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Chobe Tourism Information

Quick Facts: Chobe

  • The Chobe National Park in Botswana is located in the northwest region
  • Chobe is famous for having one of the largest game concentration on the African continent
  • The Chobe National Park in Botswana is the third largest park of the country
  • The Chobe National Park can be divided into four eco systems: Serondela, the Savuti Marsh, the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west and the hot dry hinterland in between
  • The Serondela / Chobe riverfront area is characterized by lush floodplains and dense woodland of mahogany, teak and other hardwoods
  • The flood plains in the Chobe National Park are the only place in Botswana where the puku antelope can be observed
  • The Savuti Marsh area in Botswana meaures 10 878 km²
  • The Savuti march in Botswana is fed by the erratic Savuti Channel, which dries up for long periods then flows again as a consequence of tectonic activity in this region
  • The Linyanti Marsh is situated in the northwest corner of the Chobe National Park and to the north of Savuti

Introducing Chobe

The Chobe National Park is located in the northwest region of Botswana in Southern Africa.  The Chobe region in Botswana has one of the largest game concentration on the African continent.  Measured by size, the Chobe National Park in Botswana is the third largest park of the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park.  The Chobe National Park, Botswana, is Botswana's first national park.

The Chobe National Park in Botswana, Southern Africa, is divided into four very different eco systems:

  • Serondela with its lush plains and dense forests in the Chobe River area in the extreme north-east
  • the Savuti Marsh in the west about fifty kilometres north of Mababe gate
  • the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west
  • the hot dry hinterland in between.

The Serondela region in Chobe

The Serondela area which is also referred to as the Chobe riverfront is set in the extreme Northeast of the Chobe National Park.  This area of Chobe is characterized by lush floodplains and dense woodland of mahogany, teak and other hardwoods which are largely reduced by heavy elephant pressure. The Chobe river flows along the Northeast border of the Chobe National Park in Botswana.  It serves as a major watering source especially in the dry season which is from May to October especially for large breeding herds of elephants, as well as giraffe, sable and cape buffalo.

The flood plains in the Chobe National Park are the only place in Botswana where the puku antelope can be observed.  It is also here in this area where bird viewing is excellent. Large numbers of carmine bee eaters can often be spotted in season. When the Chobe river is in flood, spoonbills, ibis, various species of stork, duck and other waterfowl are attracted to this region.  This region of the Chobe National Park is in close proximity to the Victoria Falls. The town of Kasane, Botswana, is situated just downstream. Kasane is the most important town of this area in Botswana and serves as the northern entrance to the Chobe National Park.

The Savuti Marsh in Chobe, Botswana

The Savuti Marsh area in Botswana meaures 10 878 km². Savuti constitutes the western stretch of the Chobe National Park, it is 50 km north of Mababe Gate. The Savuti Marsh is the relic of a large inland lake whose water supply was cut a long time ago by tectonic movements. 

Today, the Savuti march in Botswana is fed by the erratic Savuti Channel, which dries up for long periods then flows again as a consequence of tectonic activity in this region. As a result of this variable flow, one can find many dead trees along the channel's bank.  The Savuti area in Botswana is also home to vast savannahs and rolling grasslands, which makes wildlife very interesting in this section of the Chobe National Park.

During dry seasons, tourists going on safari often view warthogs, kudus, impalas, zebras, wildebeests and above all elephants bullying each other. During the rain seasons, the rich birdlife of the Chobe National Park in Botswana is well represented, about 450 species have been recorded in the whole Chobe National Park in Botswana.  Lions, hyenas, zebras or more rarely cheetahs can also be found here. This region of Africa is indeed reputed for its annual migration of zebras and predators.

The Linyanti Marsh in Chobe, Botswana

The Linyanti Marsh is situated in the northwest corner of the Chobe National Park and to the north of Savuti, it is adjacent to the Linyanti River.  To the west of this area one can find the Selinda Reserve and on the Northern bank of Kwando River is Namibia's Mamili National Park.