The hook
A park famous for its enormous elephant herds, where the best seat is a boat on the river at sunset as hundreds of elephants, buffalo, and hippos come down to drink and cross the water.
01Why it's worth it
Chobe, in Botswana's far north, holds one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Africa, tens of thousands, and in the dry season they and vast herds of buffalo, along with lions, leopards, giraffes, and antelope, converge on the Chobe River, which forms the park's northern boundary. That riverfront focus makes for exceptional and easy viewing, and Chobe's signature experience is the boat safari: cruising the river in the late afternoon, you drift close to elephants swimming and playing in the shallows, hippos, crocodiles, and huge flocks of birds, with the sun setting over the water, a gentler and often more intimate way to watch wildlife than a dusty drive. Unlike the fly-in Okavango, Chobe is easily reached by road from the town of Kasane, which also sits near the meeting point of four countries and close to Victoria Falls, making it a convenient and relatively affordable anchor for a northern Botswana safari.
02How to experience it
Base in Kasane and combine morning game drives along the riverfront with a late-afternoon boat cruise, which is the highlight, for elephants and hippos at close range at sunset. Go in the dry season for the biggest herds. It pairs easily with Victoria Falls just across the border.