IF THE RIVER COULD SPEAK: DISCOVERING CHOBE
- O&A Team
- August 15, 2025
- Conservation, Features, Places
- Botswana Tourism, Chobe House, Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Kasane
- 0 Comments
O&A headed to Kasane in Botswana. From enjoying sundowners on the mighty Chobe River to a face off between lions and buffalo at sunset, this was an unforgettable experience.
Kasane – a small but bustling town at the far northeastern corner of Botswana close to Africa’s ‘Four Corners’ (the meeting of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe) – is a little short on zebra crossings – but it certainly has is fair share of road hogs.
By that I mean that this isn’t zebra country – but there are chubby warthogs that take refuge under the culverts along the main road. It is also home to a band of mongooses rifling through the bins on the roadside – not to mention the clan of hyenas skulking on the outskirts of town when we left for our morning game drive just as the sun nudged its way into the dark morning sky.
Why Kasane is so special is that this once unremarkable place provides perfect access to the magnificent Chobe National Park. Bland government administration centres are neighbours to a growing number of luxury lodges that overlook the approximately 300-metre-wide Chobe River.
Word is out that, because this is now prime real estate, many are making way for more accommodation as the Chobe Reserve becomes the on-trend safari destination in Southern Africa.
Right now, because there are no boundary fences between the park and the village, big game such as elephant and hippo may still wander down the road after dark. The same goes for the local lion pride.
It comes as no surprise, then, that we didn’t volunteer to take an evening stroll to find out! The very fact that the builders of Chobe House left lion pawprints in the concrete pathway leading up to the front door dissuaded us. It was also a reminder that this was Africa at its most raw and beautiful – a destination so unlike any in South Africa where game reserves tend to be neatly packaged in envelopes and tucked away.
DISCOVERING CHOBE HOUSE
Our trip to Kasane was sparked by an invitation to visit a relatively new lodge located along the banks of the Chobe River only 8 km from the gate of the Chobe National Park.
Who wouldn’t take up this offer? It had been rubber stamped by one of our favourite Springboks, Eben Etzebeth, and created by Bradley Marshall, the God son of a family friend. This was the opportunity of a lifetime to step across the border for a memorable long weekend.
Without the time to plan a meandering road trip, we opted to jet in and, cheered on by a delightful Airlink crew, touched down at Kasane Airport which is just 7 km away from Chobe House. Our early morning flight from Durban headed above the snow topped Drakensberg mountains while our connecting flight took just 90 minutes to deposit us in the middle of the wilderness.
Chobe House is somewhere between an Air B’nB and a luxury lodge. It has 11 rooms with four located in the main villa intended to cater for larger groups and the
remainder plus a gym as independent chalets. The restaurant is a barge on the river which floats nonchalantly alongside a private jetty from which Chobe House’s boat departs for afternoon water safaris and sundowner cruises.
As a larger group, we commandeered the villa where the rooms are arranged around a comfy lounge complete, a well-stocked honesty bar and the kitchen. The coffee bar – equipped with a jaw dropping coffee machine for which ordinary folk like me need a licence to operate – provided the hot coffee that began many a morning drive or welcomed us back from an evening excursion into Chobe.
Bradley, who like his friendly and helpful staff, tends to hover in the wings, and a business partner jumped through many administrative hoops and constructive challenges to realise their dream. Their vision for Chobe House was founded on a love for the region and a passion for wildlife and photography.
Kudos to them for creating a getaway that allows you sufficient independence to explore in your time with plenty of home comforts (including red wine, wholesome meals and a glorious four poster bed) to end the day. So many luxury lodges have guests hopping to keep up with stringent schedules.
It is fitting that the resort’s logo is a dung beetle which the founders describe as a small but mighty creature that plays a vital role in cleaning, fertilising and aerating soil to generate new plant growth. In ancient Egypt, they symbolise regeneration, rebirth and transformation – and Chobe House achieves just that.
IF THE RIVER COULD SPEAK
Winging our way into Kasane, I must admit that my first surprise was just how wide the beautiful Chobe River is. Once out on the water, I was equally amazed at just how busy the river was with house boats, sundowner launches and even local fisher folk making their way up and down. Apparently, there are also ferries transporting people from bank to bank and into different countries and even border patrols.
Nevertheless, the Chobe is still one of Africa’s great waterways – one which we enjoyed at sunset on at least two occasions complete with wine in hand and cheeseboards – talk about luxury in the great outdoors.
A stop off at the Chobe National Park office precedes heading into the park itself.
Exploring along the riverbanks revealed everything from prehistoric monitor lizards and huge crocodiles to shy buck and water birds. Families of elephants wander along the edges of the river and it is wonderful to reverse things for a change and watch them drinking and bathing from the water rather than from the bush.
In particular, we enjoyed a large sand bank otherwise known as Elephant Island along which many of these giants saunter. With an estimated 120 000 elephant residents, Chobe is undoubtedly one of the best places to meet up with them.
The elephants also swim out into the river, and we spent a long while in our boat alongside an old bull who was making a meal of some water grass. Our guide, Charles, explained that the more elderly lose or wear down their teeth, so softer foods are on the menu.
However, the greatest delight was undoubtedly the water birds and, accompanied by a guide who was extremely knowledgeable, we were able to bob away whilst watching and photographing a large variety of birds perched on branches, skimming across the water, wading along on the hunt or even darting into the water and then whizzing off with a catch.
A highlight was the black heron who is a specialist in what is known as canopy feeding. He raises his wings above his head in the shape of an umbrella, creating a canopy to provide shade that attracts fish. Then there were the aerial stunts of the bright red beaked skimmers who whizz over the water foraging for food in flight and then gather to rest on the nearby sand bars.
However, perhaps the most unforgettable birding experience was a visit to Bird Island. On our second river safari, we headed in the opposite direction, braving the rapids downstream to find ourselves alongside a collection of trees that were populated with literally hundreds of water birds of every description. This was the closest thing to an avian apartment in my limited birding experience!
THE WILDERNESS ON WHEELS
Of course, we couldn’t wait to pile on to the game vehicle and head into Chobe for both early morning and evening drives. However, whilst staying in Kasane, one can only explore a very small band of what is known as the Chobe Riverfront, which is home to everything from large elephant and buffalo herds to giraffes, kudus and a wide variety of different antelopes, baboons, hippos and crocodiles.
This is a big five park which means there are predators a plenty and, although we spotted lions and enjoyed watching a riverside standoff between some wily lionesses and a group of rather irritable buffalo, we were disappointed to miss the leopard, cheetah and wild dog that would have been prized sightings. That is all the more reason to want to return and explore deeper into the park.
Again, the birdlife is prolific with over 450 different species. We were rewarded with everything from bee eaters to birds of prey with an exquisite marshall eagle perched above us on a twisted branch now a favourite memory.
This is undoubtedly a wildlife photographer’s paradise and sightings are close and the bush less dense than in the KZN and Kruger National Parks, which makes composition simpler.
Hidden near the very rudimentary picnic site is the ruins of an old house which apparently belonged to a settler who refused to relocate when the park was declared in 1967 and died in his own little piece of heaven. I can fully understand why he wanted to stay.
CHOBE HOUSE AND BEYOND
In this truly heavenly wilderness, which has one of the most diverse wildlife offerings in Southern Africa, human comfort is not top of mind and facilities like toilets are basic to non-existent. But, despite the lack of fences, gate times are strictly observed, and it is probably best for first timers like us to have had the help of a driver / guide in Charles and a robust 4 x 4.
Now back on home soil in suburbia, we are itching to return. Our visit to Chobe House was an amazing – if short – introduction to the region. We can’t wait to find ourselves back in this 11 700 km² park where there are still floodplains, swamps and woodlands to discover.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to indulge in a day trip to the Victoria Falls or a few other activities (including overnight camping) that are on offer. What we did realise was that Chobe House is an ideal starting point for further explorations.
Because distances are long and time is short, it makes sense to consider flying to Kasane once again, stopping off to spend time on the river before hiring a 4 x 4 to head further into Chobe.
This time we’ll rough it and try self-drive and a spot of camping.
Wondering through Kasane and looking at the curios showed us that there were plenty of restaurants as well as a Spar supermarket to stock up should we consider adding this adventure to our repertoire. Who knows, our return to Kasane could even be the perfect excuse to explore the Okavango Delta – another big item on my bucket list. Watch this space …
