ActivityKasane, Chobe District, Botswana
Chobe's Elephants from the River
An afternoon boat cruise on the Chobe River
Average rating 5.0 out of 5
5.01 reviewEasy
In the dry season tens of thousands of elephants come down to the Chobe River to drink. The best seat is a small boat in the middle of it.
The elephant capital of Africa
Chobe National Park has one of the largest elephant populations in the world, by most counts more than fifty thousand animals. In the dry months from July to October, when the pans inland have dried up, they walk down to the Chobe River every afternoon to drink, bathe and cross to the islands.
A game drive along the riverfront is good. A boat is better. From the water you see families swim across with only their trunks showing, young bulls wrestle in the shallows and whole herds dust themselves on the bank in the evening light. The river also has buffalo, hippo, Nile crocodile, puku and a superb list of water birds, from African skimmers to fish eagles.
Choose a small boat with ten seats or fewer, or a dedicated photographic boat with swivel seats. The large double-deckers are fine but you cannot get close.
When and how
- Afternoon cruises leave Kasane around 15:00 and return at sunset.
- July to October is peak elephant season.
- Park fees are paid per person per day on top of the cruise.
- Combine with a morning game drive along the riverfront.
Chobe riverfront
About this story
Kagiso MolefeAuthor
Wildside ExpeditionsPublisher
Reviews
Write a reviewAverage rating 5.0 out of 5
1 review- ENEmily Nguyen5 out of 5 stars4 Oct
Superbly practical about seasons, park fees and road conditions. Our first safari went without a hitch.
Keep this story
