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What to expect during a summer safari on the Chobe River

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:16:54 +0000

Although Botswana is a year-round safari destination, every shifting season offers its own set of spectacular highlights.

Summer lures diverse birds to our vast skies, fresh foliage unfurls from its winter slumber, and there is an unprecedented eruption of mammal, insect and reptile life during this captivating time of year.

From November to April, Botswana celebrates rainfall, lush bushveld, and thriving wildlife. The water level of the Chobe River slowly starts to rise again, peaking in May, and the shore boasts a verdant backdrop brimming with life. This is summer in Botswana, our gorgeous green season!

Here’s what to expect on a summer safari in the Chobe National Park.

Experience the circle of life

While wildlife may be easier to spot during the dry season because the grass is shorter and game congregates at the last water sources, summer in Botswana is the best time of year to ‘ooooh’ and ‘aaaaah’ at all the bountiful baby animals.

Plains game are well-fed on the plentiful vegetation and in peak condition to tend to their young. Impalas drop their lambs that congregate in bustling nurseries and this calving season extends to many other species, such as wildebeest, warthog, zebra, buffalo and more.

Although undeniably cute, we must remember that the Chobe National Park is not Disneyland. Predators prowl in the wake of these newborns (often with their own little ones in tow), hoping for an easy meal.

Document a photographic paradise

In summer, the rains mainly occur as short afternoon showers and seldom spoil your safari experience (however, always pack a raincoat and waterproof dry bag for electronics, just in case!). Stunning emerald grasslands and abundant wildflowers create outstanding landscapes and backdrops for your animal subjects. Not to mention the epic drama of an impending downpour!

A theatre of cloud cover creates fantastic texture for colourful sunsets at this time of year, plus longer light hours with the sun dipping below the horizon at around 19h00.

Savour the small stuff

It might not be to everyone’s liking, but a summer safari exhibits the full scope of wildlife in Botswana, from arachnids and adders to platannas and butterflies. Insects and frogs dominate the summer safari soundtrack filling the Chobe National Park with a chorus of clicks, squeals and bubbling songs. These creatures also deepen the nature experience and illustrate the wider ecological web at work. After all, who will pollinate the towering riverine trees that the leopards love to loll about without the little insects?

Set out on a beautiful boat safari

The water levels across the Okavango Delta are at their lowest during summer, and water activities can be limited, but further north, the Chobe River offers year-round boating safaris.

Watch hippos and crocodiles basking in the summer sun and admire the myriad of other species that call the Chobe River home.

Fall in love with bird watching

Chobe Safari Lodge might be the easiest place to become a bird watcher!

Whether cruising the water or strolling our indigenous gardens, there are fantastic bird photography opportunities and many easy-to-identify species.

Starting in November, migrant birds flock to the Chobe River from Asia, Europe and other parts of Africa. The cuckoo calls ring through the branches, vibrant feathers fill the skies and eagle-eyed predators patrol the waterways.

Also read: Birding expert shares top 10 birds to tick off at Chobe Safari Lodge

It is an extraordinary affair of kaleidoscopic plumage and raucous mating calls that bring a unique energy to this premier wilderness area. The sandy riverbanks and surrounding vegetation become home to many busy birds. A thrilling way to get up close to water bird species, such as the African jacana, African skimmer or plentiful ducks, geese, herons and egrets, is by cruising along the Chobe River.

Don’t forget to pack a pair of binoculars and pick up a species checklist when staying at Chobe Safari Lodge.

Where should I stay for a summer safari in Botswana?

Set on the banks of the elephant-rich Chobe River, Chobe Safari Lodge occupies the best riverfront position in Kasane. Chobe Bush Lodge shares a boundary with the Chobe National Park in Kasane and lies within walking distance of the Chobe riverfront and Chobe Safari Lodge. Baboons, warthogs and mongooses may be seen at any time at our wonderfully wild accommodation!

Established in 1959, decades of hosting adventurers and safari-lovers ensure this remains an ideal expedition base for iconic game viewing by boat, game drives or visits to Victoria Falls.

Book directly online now.

The post What to expect during a summer safari on the Chobe River appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Birding expert shares top 10 birds to tick off at Chobe Safari Lodge

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 10:33:09 +0000

Andrew de Blocq is the Avitourism Project Manager at BirdLife South Africa and one of the top birders in Southern Africa. He visited us at Chobe Safari Lodge earlier this year and compiled ten of his must-see birds in the immediate area.

Why Chobe is a top birding destination

The Chobe region is rightfully regarded as one of Africa’s top safari destinations. Perhaps the most unique feature is the access to its main feature, the Chobe River, which meets the Zambezi at the confluence of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, known colloquially as “Bonazazi”. The river attracts a startling array of birds and animals seeking relief from the baking sun, and a boat tour surveying the edges of the mighty Chobe gives you unparalleled opportunities for natural encounters and photography.

For those inclined towards the local feathered attractions, there is plenty to see with well over 400 species of bird recorded in the area. These include some of Africa’s most charismatic and sought-after species. While the river is certainly the prime birding location, a drive through the nearby Chobe National Park and even a walk through the lush gardens of the Chobe Safari Lodge will reward you with pleasing sightings.

10 incredible birds to look for in the Chobe region of Botswana

Below I have listed ten birds that I consider to be top attractions in the Chobe region. I have stayed away from birds that are exciting but exceptionally rare (e.g. the Pennant-winged Nightjar) and have tried to satisfy both the enthusiastic lister through to the occasional avian observer by including species that characterize Chobe as a destination but also the African safari experience as a whole.

Putting this list together was a difficult task, but the easiest decision of the lot was which bird to start with – Chobe Safari Lodge’s icon.

1. African Fish Eagle

Like its American cousin, the Bald Eagle, the African Fish Eagle has become the iconic species of an entire continent. No African safari is complete without the regal call of this eagle, dubbed by many as “the sound of Africa”.

Photograph by Melanie van Zyl

While African Fish Eagles are widespread on the continent, the Chobe River is among the best places to see them. There are pairs of breeding birds scattered along the river edges and they have become habituated to the regular boat traffic, meaning that the normally skittish eagles are quite tolerant of passing boats and the whirr of camera shutters going off repeatedly. The best way to pick one up while out on your cruise is to look out for them perched in large riparian (riverside) trees. Their white head and breast help them to stand out against the darker background.

2. African Skimmer

Like the continentally iconic African Fish Eagle, the African Skimmer is synonymous with the Chobe River. These rather awkward-looking birds appear front-heavy, with their large red and yellow bills protruding from their tuxedo-like black and white bodies.

However, when you see these birds moving up and down the river this weird anatomy and their name all click as the birds expertly skim prey from the water, flying just above the surface and dipping their abnormally large lower mandible underwater to collect small fish and crustaceans. Flybys from family groups of skimmers is common on early morning and late afternoon river cruises, otherwise they can be spotted resting on sandbars, often among other species.

3. Collared Palm Thrush

Chobe Safari Lodge is famous in Southern African birding circles for this particular bird. The leafy gardens at the hotel are where most birders come for their ‘lifer’ tick because they are quite common and conspicuous here.

Collared Palm Thrushes and found practically nowhere else in Southern Africa, although they can be found more commonly further to the north and northeast. Collared Palm Thrushes can be inquisitive but will frustrate photographers as they seldom sit still and often flit in and out of thick vegetation. A walk around the bushier areas of the lodge should reward you with an enjoyable sighting.

4. Southern Carmine Bee-eater

From a reclusive resident to a very out-there migrant species: the pink lady of the African bush.

Photograph by Andrew de Blocq

Southern Carmine Bee-eaters are eye-poppingly beautiful with their dazzling hues of pink and blue contrasting with the comparatively drab bush backdrop. What makes them even more spectacular is their gregarious nature, with flocks commonly numbering into the hundreds. Watching a throng of these bee-eaters hawking insects in flight while chattering away to each other is a spectacle like no other. While the Big 5 are sleeping in the shade in the midday sun of the summer months, these birds can more than compensate for the lack of furry action.

5. Rock Pratincole

Another sought-after summer visitor is the Rock Pratincole. These birds will only visit the region in summer, but their presence can be unpredictable as they are sensitive to water levels. Their preferred habitat is on rocks protruding from river rapids so when the river gets too full and the rocks are submerged they will move elsewhere. They can be difficult to spot because of their camouflaged plumage, but they can be easily identified when seen by the white line under their eyes. One possible way to see these special birds is to book a tiger fishing trip as the feisty fish inhabit the selfsame shallow-water rapids as the pratincoles.

6. Southern Ground Hornbill

This enigmatic hornbill species is the envy of all the ladies with its luscious long eyelashes.

Photograph by Oliver Schapp

Unlike its tree-dwelling cousins (six other hornbill species can be found around Chobe: Southern Yellow-billed, Southern Red-billed, Bradfield’s, African Grey, Crowned, and Trumpeter), this hornbill struts its stuff through grassy patches looking for snakes, scorpions, grasshoppers, lizards, beetles, and whatever other small scurrying creatures it can snatch in its powerful bill. It is known colloquially as the ‘thunderbird’ because of its deep, booming call but also its connection to rain events in African lore. They are extremely territorial and aggressive to outsiders to the family group, to the point that they are known to damage cars, windows, and other property where they mistake their own reflections for intruders.

7. White-backed Vulture

This bird is not included for the way it looks (in fact, vultures are considered – unfairly I think – to be hideously ugly by many), but rather for its ecological and conservation value. Like your local binmen, they provide a vital service without much in the way of acknowledgement or appreciation. Vultures are nature’s clean-up crew, and without these scavengers, the health of the ecosystem and nearby communities are at serious risk.

Vultures can strip a carcass in record time, preventing outbreaks of diseases like rabies and tuberculosis as well as the spread of anthrax in the environment. Though the White-backed Vulture is the most commonly encountered species, it is considered Critically Endangered meaning that without significant intervention it is likely to become extinct within our lifetimes. The vultures as a group are facing a grim future in the face of mass poisoning events, lead pollution, and the wildlife trade, and it would be an indictment on us humans if we lost these important ecosystem service providers. Already, the White-headed Vulture is functionally extinct in this area, but the White-backed, Lappet-faced, and Hooded Vultures persist in dwindling numbers.

8. Coppery-tailed Coucal

The melodic, bubbling, waterfall-like call of the coucal emanating from the reedbeds is one of the emblematic sounds of the Chobe River. Coucals are a favourite with many guests because of their call and their attractive rufous, black and cream colouration, but what often ruins this loveable facade is their habit of ripping open weaver nests to feed on the helpless chicks. The coucals are a member of the cuckoo family (Cuculidae for the bird nerds out there) but are substantially different in two main ways. Firstly, there are relative brutes compared to their more delicate relatives with strong, powerful bodies and hefty bills. Most surprisingly, though, they don’t have the same well-known cuckoo behaviour of laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, which is termed brood parasitism. Like most birds, coucals do the responsible thing and choose to raise their own young. They do have some redeeming features, it seems.

9. Long-toed Lapwing

Long-toed Lapwings are synonymous with African swamps and are easily spotted with their pied black-and-white plumage. When agitated, they will fly up and down giving their scratchy, chattering call. Many visitors will have heard the tales of birds picking food out of the teeth of crocodiles. Lapwings are often the supposed dental hygienists in these stories, but it turns out there is very little evidence to support this association other than the Egyptian Plover, which is not found here. However, crocodiles and hippos do make use of the lapwings and thick-knees as sentries. When the birds give their alarm calls the aquatic behemoths take heed and head for the water to avoid whatever danger was detected.

10. Yellow-billed Oxpecker

One very well documented mutualism is that between oxpeckers and various African herbivores. There are two species of oxpecker in Chobe, distinguished by their either entirely red or mostly yellow beaks as their names imply. Oxpeckers are often seen hitching a ride and combing the fur of antelope looking for ticks and other parasites to snack on. What is less known is that the birds will also feed on mucous, eye gunk, dead skin, scabs, and even flesh and blood. Blood is a particular favourite, and sometimes oxpeckers will deliberately keep a wound open to keep tapping it for the protein-rich flow.

Photograph by Andrew de Blocq

I chose the Yellow-billed Oxpecker for this list because it is the prettier of the two and also the rarer. Red-billed Oxpeckers attend the full range of mammals from small antelope through to rhinos and even hippos.

Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, on the other hand, are not tolerated by smaller and thinner-skinned hosts because of their sharper claws, so the best way to find them is to search for big game like giraffes and buffalo.

The Green Season is the Best Time For Birding

Photograph by Cornelia Rautenbach

Although Botswana has no endemic bird species, it’s one of the easiest places in the world to find extraordinary feathered friends. Migrant birds will be swooping about all over the park between December and February. Why not spend your Christmas in Kasane? Baby animals, vibrant birdlife, affordability and the magnificent rains are just a few reasons to visit during Botswana’s lush Green Season.

CONTACT US TO BOOK YOUR BIRDING SAFARI TO CHOBE SAFARI LODGE.

The post Birding expert shares top 10 birds to tick off at Chobe Safari Lodge appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Travel Update: Rivers and Re-openings in Botswana

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:32:58 +0000

Despite the worldwide lockdown (and a distinct lack of guests to enjoy it) we’re thrilled to have Botswana’s rivers return in such abundance.

In May 2019, President Mokgweetsi Masisi officially declared drought across Botswana. Thankfully, excellent rains have fallen and our lodges across the Okavango Delta are surrounded by floodwaters once again.

In a double dose of good news, many camps and lodges are also open again! Where’s the first place you want to go?

Here’s an update on the rivers and re-openings in Botswana’s best addresses.

Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge Update

Botswana’s National Parks have been open for 14 days already following the national lockdown, which lasted for seven weeks to help contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The elephants of Chobe National Park are still going about their merry munching business and the Chobe River floodplains are positively brimming.

This video taken from Chobe Safari Lodge shows how high the Chobe River has risen. In fact! Our favourite sundowner spot, Sedudu Bar, was even underwater in May 2020.

However, Chobe River water levels are already starting to subside again.

Safari operators across Botswana are working towards recommencement of travel for international guests around October. However, tourism is likely to only be open for selected destinations as global governments and tourism bodies monitor the global pandemic and subsequent border controls.

The Botswana Tourism Organisation has issued strict Tourism Industry Covid-19 Guidelines for reopening.

We are incredibly pleased to help pioneer resumption of travel with the announcement that Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge are open for local travel from today, 10 June 2020.

Chat to us about planning your future safari in charming Chobe National Park.

Okavango Delta Water Levels 2020

The rain in Angola falls between November to April before slowly meandering south into Botswana. Usually, the Okavango Delta fills by late May or June and floods peak during July and August.

Contradicting the most water-laden plains, this is actually Botswana’s dry season.

There are water stations at various points of the Okavango River system. Data from Hydrology Services in Namibia showed water levels rising steadily and 2020 waters at their highest in past five years. On 24 February 2020 water levels measured 7.06m at Rundu compared to 2019 measurements of 5.14m and well above the annual average of 5.59m.

After entering Botswana at Mohembo, the Okavango River then spreads near Seronga where it starts to form Botswana’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta. There are then three main channels that develop, namely Thaoge, Jao and Nqoga. Jao is the central channel and seems to be carrying the most water this year. This middle channel later becomes the Boro River.

After 18 months since the last floods and having travelled 2000km from the Angolan highlands, these are the first waters of the 2020 Okavango flood. On 12 May, the Boro River brought water to the safari base town of Maun, passing it into the Thamalakane River.

As rivers start to reform again it is tradition for Batswana to fetch water from these fresh floodwaters. Many believe it is the beginning of new life for everything.

On 20 May 2020, floodwaters travelled a further 13km since passing below the Matlapaneng Old Bridge and continue to hit the Boteti River on 28 May 2020.

Moremi Crossing and Gunns Camp Report

Last year we introduced game drive safaris to Moremi Crossing and Gunns Camp due to dry conditions. However, both camps are now back to being water-based stays again as floods have completely islanded the lodges!

Camp managers report that the boats are back on the water and walking safaris will take place on Chiefs Island (via a mokoro crossing over the Boro River) until the Okavango Delta swamp waters recede again. You’ve gotta love the rhythms of nature!

Note: As of April, Pom Pom camp is now part of the Kwando Safaris family.

Mma Dinare and Rra Dinare Lodge Report

Although we have had no guests for the past two months, our camps have still been busy. A skeleton staff remained on call to ensure lodge upkeep, and they have also enjoyed some fabulous sightings.

Both Rra Dinare and Mma Dinare lodges are located to make the most of glorious views and game across the Gomoti River. Floodplains are full again and at much higher water levels than last year. These lodges share the same concession, which borders Moremi Game Reserve.

If you’re confused about concessions, read this guide to the Okavango Delta, which lays it out simply for travellers.

Mokoro excursions are all in action and expose visitors to the soothing tranquillity of the floodwaters up close.

Nata Bird Sanctuary Report

Sadly, the blessing of floodwaters has not extended as far as Sua Pan in the Nata Bird Sanctuary. The Nata River received water twice this year but with very shallow flows. At the moment, the Makgadikgadi Pans here are bone dry, but that doesn’t make it any less magical.

Nata Lodge is also open for business!

Keen to see Botswana in all its glory? Contact us about staying at one of our lodges or camps for local deals.

The post Travel Update: Rivers and Re-openings in Botswana appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

The Charm of Chobe National Park

admin — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 20:30:17 +0000

Chobe National Park is 11700 square kilometers of charming scenery characterised by the meandering Chobe River and the large game animals that thrive off it.

Chobe was Botswana’s first national park; first named Chobe Game Reserve in 1960 and then officially a national park seven years later. Located in Botswana’s beautiful northern region, Chobe is rich in biological and topographical diversity as well as an abundance of animal and bird life.

Here are just three aspects of many that make Chobe National Park a charming destination in Botswana:

River landscape

The Chobe River is the major natural feature in the landscape of Chobe National Park. Fanning out from this magnificent river and its forests, the park is characterised by floodplains and seasonal marshes that become incredible rocky outcrops beyond.

The park can be divided up into four areas according to their distinct ecosystems. These are the Chobe riverfront (also known as the Serondela area), the Savuti Marsh and Mababe Depression, the Linyanti Marsh with its jackalberry and sausage trees, and the lesser known Nogatsaa Pan covered in mopane and deciduous woodlands.

Elephants, elephants everywhere

Home to around 120 000 elephants, it is quite fitting that Chobe is fondly known as ‘The Land of Giants’. This is the highest elephant concentration in Africa and the largest continuous surviving elephant population on earth.

This impressive population lives in and around the park, making quite a splash as they head down to playfully swim and drink in the Chobe River during Botswana’s dry season from about May to October. As the rainy season sweeps across Botswana, they journey for 200 kilometres to the south-eastern regions of the park and beyond.

Watery wildlife playground

Chobe is celebrated for more than just its hefty herds of elephants. Healthy populations of buffalo and hippo are a part of the ‘wildlife furniture’ of Chobe and can be seen daily taking up their grazing spots on the lush riverbank or wallowing in the river’s cool waters.

Along with elephants and buffalo, the two feline members of Africa’s fierce and famous Big 5 are also found in Chobe. Lions often lie in wait nearby the riverbanks, stalking buffalo and other game animals such as bushbuck and puku. Leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena are fairly easily sighted further inside the park.

Birders can find out more about going on a summer birding safari in Chobe National Park.

Chat to us about planning your future safari in charming Chobe National Park.

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Rare Feathered Friend Visits Chobe Bush Lodge

admin — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 13:37:05 +0000

There has been much excitement around Chobe Bush Lodge recently, as a pair of red-throated twinspots was sighted in the area, a rare occurance as they are normally found in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands and Mozambique.

Also known as Peter’s twinspot, the red-throated twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus) is a small bird about the size of a house sparrow – its height at 13 cms and weight just 15 grams. Their diet consists mainly of seeds and small inverterbrates, like flies and worms. You will usually find them in woodlands, grasslands and riverine areas in pairs or flocks, rather than as single birds.

The male of the species will, like most birds, have plumage and colours that are different to that of the female. These birds are monogamous unless its mate dies, at which point it will search for a new mate. The nest among the branches of a tree or shrub and lay about three white eggs.

Male red-throated twinspot

Female red-throated twinspot

Sightings like these are always special for everyone but in particular the avid birders. Even without rare sightings like these lovely red-throated twinspots, Chobe National Park is an excellent birding safari destination throughout the year. The Chobe River provides ideal conditions for an impressive diversity of water birds, like the African darter, slaty egret and squacco heron, and then, from November to April, Chobe really shows off as a birding safari destination the migrant species in full breeding plumage make their stopover in the park.

An easy way to get up close to these feathered beauties is on a private boat cruise. Whether a professional photographer or developing a burgeoning interest in the craft, the boat will afford you the opportunity to get some great shots, particularly since the birds are relatively indifferent to the boats. Staying at either Chobe Bush Lodge or Chobe Safari Lodge, puts you right where the action is on the river!

Contact us to book your birding safari in Chobe National Park.

The post Rare Feathered Friend Visits Chobe Bush Lodge appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

Festive Family Safari in Chobe National Park

admin — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 13:57:38 +0000

A family safari in Chobe National Park is an excellent way of retreating from the hustle and bustle of every day life to create special, lifelong memories together in the bush.

For a family visiting Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, there is loads of excitement to be had in the wilderness as well as learning about the fascinating stories of Botswana’s wildlife from local guides. This is one of Southern Africa’s premier wildlife destinations and offers a relatively affordable, ‘soft landing’ for a first-time family safari.

Here are three reasons to take the family on safari to Chobe National Park:

Meet the locals

Elephants leave the Chobe River after enjoying a refreshing swim

Chobe National Park is a stronghold of one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife species, the elephant. The park is the playground of approximately 120 000 elephants and it is almost certain that you will see large herds in Serondela frolicking in the cool waters of the Chobe River.

A lioness lies down to rest in Chobe Cational Park

Moving out from the Chobe Riverfront into the surrounding marshes and neighbouring dry woodlands, you will may find big predators like lion, wild dog and leopard. Some of the other mammals to keep an eye out for on your family safari are bushbuck, red lechwe, roan, sable as well as small predators like serval and wild cat.

A hippo shows off the species’ notorious grumpy and aggressive side

The Chobe and Linyanti rivers have impressive numbers of hippos that are partial to a grumpy temperament, even to the toothy crocodiles. Amazing birdlife, particularly aquatic species like the African darter and saddle-billed stork, can be spotted fishing and nesting along the riverfront.

Explore in different ways

A sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River

A river boat cruise will likely be one of the major highlights of your family’s safari in Chobe. As the Chobe River is a permanent water source in Botswana, water safaris are offered throughout the year from most riverside lodges and camps.

A safari by boat gives a different perspective of the Chobe River

From the water, you can really get up close to the animal and bird life that thrive around the river habitat, and they are generally not too concerned by the boats. Of course, a safari in Africa is epitomised by the traditional game drive, which takes you into different equally wildlife-rich areas of the park.

A safari by game drive vehicle in Chobe National Park

There are also exciting day trips to enjoy from Chobe National Park and its closest town, Kasane. You can take the younger kids to witness the natural might of Victoria Falls, while the teenagers can take an exhilarating dip in Devil’s Pool at Livingstone Island.

Stay in family-friendly accommodation

Aerial view of Chobe Safari Lodge overlooking the Chobe River

Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge are found in Kasane on the banks of the Chobe River, closely neighbouring the park. Both lodges have suites that comfortably accommodate families with children of all ages.

One of the children’s room at Chobe Safari Lodge

At Chobe Safari Lodge, you can book out a family room with separate children’s room consisting of bunk beds. You can feast on indigenous flavours of Africa as well as English and Continental as a la carte and buffet style meals.

The main lodge with swimming pool at Chobe Bush Lodge

Chobe Bush Lodge is conveniently located within eye distance of the Safari Lodge, which allows for easy movement between the two properties. There are four exclusive family rooms that are spacious for four people. Onsite facilities include a swimming pool, restaurant and bar.

Contact us for more information on our family-friendly accommodation in Chobe National Park.

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Summer Birding Safari in Chobe National Park

admin — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:50:22 +0000

A birding safari in Botswana’s warm and wet summer months is a wonderful affair of colourful plumage and raucous mating calls that bring a special energy to the skies over one of the country’s premier wilderness areas, Chobe National Park.

While the dry winter season might be the time for excellent animal sightings, November to April is the period best-suited for avid birders and twitchers to pack their binoculars, cameras and bird books (or apps) for a birding safari in Botswana.

Squacco heron

Chobe National Park is blessed with the mighty Chobe River, a reliable water source that forms the country’s northern border with Namibia. As one year comes to an end and another begins, the sandy riverbanks and surrounding vegetation become a festival of migratory and resident bird species, both aquatic and terrestrial, that come to breed and raise their young in this natural paradise.

Water birds of Chobe

African jacana

There have been an impressive 450 migratory and native bird species recorded within Chobe, making this one of the top places for a birding safari in Southern Africa. One of the most thrilling ways to get up close to water bird species is by cruising along the Chobe River, where you can see the African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) or ‘Jesus Bird’, slaty egret (Egretta vinaceigula) and Southern carmine bee-eaters (Merops nubicoides). People often remark that many of the birds on the riverbanks are generally unconcerned by the passing boat, which makes for fantastic photography opportunities.

Terrestrial birds of Chobe

Kori bustard

While walking safaris are not permitted in Chobe National Park, the traditional game drive will allow you to tick off some of those birding specials, like the Knysna turaco (Tauraco corythaix), thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) and, if you are lucky, even the elusive Pel’s fishing owl (Scotopelia peli). While on a birding safari, it will be hard to miss Africa’s heaviest flying bird, the kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) along with the Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) or ‘Undertaker Bird’. The marabou stork is also considered a ‘wading bird’ so you can also find it in wet habitats.

Marabou stork

As Chobe National Park is considered one of the most bird-abundant regions of Botswana – if not in the whole of Southern Africa – a birding safari based out of Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge is not to be missed!

Chat to us about planning and booking your birding safari during the upcoming summer months in Chobe National Park.

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Celebrating 60 Years of Safari at Chobe Safari Lodge

admin — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 12:08:51 +0000

Famous for its outstanding tourism and precious gems, this year Botswana’s essential qualities collide just outside Chobe National Park – 2019 marks the Diamond Jubilee for a heritage property, Chobe Safari Lodge.

Botswana Heritage Stay Celebrates 60 Years of Safari

Images and text courtesy of Botswana’s National Archives.

Kasane’s oldest tourism offering, Chobe Safari Lodge is a landmark establishment on the border of Botswana’s first and oldest national park. Celebrating 60 years of service this year, the iconic riverfront stay has long worn a sign at the entrance announcing a birthdate of 1959.

However, Botswana’s National Archives reveal that the very first hotel application was actually put forward almost 30 years earlier.

Introducing the Chobe River Hotel

Following the successful establishment and prosperous tourism appeal of the Kruger National Park, the vast lands of the Chobe district were officially declared as a non-hunting zone in 1932 by the resident commissioner, Charles Rey, in then-Bechuanaland.

Images and text courtesy of Botswana’s National Archives.

The 80-year old archival letters also divulge early ties to the nearby Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe. Under 100 kilometres away, suggestions recommended the two lodgings link up so that intrepid visitors might relive David Livingstone’s journey to Mosi-oa-Tunya, catch a feisty tiger fish in the mighty Chobe River and explore Botswana’s pristine wilds.
Charles Rey wrote,

“The Kruger Park pays well, so there is no reason why we should not achieve something of the sort. We have several great natural advantages … game of great variety and in large quantities, excellent fishing in the Zambesi and Chobe Rivers; there are mineral hot water springs between Kasane and Kazungula; in the fourth place, we have not got to look for tourists. They already go to the Victoria Falls Hotel, where they have not much to do beyond looking at the falls”.

However, the lasting effects of two world wars and accompanying financial pressures never saw this reality emerge until one Mr Charles Trevor and his wife, Ethnee Holmes à Court, gained interest again in 1959 – the Chobe River Hotel was born.

Images and text courtesy of Botswana’s National Archives.

A brief history of Chobe Safari Lodge

The earliest hotel brochure lists prices in British shillings and states “Tourist Camp, Bar, Al Fresco Restaurant – open” and that nearby, there is “plenty game, bit shy!” A night at the Chobe River Hotel cost just 15 shillings per hut (roughly equivalent to BWP 220 today).

Fortunately, following the independence of Botswana in 1966, the Chobe Game Reserve was officially proclaimed as a National Park in 1968, thus safeguarding the future of this ‘shy game’.

“Unspoilt Botswana!” declares a later, 44-year old brochure. “The expansive Chobe National Park, teeming with free-roaming wildlife. Here is the Africa of your dreams!”. From May 1972, the hotel was known as Chobe Safari Lodge, “Botswana’s year around safari resort”.

Images and text courtesy of Botswana’s National Archives.

Many things change, but mercifully, many things don’t. What began as a distant outpost in northern Botswana has transformed into a thriving tourist hub. Kasane has mushroomed in the 60 years since the town’s first hotel opened for business. Today there are over 30 accommodation options in town. However, Chobe National Park remains a wildlife haven harbouring Botswana’s densest concentration of wildlife.

Chobe Safari Lodge today

Home to the unusual African Quadripoint – the only place in the world where four countries meet – and famed as the unofficial elephant capital of Botswana, Kasane and the wider Chobe region continues to lure globetrotters. Where else on earth can one see elephants snorkelling across the water and witness the wild on an afternoon river safari? Precious Puku find safety on the floodplains and the unique African Skimmers shelter on riverine island sandbanks. The handsome and endemic Chobe Bushbuck still treads between the chalets at Chobe Safari Lodge and warthogs mow across the lawns too.

A Chobe Bushbuck at Chobe Safari Lodge.

Those early ties with Victoria Falls still continue. Visitors today keep enjoying easy day trips to the magnificent World Wonder in neighbouring Zimbabwe. This regional consolidation can only strengthen more with the enterprising construction of the new Kazungula Bridge into Zambia and further fortify with the introduction of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Area (KAZA) visa.

There are eight original rondavels at Chobe Safari Lodge.

Chobe Safari Lodge remains the ideal expedition base for forays into Botswana’s first national park. Founded in 1959, what started as six simple chalets now boasts 81 rooms combining convenience with quality. You can still book into one of the original 1960’s era rondavels. Each unit is modern on the inside but retains a traditional safari feel on the outside. They are also blessed with views over the enchanting Chobe River.

Newly revamped, the interiors of the rondavels have been modernised.

A hippo’s lifespan is typically 40–50 years. Maybe this one remembers older days on the Chobe River.

Stay at Chobe Safari Lodge

A true, trusted establishment in Kasane, Chobe Safari Lodge has helped travellers explore Chobe National Park for 60 years. Set up to overlook the charming Chobe riverfront, this lodge is the only one in town sharing a border with Chobe National Park. The Chobe Safari Lodge has been under its current ownership since 1989 – a coincidental anniversary of 20 years. The stylish Chobe Bush Lodge has since joined the Under One Botswana Sky collection, opening doors in 2015. Chobe Bush Lodge features more contemporary design and is a more intimate, modern stay. Riverine views are a short walk away and the quieter setting offers a more relaxed stay.

Also read: 5 Unusual Things to do in Chobe

The post Celebrating 60 Years of Safari at Chobe Safari Lodge appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

President & 1st Lady at Chobe Safari Lodge

admin — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:39:52 +0000

Last month, Chobe Safari Lodge hosted His Excellency President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, Botswana’s First Lady Ms Neo Masisi and other dignitaries of the Botswana government, who were meeting with the Centre for African Resources Animals, Communities And Land (CARACAL), a non-profit and non-governmental organisation based in Northern Botswana.

As part of the tour led by the President and First Lady with CARACAL, the group gathered for a buffet lunch above the cocktail bar at Chobe Safari Lodge to review some of the projects they are running in the area to aid in community development and empowerment. Afterwards, they were treated to a boat cruise on the magnificent Chobe River giving them the opportunity to view the wildlife of Botswana’s northern region with our experienced guides. They were treated to afternoon snacks on-board with the Head Chef of the à la carte restaurant at Chobe Bush Lodge, Kagiso Hlabano.

CARACAL focuses on developing the livelihoods and capacity of local communities as well as securing the health of the ecosystems which communities depend on. The organisation has been operational for about 20 years, continually aiming to support the government in building Botswana and securing a better future for Batswana.

To experience all that Chobe National Park has to offer in terms of wildlife, local community spirit and hospitality, chat to us about staying at one of our lodges based here.

The post President & 1st Lady at Chobe Safari Lodge appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

5 Unusual Things to do in Chobe

admin — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 13:21:46 +0000

Improve any Chobe safari with something a little more unusual.

A couple of weeks ago, we took part in the #ThisisChobe travel campaign to celebrate everything we love about the abundant plains and waterways in northern Botswana.

The winding Chobe River establishes Botswana’s border with Namibia and forms the upper boundary of the enormous, game-rich Chobe National Park. With plentiful water sources and a sprawling protected wild habitat, Chobe is a sanctuary for many birds and animals. Most magnificent of which has to be the high concentration of elephants. Nowhere else in Africa can you see more of these massive mammals.

5 unusual things to do in Chobe

Explore northern Botswana and use these five ways to make sure your next Chobe trip is unforgettable.

1. Visit Kasane’s baobab prison tree

Just a short walk away from Chobe Safari Lodge, this historical landmark baobab has an unusual history. Almost entirely hollow in the middle, this big tree was broad enough to hold prisoners. Strategic points were sealed off so that the mighty mowana (which is the Setswana word for baobab) could be used as a cell during the 1800s.

The historic tree sits beside the far more modern Kasane police station and there are several information boards around it so you can learn more about this intriguing botanical history.

2. Try a mopane worm

Just past the old baobab tree, you’ll find street vendors and the informal market stands set up around Hunter’s Mall (where the Spar grocery store is). Wander the stalls and you’ll find colourful wax cloth, shoes, electronics and local food. The most unusual for visitors to Botswana is surely the humble mopane worm.

Commonly called a worm, these caterpillars are actually the juicy grubs of the wide-winged Emperor moth. The colourful worms are plucked from the prolific mopane trees that grow in the area, dried and packed to serve as little protein snacks. They can be eaten dry or fried up again with a sauce. According to a Zimbabwean nutritionist, Marlon Chidemo, these “worms are high in healthy nutrients and contain three times the amount of protein as beef”.

For a tamer taste of the Chobe, you can always try the locally-farmed Chobe River Bream instead. Battered and served with fries, you’ll find it on the menu at Chobe Bush Lodge.

3. Sundowners at Sedudu Bar

Have you ever heard the story of Sedudu?

Once upon a time, Sedudu didn’t have a home. An island, Sedudu is completely surrounded by the Chobe River and many tried to claim it (even though it vanishes underwater for months at a time when the waters flood down from Angola). In Namibia, Sedudu is known as Kasikili Island. However, Botswana won the right to stake the name as Sedudu and welcome it within its borders.

The land dispute was a matter so dear to these residents, it had to be resolved by official intervention from the International Court of Justice in 1999.
Order an icy St Louis beer (the local beverage of choice) and celebrate Botswana’s victory by enjoying a Chobe River sunset from Sedudu Bar. Find it inside the Chobe Safari Lodge campsite and don’t forget to bring your binoculars to watch the wonderful waterbirds flying home to nest.

4. Enjoy a dinner cruise on the Chobe River

One of the most unusual things you can do in Chobe. End off your stay in style with a memorable meal served in the smooth waters of the Chobe River. A candlelit-table will romance any evening. Then, once delectable dinner is over, the upper deck serves as a sensational stargazing site. Read more about dinner cruising on the Chobe River here.

5. Don’t miss a river safari

Last but not least, Chobe is famous for its unusual game-spotting approach. Where else can you glide alongside a herd of elephant wading in the water? Join in the merriment of an afternoon sunset cruise with well-qualified guides, such as Connie Moremong. She’ll tell you about the 731-kilometre journey the Chobe River takes from source to sea, about the fish and frogs who call these waters home, and more. “If I had to just name frogs it would take the whole trip!”, she exclaims.

Otherwise, hire a private boat in the morning (between 7am and 2pm) for a more intimate experience of the Chobe River.

Where to stay in Chobe

Kasane is home to two Under One Botswana Sky’s Chobe lodges. This wild town in the northernmost stretch of Botswana has no fence to the park and wildlife often roams free.

Game you can expect to see in the neighbouring Chobe National Park includes the four of the Big Five (elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard). Plus, the watery Chobe plains offer sightings of hippo, Red lechwe, puku, sable, crocodile and even wild dog.

Also read: How to Choose Safari Accommodation

Chobe Safari Lodge

A true, trusted establishment in Kasane, Chobe Safari Lodge has helped travellers explore Chobe National Park for over fifty years. Set up to overlook the charming Chobe riverfront, this lodge is the only one in town sharing a border with Chobe National Park.

Chobe Bush Lodge

Still fresh on the safari scene Chobe Bush Lodge feature contemporary design and is a more intimate, modern stay. Riverine views are a short walk away and the quieter setting offers a more relaxed

The post 5 Unusual Things to do in Chobe appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.