Chobe River Safari: Best Beginner's Guide To Inspire You

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Chobe River safari is by far the best way to experience wildlife viewing from a unique angle. It is famous with tourists for a good reason. In this article, I share everything you need to know about Chobe River safari.

Planning a safari of a lifetime can be stressful, especially when the information you need isn’t readily available. As someone born and raised in Botswana, and having been on Chobe River safari, I share everything you need to know about Chobe River safari.

You are also going to learn about Kasane river cruises, Chobe river safari cost, Chobe river houseboats, and more.

In my earlier post about Botswana River Safari, I covered some of these points; this post dives deep into the Chobe River Safari.

After learning about this, you will have the knowledge you need to plan the best Chobe River safari you will remember forever.

Chobe River Safari: Location

Kasane

This unique safari is located in Kasane, a town in Botswana’s northern region. The safari itself will take place on the Chobe River.

You might be wondering, where is the Chobe River located? Well, the Chobe River hugs the banks of Kasane, adjacent to Chobe National Park, and the river forms a natural border between Botswana and Namibia.

Cool, right? You can even see buildings in Namibia while you are still in Botswana.

Chobe River Safari: When to go

Safaris in Chobe are excellent during the dry season. I personally went during the dry season, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. Wildlife viewing is fantastic and the weather is perfect.

Additionally, sunsets are magical. However, the prices tend to be a bit higher during the dry season, which is the case for all Botswana water safaris during the dry season.

The good news is, although Chobe river cruise is a famous activity, it is highly accessible. Moreover, Chobe is cheaper than Okavango Delta.

Chobe River Safari Cost

Chobe River safari prices ranges depending on who you are booking with. There are luxury boats and more budget friendly boats. I went for a budget friendly, medium size boat which cost me USD 20 and the experience was just as magical. For a smaller boat expect to pay as little as USD 15.

If you are going for a budget friendly local tours, you don’t need to pay in advance. Pay when you get there and don’t worry, you won’t miss it, there are so many of these boats and they cruise the river all day, every day.

However, if you want to book in advance for peace of mind, ask your lodge or hotel to book for you.

Looking for a more luxurious, exclusive experience? Go for the likes of Zambezi Queen and Chobe Princess and book in advance.

For Zambezi Queen: expect to pay aroundUSD 700 per person for a 2-night stay; for the Chobe Princess, expect to pay around USD 650. Rates typically include all meals, drinks, transfers, guided village tours, and park fees. I have left a link for you to see real-time rates at Chobe Princess By Mantis.

PangolinVoyager

For ultimate luxury on the river, consider Pangolin Voyager Houseboat. I saw this boat passing by, I have never been a passenger on it and it looked stunning. I have also heard good reviews about it. If you can, this will be one the best Chobe river cruise for a honeymoon or anniversary.

How to get to Chobe River

Your lodge or hotel will transport you to the riverbank, where you will meet your captain and the crew. If you booked directly with a local tour, arrange for a pickup with them, or book a taxi. Remember, you will be in Kasane, so getting around will not be difficult. I booked a taxi and it was only 15 minutes drive.

Chobe River safari: What to Expect

Sedudu Island

Expect to be mesmerised by the entire river safari. Open woodlands and marshes border the Chobe River, and in the middle of the river is a tiny island called Sedudu Island. This Island is not for humans; it is just for wildlife; therefore, you can not disembark on it.

You would think a tiny patch of land wouldn’t cause a fuss; however, back in the day, this island caused a rift between Botswana and Namibia about whether it belongs to Botswana or Namibia. Anyway, the island belongs to Botswana.

Incredible wildlife

From personal experience, the most outstanding thing about the Chobe River cruise and what makes it special is the incredible wildlife viewing from the river. It is indeed a river safari.

I saw elephants, of course! After all Chobe is the home of elephants. I also saw antelopes, hippos, crocodiles, and buffalo. Additionally, bird sightings were incredible. It makes the best Botswana river safari.

Chobe River sunset cruise

Botswana trips — Me on a Chobe river cruise

Chobe River sunset cruise will blow your mind; this is a must-do activity. I highly recommend you do this while in Kasane, you will not be disappointed.

However, make sure to go for the Chobe river sundowner cruise, not the morning one. This was the highlight of my Kasane trip.

Chobe river safari: Where to stay

Since you will be Kasane, the easiest way to book your accommodation is through Booking.Com official site. It is familiar and straightforward. This is what I did on my last trip.

This might give a picture of the variety of accommodation in Kasane. I stayed at Two Rivers Hotel, and it was incredible. I was able to visit Chobe National Park, take a Chobe boat cruise, and even go on Victoria Falls day trip without any issues.

As you can see, you don’t have to stay in a safari lodge or a particular accommodation. However, if you prefer a safari lodge, consider Chobe Marina Lodge, as it is situated on the riverbank of the Chobe River. Additionally, they offer a variety of activities, such as the ones I mentioned.

Chobe river cruise from Victoria falls

Because of the close proximity of Chobe river and Victoria Falls, you can definitely go on an Chobe river cruise from Victoria Falls or vice versa. The travel duration is between Victoria falls and Kasane is only 1 hour one-way.

If you want to learn more about how to organise a day trip from Botswana to Victoria Falls, have a look at Botswana Victoria Falls safari guide. It’s more detailed and in-depth.

Chobe River Safari: What else to do

As breathtaking and thrilling as the Chobe River Safari is, it won’t last all day, so the big question is, what else can I do in Kasane?

Well, you are in luck because Kasane is the home of the famous Chobe National Park. Infant, Chobe river is part of the Chobe National Park. Therefore, Chobe game drive is a no-brainer. Additionally, as I mentioned above, you can go on a day trip to Victoria Falls Zimbabwe.

Another fun thing you can do is a Namibia Botswana river safari, where you cruise the Chobe river from Botswana to Namibia, and visit a local village there. All this can be done as a day trip. I mean, it will take as little as 15 minutes of cruising to reach the Namibian side of the river.