Chobe National Park Safaris

Spectacular cumulus thunderheads build up and explode, drenching the earth in water and sound. For all the energy of the storms, most are over in a couple of hours.

Nogatsaa can simply be too wet to traverse at this time. Birding safaris are fantastic in all regions, with the migrants present.

March usually sees the last of the rains, and the bush is verdant. A lovely time for those happy to enjoy the space, big skies, and landscapes and prepared to spend a little more time on the move looking for good game sightings.

Nogatsaa can simply be too wet to traverse at this time. Zebra could be migrating through Savuti. Nearby Victoria Falls will be in a full flood if the rains were good, so consider it an add-on.

March and April are the highest malaria risks on the Chobe Riverside.

Zebra and wildebeest begin their return migrations towards the permanent rivers as water sources, and the bush starts to dry out.

Savuti and Nogatsaa can see a migration of zebra in April and May. Low temperatures drop below 20°C/68°F. The last summer bird migrants are on the wing, heading north again until the next rains.

April is a good time to visit Savuti and the central areas of the park if it’s not too wet.

Some say Botswana is the most beautiful country in Africa this month – and it’s still shoulder season, so specials can be found.

Temperatures are definitely cooler in the mornings and evenings, so take layers. Kasane and the Chobe Riverside will be getting busier as the high season approaches. Game of all kinds will start to be drawn to water sources and is easier to see, but it’s still a little early to guarantee enormous herds. Nogatsaa can see a mini-migration of zebra and wildebeest in April and May.

Towards the end of the month, go tiger hunting – tigerfish, that is, “18lb of pure fight”. This is when smaller fish start moving back from the floodplains to the main river channels. Late May and June see feeding frenzies as tigerfish lie in wait.

It’s cold at night and in the early mornings (temperatures can drop close to 0°C/32°F) so take warm extra layers for game drives, but sunshine during the day is almost guaranteed.

It’s the start of high season, so you’ll meet other vehicles on the roads and share sightings, especially on the Chobe River. But what sightings! Day by day, there will be more elephants, plus buffalo, crocs, and much more.

Savute will be dry now, but permanent boreholes attract thirsty animals, and competition for the precious water makes for great sightings. Self-driving adventurers can tackle the park’s dirt roads, which is not always possible in the wet season. This is an excellent time to drive to Nogatsaa, although the game will be moving north. It’s also prime time for tiger fishing at the Riverside.

Nights can get freezing, although the days warm right up. The elephant extravaganza continues on the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers.

Literally hundreds can be seen at the river at a time, as well as great herds of buffalo. It’s peak high season, which also means more park visitors – so if you want peace, it may be worth heading to the further reaches of the park or the private concessions of Linyanti and Selinda.

Linyanti’s prime game-watching window period is also the winter months, and the area is known for wild dogs. The dogs den this month, making these sought-after predators easier to find.

It’s still cold enough to need warm layers for early mornings and evenings. It’s wild dog puppy season, and the Linyanti concession areas are the best place to see them. The number of elephants at Chobe Riverside proves why Chobe is rated one of the best places in the world to admire these giants.

It’s still high season, which means more park visitors and more elephants – so if you want peace, it may be worth paying extra and heading to the further reaches of the park or the private concessions of Linyanti. The Selinda Spillway may have enough water for mokoro paddling.

There’s a catfish run in the Kasai Channel, and it’s still a good time for tigers.

It’s pretty hot by day now, with Kasane temperatures averaging about 30°C/86°F. The first bird migrants return: yellow-billed kites and carmine bee-eaters are first back; woodland kingfishers come later. Botswana’s Independence Day is celebrated on 30 September.

The dry season continues, so, once again, the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers are the places to be for big game sightings on safari. The Selinda Spillway may have enough water for mokoro paddling. Tiger fishing on the Chobe River should still be good (although the fish can be caught year-round).

October is one of the hottest months in Chobe, with temperatures hitting about 35°C/86°F to 40°C/104°F. Elephants will soon start to disperse from the permanent rivers, after which things quiet in Chobe Riverside.

Shoulder season rates kick in, but as there is likely to be little rain, this is still a good month for travelers who like it warm. There’s good fishing around Impalila Island. Hot nights are also good for sleep-outs and camping.

The weather is still mostly hot and clear, but “Green Season” begins. The first rains settle the dust (wet, hot African soil smells better than just about anything else on earth).

Acacia trees, baobabs, sausage trees, and apple leaf begin to flower, and nutritious grass sprouts up soon after the first showers, triggering calving season. It’s a baby bonanza with skinny-legged herbivores wobbling to their feet all over the bush.

It’s also shoulder season, so look out for accommodation specials. November/December sees the beginning of the zebra migration. Following ancient migration routes, they head south from the Chobe River to enjoy the new grasses at Savuti Marsh and the Mababe Depression and will continue on to the pans further south. They return to the Chobe river area by May.

The wetter weather can bring cooler temperatures, so pack a jacket or jersey. The antelope baby boom peaks, and by mid-month, most wildebeest, impala, tsessebe, and warthog will have dropped their offspring.

Good rains will have soaked the earth, and termite alates (often called flying ants) will erupt from the ground, sparking bird feeding frenzies.

Even raptors like Steppe eagles love termites. Many park roads become tricky or impassable, so self-drivers should pick a dryer month. December is a wonderful time to visit Savute.