Average User Rating
Rating Breakdown
Write a User ReviewOverwhelming game.Safari heaven for first timers
It's not got
Read more
the iconic African landscapes of the Delta or Moremi and it hasn't got that wild bush feel, but it packs such a punch in terms of animals that you can't fail to be impressed. For a first timer, it must be safari heaven. I love lion and on our first morning drive, a male and female sauntered lazily past our vehicle, almost within touching distance;a young male began calling further off then followed the pair up into the shrubbery to find shade.And this is where, like all National Parks, it can be frustrating because the rules mean no off roading, so unlike Sabi Sand or other private concessions, you can't follow them; you can only sit and watch as they disappear out of sight, thrilled at the encounter as ever but wanting more.
We chose Mosu Safari Tours for our 10 day safari trip, an excellent operator who assigned us Custard as our guide/driver and Kilos as our cook, with LT as camp assistant.They made our trip, really first class guys. A testament to their expertise, both Custard and Kilos had been employed by the BBC while they filmed their documentary about the lion pride that had learned to take down elephant.Custard knew everything there was to know about the animals and got us some incredible sightings and Kilos' cooking is well known as the stuff of legend.
One of the most thrilling moments of the whole trip came as we left Chobe by the Kasane Gate; just 100 yards away, resting beside the main road ,we spotted a pack of wild dogs with several puppies, a superb sight.
We took the Sunset Cruise with Thebe River Camp, where we stayed for two nights and fortunately found ourselves with just two other fellow birdwatchers.
I didn't think there was much else to see to be honest after 9 days and 15 or so Game Drives but the view from the river was wonderful.And the birdlife was mesmerising, with malachite kingfishers the highlight.The river bets very busy and there are some big, crowded boats around so it may be worth checking how many fellow passengers there are,depending on what you want out of it.
Being in the boat also gets you closer to the elephants,as they seemed to me much calmer round these than the vehicles.We followed a mother and calf as they swam back to shore, the baby using his trunk like a periscope.A beautiful sight.
Thebe River Camp was first class, with a nice bar area, spotless showers and toilets and well maintained.We enjoyed our stay here very much,especially after the wild sites we'd been in the rest of the trip.No hyenas at night! The camp is well protected by electric fencing so it's very safe.
We did our trip in mid till late September and this time , for me, was just too hot.40C or 104F in the shade.Like being in an oven.Next time - Green Season!
Nicola Cappelletti
IT
Visited:
September 2015
Reviewed: Dec 31, 2015
Email Nicola Cappelletti | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Elephants' swimming pool
I stay in CNP in september 2015, during my 16 days tour in Southern Africa with kiboko Adventures.
Chobenationalpark was the very first place where I finally saw wild animals in my life, expecially hippos, my favourite guys. It was an amazing experience, as I was very lucky. In fact during two days and three game drive I saw lions (a family with puppies), Leopard, elephants, hippos, baboons, giraffes, crocs, vultures, marabous and several species of Birds. Our guides allows us to take fantastic pictures, thank you guys! I think the only bad think was the huge Number of vehicles and boats during our game drives. It seemed to stay on a hightway...By the way I came home with Africa in my heart...and I ll come back as soon as possible.
Gary
US
Visited:
April 2016
Reviewed: May 7, 2016
Email Gary | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Chobe National Park has much to offer for all.
Our park ranger drivers were very knowledgeable about the wildlife in the park, including birds (though I am not a birder, some members of our group were). While we did not see leopards on our drives, we did encounter the rest of the 'Big 5' more than once. Our drivers were very cooperative in allowing us sufficient time for taking pictures. Botswana is justifiably well known for its elephants, and we did encounter them on numerous occasions. Lions and Cape buffalo were also seen on a few occasions and hippos in large numbers during our river cruises. We did not encounter much in the way of zebras, wildebeests, or rhinos. I imagine this was due to the type of terrain in the park.
Our accommodations at the lodge were very well appointed
Read more
and comfortable. We had a wide variety of meal choices available and could choose to eat either at the lodge itself or at the nearby Chobe Safari Lodge.Weather during our visit could hardly have been better - we had no rain and temperatures during the day were comfortably warm.
We arrived at Chobe Bush Lodge by motor coach, coming from a visit to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls and earlier from South Africa and left by plane from nearby Kasane, flying to Johannesburg and then back to the United States.
Janette
AU
Visited:
September 2017
Reviewed: Oct 31, 2017
Email Janette | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lots to see but too many people
We spent two nights near the park at Chobe Bush Lodge which was excellent. We went on a early morning safari drive and an afternoon boat cruise. Others from our group did an afternoon drive as well.
Even though we saw lots of excellent wildlife including two lions stalking some warthogs, it was way too crowded during both the morning drive and the boat cruise. There were often dozens of safari vehicles/boats around a good animal sighting with some vehicles hogging the best spot for ages and we often had to wait. This was mainly for lions (we didn't see anything else really special). And when it came to the sunset part of the cruise, lots of small boats sat in front of our bigger boats spoiling our view - there was plenty of room for them elsewhere. Our boat moved somewhere else to avoid these boats. These experiences spoilt the park for us. We actually saw much more in Kruger and it was less crowded.
However, friends who did the afternoon safari drive said there weren't so many other groups and they had some excellent sightings including the rare wild dog.
Julian
DE
Visited:
October 2017
Reviewed: Oct 31, 2017
Email Julian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good wildlife but unfortunately no rhinos. Plenty of birds and nice scenery
Tina
US
Visited:
September 2019
Reviewed: Sep 23, 2019
Email Tina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Too many tourists at the same time; camps are a bit farther;
Arthur
US
Visited:
February 2025
Reviewed: Mar 13, 2025
Email Arthur | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Our experiences in other African countries were much more successful in viewing numerous types of animals close-up.
Kathy
US
Visited:
September 2025
Reviewed: Sep 30, 2025
Email Kathy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I like a wilder setting. The quantity of wildlife was huge! Less variety than the delta
Gary Elson
GB
Visited:
January 2026
Reviewed: Apr 15, 2026
Email Gary Elson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Predators and Elephants as well as river cruises
Spent 6 days in ad around the Chobe River during the wet season - and it did get very wet on two of the days. 3 game drives in the Chobe NP, which produced good elephant and lion sightings. All lion and leopard sightings by us and other vehicles were in the vicinity of the Serondola picnic site and west of there. As it was the wet season, fewer animals were drawn to the river, so birding was more productive.
Photography on the river was excellent, as were the hippos and elephants in the afternoon. If you have the choice, game drive in the morning - and get there as soon as the gates open, and river cruise in the afternoon.
Probably less touristy compared to Kenya and Tanzania, but still too many to my taste. But hey, all tourists want to be alone with the animals, don't they? :)