Experience · Chobe, Botswana

Elephants

Chobe National Park holds Africa's greatest concentration of elephants — tens of thousands — and the way to meet them is by water: afternoon river cruises drift past herds swimming trunk-up between islands, drinking and mud-wrestling metres from the boat.

Best forWildlife & nature · Photographers · Adventure seekers
In October35°C · 2 rainy days
Ideal stay2-3 nights
Approx. flying time~19h 35m from Los Angeles

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Happens around Chobe, Botswana — nearest airport Kasane (BBK), about 79km away.

CurrencyBWPBotswana pula
LanguageEnglish and Setswana
Local time12:321h ahead of the UK
PlugsType D / G / MUK plugs fit
Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
Dialling code+267

The experience

Chobe National Park holds one of the largest elephant populations left in Africa, and the Chobe River becomes the daily meeting point in the dry season, when herds converge to drink, swim and cross between islands within metres of passing boats. Watching from the water rather than a vehicle changes the experience: engines cut, boats drift, and the elephants largely ignore a small, quiet craft in a way they wouldn't a jeep on the riverbank. Hippos, crocodiles and dense birdlife share the same stretch of river.

Kasane is the usual base, or Chobe can be visited as a day trip from Victoria Falls across the border, roughly ninety minutes by road. Afternoon river cruises are the classic choice, timed for cooler light and peak animal activity, though morning game drives through the park add a land-based contrast. May to October, the dry season, concentrates animals most densely along the river; the wet season scatters them further inland.

Ideal stay: 2-3 nights
The vibe: Dense, wild, quietly dramatic

From our guides

Dry season, May to October, packs the riverfront densest. Base in Kasane, or day-trip across the border from Victoria Falls. Choose a small photographic boat over the double-decker party barges; the elephants notice the difference, and so will you.

Featured in Ten wildlife encounters that will humble you

Make a trip of it

Chobe riverfront

The stretch of river where elephant herds gather daily in the dry season to drink, swim and cool off in the heat.
River cruises

Slow, engine-off boat trips that bring close, quiet views of elephants and other wildlife along the water's edge.
Chobe game drives

Land-based safaris through the park's woodland and floodplain habitats, offering a different perspective from the river cruises and a chance at other game.
Sedudu Island

A river island where elephants are regularly seen crossing between Botswana and Namibia, especially during the dry season.
Victoria Falls day trip

An easy border crossing linking Chobe with the falls, roughly ninety minutes away, popular as a single busy day out.

Getting there

Fly to
Kasane (BBK)

Nearest airport to Chobe, about 79km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Kasane

Kasane airport (BBK) is on the edge of town, about ten minutes from the lodges. Many visitors instead transfer by road from Victoria Falls in around an hour and a half, crossing the border.
On the ground
Getting around

Lodges run the game drives and the afternoon river cruises, with the Chobe riverfront gate about 15 minutes from Kasane.

Public transport: Effectively none for the park. Everything is arranged through lodges or operators.

Flights

Los Angeles Chobe, Botswana

Flying from

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Roughly 19h 35m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 25°C in June to 35°C in October. Driest May to September; wettest in January, with rain on about 20 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October35° · rain 2 daysHot and dry.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — April to September.

Where to base yourself

River lodges, tented camps inside the park and a few larger hotels plus self-catering in Kasane. All-inclusive with activities is the norm at the lodges.

Best base overall
Kasane

The gateway town on the riverfront, with lodges, the park gate, the airport and the boat jetties. It is functional rather than beautiful, and baboons treat it as theirs.
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Best for couples
Chobe riverfront lodges

Strung along the water west of town, with game viewing from the deck and boats leaving from the lawn. Rates are high and you eat where you sleep.
Find stays in Chobe riverfront lodges
Best value
Kazungula

Near the border crossing a few minutes from Kasane, with cheaper guesthouses and self-catering. Border traffic and lorries pass through constantly.
Find stays in Kazungula
Best with children
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

About an hour and a half away, with more to do off the boat and a wider range of hotels. Day-tripping into Chobe means an early start and a border queue each way.
Find stays in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Worth knowing before you book: The dry season from May to October is peak and small camps sell out a year ahead, often with single-supplement and minimum-stay conditions attached.

Search everything else in Kasane by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Kasane

Good to know

Getting there: Kasane has its own small airport, or Chobe can be reached by road from Victoria Falls across the border.
Timing: May to October, the dry season, brings the densest wildlife concentrations along the river.
Book ahead: Smaller photographic boats have limited capacity and are worth booking in advance over larger vessels.
Safety: Elephants swimming or crossing near boats should be given space; follow the guide's instructions at all times.
Pack this: Binoculars and a zoom lens make a real difference on the river, where wildlife can be some distance off.