safari destination as it offers a various options to view the abundant wildlife. Visitors get to see the animals up close on any of the land and water-based safaris whilst plane tours offer spectacular aerial views of the park. The best time to visit the Chobe National Park (map) is from May to September (during the dry/winter season) but in principle, there’s plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities throughout the year.
I visited in the winter and was blown away by the beauty of the region. It was cold, especially in the mornings and evenings, but the spectacular wildlife sightings – and the warm blankets – more than compensated for the chill factor. I stayed on the Zambezi Queen, a safari cruise boat and made various excursions to the park by boat and jeep. After my first day at the park, I knew it for sure… I was spellbound by the stunning natural beauty and tranquility of the park.
Wildlife at Chobe National Park
Here’s a photo essay of what to see at Chobe National Park on both a boat and a jeep safari.
Our jeep
Our first animal sighting!
A pair of giraffes
A kudu and giraffe
A gorgeous impala
On the jeep safari
Warthogs
Kudu – doesn’t he look majestic?
On the river safari, we got up close to elephants and hippo’s
I didn’t know elephants could swim!
Elephants
River safari at sunset
Giraffes near the riverbank at sunset
A glorious sunset at Chobe
How to get to Chobe
There are two main gateways into Chobe, both in the northern section of the park: Kasane, in Botswana, and Livingstone in Zambia, both of which have international airports. The northern section of the park is especially popular due to its proximity to other attractions such as the Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe, the Caprivi Strip in Nambia and the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
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Note: a big thank you goes to the staff of the Zambezi Queen for your wonderful hospitality. All views expressed above are, as always, mine.
Amazing creatures … one of these days, I’ll see to see them face to face as well!
You can also see them in the wild in Kenya and Tanzania, amongst others.
I love hippos. I was under the impression that Gabon was the only place I would see them in a non-zoo setting. Awesome pics btw.
I’m glad this was a great experience, and nice spotlight on a National Park that’s not THAT widely publicized
It looks like I´ve found a new destination for my Bucket List. It´s nice to view your fotos, but it would be better to take some myself. 🙂
iwanna go there, Iwanna Iwanna Ghobe Go there!
Hi Jennifer,
It’s one of my favourite pics too – those two were so cute together! 🙂
Cheers,
Keith
I especially love the photos of the giraffes. They’re one of my favorite animals!
I was in Botswana in 1999 and had the fortune to visit Chobe and have wonderful memories of the place. The only disappointment I had was I didn’t see any lions, they were being too lazy sitting in the shade at a distance. Other than that it was a fantastic experience!
I visited in the winter – guess that’s why it looks dry and desert-like.
Great shots of different animals. Chobe National Park looks like a dessert and dry. However, I really find the park very interesting.
Haha, no. I spent my birthday at home. 🙂
Thanks Simon! I heard about Moremi too when I was there. Next time, next time…. 🙂
Amazing pictures mate! Is this where you celebrated your 40th?
What great memories! I loved Botswana and Chobe, although I would say that personally my favorite place was Moremi.