Chobe National Park in a nutshell
Chobe National Park covers about 11,700 km² in the north of Botswana. It is a mix of river floodplain, marsh and woodland, and it is split into four regions: the Chobe Riverfront, the Ngwezumba Pans, Savute and Linyanti. Kasane is the main gateway to the riverfront, and most visitors do two things there: a game drive on land and a cruise on the river.
This guide covers the safari and boat options, the day trip from Victoria Falls and Livingstone, photographic safaris, elephants and other wildlife, Kasane, Savute, the Chobe Riverfront, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, combined trips to the Okavango Delta, park fees, the best time to visit, where to stay, how to get there and the history of the park. Prices are shown with their year, and they change.
Our picks: Chobe tours
A day trip from Victoria Falls, a full day from Kasane, a sunset cruise and a camping safari.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Two-day camping safari in Chobe from Kasane
- Night inside the park
- River cruise and game drives
- Meals and drinks
Boat trip, a game drive to the camp and a morning drive the next day. Park and camping fees are extra.
Check availability →Chobe day trip from Victoria Falls with boat and game drive
- Chobe river cruise
- Open 4x4 game drive
- Buffet lunch
Boat and game drive in one day, with the air-conditioned transfer over the border. Park fees and visa are extra.
Check availability →
Full-day Chobe safari from Kasane
- Boat safari
- Open 4x4 game drive
- Hotel pickup
A small group of up to eight with a guide and lunch buffet, starting from your hotel in Kasane. Park entry and government tax are paid on top.
Check availability →
Chobe River sunset cruise from Kasane
- Sunset boat trip
- Life jackets
- Soft drink and water
A short evening on the river, a low-cost way onto the water. Park entry is extra.
Check availability →Chobe safaris, river cruises and day trips
Game drives, boat cruises and full-day trips into the park, with live prices and availability.
Plan your Chobe trip
One page for each question.
Chobe safari and game drives
Guided drives, self-drive with a 4x4 and park hours.
Chobe River cruise
Afternoon and sunset boats, and what you see from the water.
Day trip from Victoria Falls
Border, times and what a full day includes.
Botswana safari tours
Tours from Kasane and Livingstone compared.
Photographic safari
Photo boats, light and what to bring.
Elephants of Chobe
Herds at the river and the numbers for Botswana.
Chobe wildlife
Puku, sable antelope, lions, wild dogs and birds.
Kasane
The gateway town, the airport and the border at Kazungula.
Savute (Savuti)
Marsh, channel and predators, far from the river.
Chobe Riverfront
Sedudu, Serondela, Ihaha and Ngoma.
Caprivi Strip
The Zambezi Region across the river.
Okavango Delta from Chobe
Flights, roads and combined trips.
Park fees
Rates per person, vehicle and boat.
Best time to visit
Month-by-month temperatures and rain.
Where to stay
Kasane, the riverfront and the inland camps.
Kasane Airport and roads
Flights, road routes, rental cars and transfers.
History of Chobe
From hunting area to national park.
A few things to know before you go
Facts that change how you plan.
Park fees follow the 2022 tariff
The tariff in use runs from 1 April 2022, and the private non-resident rate is BWP 270 per person per day. An increase was announced in 2026; check the current rate before you go. On a tour, the booking page says whether park fees are included.
Park fees →Elephant numbers are for Botswana
The figure of 131,909 elephants is the 2022 estimate for the whole of Botswana, not a count for Chobe. The park holds large herds at the river in the dry months. Treat it as the scale of the population, not as a count of the herds you will see.
Elephants →Transit is not a night drive
The Sedudu to Ngoma road has been open for 24-hour transit since 1 April 2025. Normal park hours stay separate: 1 April to 30 September, 06:00 to 18:30; 1 October to 31 March, 05:30 to 19:00.
Safari hours →Two Kazungula crossings
The road crossing to Zimbabwe and the bridge to Zambia are different borders with different hours. Which one you use depends on whether you start from Victoria Falls or Livingstone.
Day trip →A houseboat may mean Namibia
Some houseboats lie on the Namibian side of the river. Germans have needed a visa for Namibia since 1 April 2025, and a stay in Botswana does not cover it.
Where to stay →A national park since the late 1960s
Chobe was protected as a game reserve in 1960 and became a national park in the late 1960s. The history page has the timeline.
History →Beyond the park
Nearby places that fit a Chobe trip.
Victoria Falls lies about 80 to 95 km from Kasane, and many visitors combine the two. This guide stays with Chobe, and the Victoria Falls guide covers the falls on both sides of the river.
The Okavango Delta, Moremi and the Makgadikgadi pans lie further south. Moremi is a reserve in the central and eastern Okavango and is not part of Chobe. Makgadikgadi is a landscape of salt pans, mainly Sowa and Ntwetwe, that flood after rain. For flights, roads and combined trips see the Okavango page. Across the river, Namibia's Caprivi Strip offers a second bank to explore.
More independent guides around Victoria Falls
Separate guides from the same team.
Chobe National Park: frequently asked questions
Where is Chobe National Park?
It lies in the north of Botswana, on the river that gives the park its name. Kasane is the main gateway. The park covers about 11,700 km² and includes the Chobe Riverfront, the Ngwezumba Pans, Savute and Linyanti. See the Kasane page for the town.
What is the best time to visit Chobe?
For large herds at the river, the dry winter months are the usual choice, because elephants and buffalo gather there. The rainy season runs from November to March, with heavy rain, possible flash floods and affected roads. October is the hottest month, with a long-term daily high of 34.5 °C. There is no single best month for everything. See the season page.
How much does it cost to enter the park?
Under the tariff valid since April 2022, a private non-resident visitor pays BWP 270 per person and day, and a foreign-registered private vehicle BWP 115 per day. Customers of Botswana tour operators pay BWP 190 per person and day. Check the current rate before you go. Details are on the park fees page.
Do I need a visa for Botswana?
A regular German passport needs no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days per calendar year, and British citizens can stay up to 90 days visa-free. The passport should be valid for at least 6 months on arrival. Rules change, so check your government's travel advice.
Can I be sure to see elephants and lions?
No. Elephants are common at the river, especially in the dry months, but sightings cannot be promised. Lions, leopards and wild dogs live in the park too, and chances differ by area and season. The wildlife page lists what lives there.
Is chobe-national-park.org the official park website?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no link to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, a lodge, a boat operator or any safari company.