Botswana offers three distinct types of safari within a single country: the flooded channels of the Okavango Delta, the salt pans and desert of the Kalahari, and the riverfront of Chobe National Park, home to large elephant herds. For someone planning their first visit to Botswana, Chobe is the most straightforward option to start with because it is only a short drive from Victoria Falls, costs considerably less than staying in a lodge in the Delta, and offers some of the most concentrated elephant sightings in continental Africa. This Botswana trip blog covers things to do in Botswana, the best places to visit and when to go, what Chobe actually offers, how it compares to the rest of the country, and what each region costs. It's put together by a team that runs game drives and river cruises out of Kasane every week.
What can you actually do in Chobe National Park?
Most Botswana tours that centre on Victoria Falls go to Chobe, and there's a good reason for that. The park extends along the Chobe River opposite Namibia's Caprivi Strip, and the wildlife is mostly concentrated along the riverbank during the majority of the year. A standard Chobe day tour combines the game drive and boat cruise in one booking.
On a standard day trip at Chobe National Park safari, you get:
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A morning or afternoon game drive through the park, tracking elephant herds, buffalo, giraffe, and (with some luck) lion.
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A boat cruise on the Chobe River, which puts you closer to hippo pods, crocodiles, and elephants crossing or drinking at the water's edge than any vehicle can.
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Birdlife along the river - fish eagles, kingfishers, and herons are common on the cruise.
Chobe day tour vs. camping safari
| Chobe day tour | Chobe camping safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 12 hours | 3 days / 2 nights |
| Includes | Game drive + boat cruise | Multiple game drives, overnight riverfront camping, meals |
| Best for | Travelers based in Victoria Falls/Livingstone with one day to spare |
Travelers who want more time in the park and don't mind camping |
| Price point | Lower, single-day | Higher, multi-day |
If a day trip leaves you wanting more, the Chobe camping safari is the next step up rather than a different kind of trip.
The elephants: why Chobe's sightings are different
Botswana holds Africa's largest elephant population, and Chobe's riverfront is where the highest concentrations gather, especially in the dry months from roughly April through October, when herds move toward the river as inland water sources dry up. Sightings of thirty or more elephants in a single stretch of riverbank aren't unusual during that window.
The boat cruise and the game drive give you different views: the cruise allows you to see the herds drinking or crossing at the water, while the game drive covers more ground and is more effective at spotting predators who are tracking the herds.
Beyond Chobe: best places to visit in Botswana, and what it costs
Chobe covers one part of Botswana, not the whole picture. The rest of the places to visit in Botswana are more varied and mostly harder to reach: a flooded delta, salt pans, and desert reserves that sit well beyond any road out of Kasane. Here's an honest rundown of things to do in Botswana beyond Chobe.
Chobe (Kasane)
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Known for: elephants, river cruises, game drives
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How you get there: road, day trip from Victoria Falls
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Typical cost: $130-$1,000
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Part of a Chobe-based trip: yes
Chobe is the only area on this list that can be reached by road. If you take a day tour or go camping, you can leave directly from Victoria Falls or Livingstone without having to fly, and the wildlife is found along the riverbank rather than being spread out over a reserve that would take several days to explore. It is also by a large margin the cheapest way to enter a Botswana safari, which is the reason it makes sense as an initial trip rather than something booked afterwards.
Okavango Delta
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Known for: mokoro (canoe) rides, water-based game viewing
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How you get there: fly-in from Maun
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Typical cost: $150-$2,500+ per person, per day
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Part of a Chobe-based trip: no
The Delta is a seasonal floodplain, reached only by light aircraft from Maun, and it's built around mokoro rides, walking safaris, and lodges that range from simple tented camps to $1,000-a-night suites. There's no road link between Kasane and the Delta, so it can't be bolted onto a Chobe day trip. If your itinerary has room for it, treat it as a separate leg booked out of Maun.
Moremi Game Reserve
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Known for: big cats, one of the last strongholds of the African wild dog
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How you get there: fly-in from Maun
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Typical cost: $3,780-$13,690+ per person, multi-day
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Part of a Chobe-based trip: no
Moremi is located in the Okavango Delta and is one of the best places in southern Africa if you are looking for African wild dogs, together with lions, leopard and buffalo. It can only be accessed by charter flight from Maun, not by road, and multi-day tour packages centred on it are much more expensive than a trip to Chobe. Instead of booking it as their first visit to Botswana, most tourists add a visit there on to their already completed Delta safari.
Makgadikgadi Pans & Kalahari
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Known for: salt pan quad biking, meerkat colonies, San Bushmen-guided walks
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How you get there: road, from Maun or Francistown
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Typical cost: mid-range to luxury
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Part of a Chobe-based trip: no
This is Botswana's desert side: white salt pans you can ride a quad bike across, habituated meerkat colonies you can sit beside, and guided walks with San Bushmen guides who track and forage across the Kalahari the way their communities have for generations. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve, further south, is one of the better places on the continent to see black-maned lion and brown hyena.
Savuti
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Known for: predator activity, part of the wider Chobe-Linyanti ecosystem but a separate interior camp area
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How you get there: fly-in or long drive
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Typical cost: mid-range to luxury
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Part of a Chobe-based trip: no
Moremi sits inside the Delta and is one of southern Africa's strongest areas for African wild dog sightings, alongside lion, leopard, and buffalo. Savuti is technically part of the same Chobe-Linyanti ecosystem Maano's tours operate in. Still, it's an interior camp area known for dramatic predator-versus-elephant standoffs, and it's reached by charter flight or a long drive, not a day trip from Kasane.
For official details on the Delta, Kalahari, and other regions outside Chobe, the Botswana Tourism Organisation is the country's own tourism board and a reliable starting point.
Best time to visit Botswana
| Season | Months | What it's good for | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Dry season |
May-October |
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Peak season |
Late June-October |
Most visitors, highest prices, most reliable wildlife sightings |
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Wet/green season |
November-April |
Zebra and wildebeest migration into the Makgadikgadi and Kalahari, lush scenery, strong birdlife |
June through August brings the driest, coolest weather (daytime highs around 24 - 25°C), while October is the hottest month before the rains, sometimes touching 34 - 35°C.
Botswana visa and the Kazungula border crossing
If you're crossing into Botswana from Zambia or Zimbabwe for a Chobe day trip, here's what to check before you travel:
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UK, US, and EU passport holders can enter Botswana visa-free for up to 90 days in a 12-month period.
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Indian passport holders need a visa arranged in advance - Botswana does not issue visas on arrival. Apply through the Botswana eVisa portal at least two weeks ahead; a single-entry visa costs around $30.
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The Kazungula border post is the crossing point used for day trips between the Zambia/Zimbabwe side and Kasane, Botswana. Bring your passport regardless of nationality, since you're leaving one country and entering another for the day.
Pair a Chobe day trip with a rhino walking safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambia side, and you've covered two countries' worth of wildlife in under 48 hours.
A simple two-day plan: Victoria Falls and Chobe
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Day one: Victoria Falls sightseeing in the morning, rhino walking safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in the afternoon.
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Day two: Cross at Kazungula for the Chobe day tour - game drive in the morning, boat cruise at midday, back across the border by evening.
Key takeaways
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Chobe is the practical, affordable way to see Botswana wildlife from a Victoria Falls base - no flights, no Delta-lodge pricing.
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Botswana's Delta, Moremi, and Kalahari regions are real draws, but they're separate trips reached by air from Maun, not add-ons to a Chobe visit.
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Indian travelers need a Botswana eVisa arranged in advance; UK, US, and EU passport holders get 90 days visa-free.
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Dry season (May-October) is the best window for game viewing across the country.
FAQ
What is the best time to visit Botswana for a safari?
May through October, the dry season, when animals concentrate near water sources and sightings are most reliable. June to August adds the coolest weather and lowest malaria risk.
Do I need a visa to visit Botswana from Victoria Falls?
It depends on your passport. UK, US, and EU citizens can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Others like Indian citizens need to apply for a Botswana eVisa in advance, since visas aren't issued on arrival.
Is Chobe or the Okavango Delta better for a first Botswana safari?
Chobe is the more practical first safari: it's reachable by road from Victoria Falls in a single day and costs far less than a Delta lodge stay. The Delta is worth adding on a later trip, or as a separate fly-in leg from Maun, once you know Botswana safaris are for you.
How do I book a safari in Botswana?
If you're basing your trip out of Victoria Falls or Livingstone, the simplest way to book a safari in Botswana is through a tour operator that already runs day trips into Chobe National Park, rather than arranging a separate Botswana-based operator or flying into Maun.
