Chobe Safari Lodge Archives - Under One Botswana Sky Blog

In the Press: Lowered rates add to the lure of Botswana’s bucket-list destinations

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 11:21:49 +0000

In a recent round-up for Business Day Wanted (July 2021), travel, food and lifestyle writer, Richard Holmes swopped Cape Town for Chobe on a self-drive adventure. He explains why now is the time to make the best of the great safari rates on offer in Botswana with this min review of his stay at Chobe Safari Lodge.

Chobe Safari Lodge enjoys the Chobe National Park as its direct neighbour. Sightings like this sit just a ten-minute drive away! © Under One Botswana Sky

Chobe Safari Lodge featured online in Business Day Wanted

If the Okavango is a stretch for your pocket, consider the Chobe River instead. Direct daily flights link Johannesburg with Kasane, and five minutes’ drive from the airport you will find yourself on the banks of one of Africa’s great rivers.

The spacious safari rooms at Chobe Safari Lodge overlook the Chobe River. © Under One Botswana Sky

At Chobe Safari Lodge the suites are pitched on the riverbanks, and come evening grumbling hippos and calling fish eagles will be your sundowner soundtrack. The lodge is the oldest in the region, dating to 1959, but the 68 rooms and suites are each decorated in a bright vibrant safari aesthetic. They all offer private terraces, with ground-floor suites giving straight onto lawns leading to the river.

Coffee on the Chobe River anyone? © Under One Botswana Sky

The lodge borders the Chobe National Park, and you will find wild bushbuck, warthog and banded mongoose wandering freely in the gardens. Fill your days with game drives in the national park, or cast a line for the hard-fighting tiger fish in the rapids downstream.

The highlight, however, are the evening cruises that take you up close to the famous elephant herds of the Chobe. It is as wild as the delta, with less of a dent in the wallet.

Along with many species of big game, Chobe National Park boasts the largest concentration of elephants in Africa. See them up close – and safely – on a sweet Chobe River cruise. © Under One Botswana Sky

Book a night at Chobe Safari Lodge

We’ve got great SADC rates. Experience Chobe National Park from just BWP799 B&B per person sharing. Book three nights and get a free river cruise! Call 625 0336 to make a reservation or mail diane@chobesafarilodge.com

The post In the Press: Lowered rates add to the lure of Botswana’s bucket-list destinations appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

10 Awesome bucket list reasons to travel to Botswana

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 09:32:07 +0000

Your New Year’s resolutions and bucket lists probably look a little different this year given the upheaval that was 2020. The global pandemic brought conventional travel conveniences crashing down, but forced us all to appreciate home and embrace uncertainty.

Here in Botswana, liquor sales are suspended again, a curfew has been reinstated, and neighbouring South Africa shut her land borders, cutting off self-drive safari-goers departing from the country until 15 February.

Also read: Travel report, an official Botswana Border update

No matter. There is still some light on the horizon. COVID-19 vaccines are starting to roll out giving travellers hope. Instead of making concrete travel plans for 2021, perhaps you’re seeking inspiration instead? Our round-up of 10 unique things to do in Botswana will remind you why little matches a safari to the extraordinary Kalahari.

1. See flamingoes in flight at Nata Bird Sanctuary

Usually home to arid ebony salt pans, Nata Bird Sanctuary bursts into life with summer’s first rains. This season we witnessed an extraordinary amount of rain, with some experts predicting a very wet year for 2021.

When the Nata River fills the great Sua Pan, Nata Bird Sanctuary transforms into a flourishing breeding ground for a festive throng of clamouring water birds, including pelicans and flamingo in their thousands. It sure is a magical time to visit the Makgadikgadi!

Stay here: Located on the fringes of this unique environment and just 10km from Nata Bird Sanctuary, Nata Lodge provides a shady refuge. Choose from luxury chalets with ball-and-claw baths or go glamping below towering palms. Either way, your birding base is sorted.

2. Mokoro the Okavango waterways

Inhabitants of the Okavango Delta have used mekoro for transport and fishing throughout Botswana’s history. Traditionally, these dugout canoes are used for moving through the lagoons and reed-clad waterways to find food and productive fishing grounds as the floods ebb and flow. Today, they’re employed by practised and qualified polers to steer guests on a water-level silent safari. Settle done into a fibreglass mokoro and enjoy this slower, quieter wilderness experience that has endured the test of time.

Stay here: Each of the Okavango Delta camps in the Kwando Safaris portfolio is situated in a private concession, offering an exclusive safari experience with a light-on-the-earth footprint. Get in touch with our team to get the most up-to-date information on water levels and active mokoro sites.

Please note: Gunn’s Camp is currently closed for maintenance.

3. Bush walks through the Okavango Delta

Much like mokoro, a walking safari takes you to places inaccessible to the four wheels of a game drive vehicle. It adds another, far more sensory dimension to the Botswana safari experience. Professional guides know how to track, detect, and comprehend wild animals in the natural Okavango habitat to ensure close, but safe encounters with the plentiful wildlife. Sniff out elephants, tell the difference between a hyena and big cat paw prints, or marvel at the magnificent flora and its many traditional uses with our local guides.

Stay here: Moremi Crossing is an exemplary Okavango walking destination. Accommodation consists of 16 large Meru-style canvas-walled chalets set on raised wooden decks. Each unit has a private veranda, en-suite facilities and a comfortable bed screened by a walk-in mosquito net.

4. Camp wild in Moremi

Complement the magic of a mokoro ride and the endless wonders of a walking safari with a night out camping comfortably. Sleep out in the wild Okavango Delta in small tents, already raised and pegged into the earth like the intrepid safari-goers of old.

Under the protection of expert guides, you’ll arrive at an exclusive campsite already set up. Luggage sits on the comfortable stretcher, along with warm blankets, soft linen and towels plus a torch ensure a relaxing evening ahead around the fire.

Stay here: Contrast Okavango Delta lodge comforts with a night of simple camping outside in the wild. Whether staying at Moremi Crossing or Gunn’s Camp, you can enjoy this extraordinary wilderness adventure.

Please note: Gunn’s Camp is currently closed for maintenance.

5. Hop onto an unforgettable chopper ride

Departing at dawn from any Kwando Safaris camp, a trusty pilot from Helicopter Horizons will whisk you across the waking animal world of Botswana’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta. Keep your eyes peeled for buffalo hordes, look out for elephant gatherings and seek out Red lechwe as they leap across the winding river channels. Photographers can choose to have a ‘doors off’ experience, allowing for maximum visibility and snapping.

Stay here: We can arrange flights from any of the camps in our collection. Speak to your booking agent for the most up-to-date rates.

6. Get hooked on tiger fishing

Dubbed the lion of the riverine realm, the feisty tiger fish is always a fun outing and make a fantastic relaxing alternative to days out on game drives. The best time to fish in the Chobe is from June until August. Fishing occurs on a catch-and-release basis. No fishing is permitted in Chobe during January, February and March because it is tiger fish spawning season.

Stay here: Avid anglers have flocked to Chobe Safari Lodge for decades in the hopes of landing a trophy catch. It remains an excellent base for fishing the rapids of the Chobe River.

7. Learn a little Setswana

Kwando Safaris and Under One Botswana Sky are 100% citizen-owned and take their employment and empowerment policies very seriously. All the friendly faces you will see in the camps and lodges are locals – we believe Botswana’s people should show you Botswana.

8. Spot leopards at sunset from the Chobe River

The Chobe River is an abundant wildlife source with incredible game viewing because it is protected as part of Chobe National Park. See the continent’s greatest concentration of elephants from the water on a sundowner cruise or seek out big cats coming down to drink on a private boat ride in the early morning.

Stay here: Kasane’s oldest tourism offering, Chobe Safari Lodge is a landmark establishment on the border of Botswana’s first and oldest national park. It’s also easy to tick off another bucket lister from here – the mighty Victoria Falls lies less than 100 kilometres away.

Please note: The border post between Kasane and Victoria Falls is currently closed due to lockdown in Zimbabwe.

9. Watch the sunset over the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

Botswana remains a unique safari destination mostly thanks to its watery paradise. However, it is also a land of contradictions. Appreciate this stark contrast best out on the Makgadikgadi. While commonly referred to as such, the Makgadikgadi is not a single pan, but many pans with sandy desert and palm islands dotted in between. Sua, Nwetwe and Nxai Pans are the largest salt pans. The easiest way to appreciate the immense spectacle is sundowners on Sua Pan’s edge inside the Nata Bird Sanctuary.

Stay here: Nata Lodge provides the most straightforward access to the salt pan network and offers daily sunset drives.

10. Meet the largest zebra migration on Earth

Did you know? Botswana is home to the longest mammal migration. Every year, plains zebra depart Chobe and make their way to Nxai Pan National Park searching for the tasty new grasses that sprout up after the summer rains between December and March each year.

Stay here: Our sister properties Kwando Safaris run the only permanent lodge in Nxai Pan National Park. This Kwando Safaris camp consists of nine environmentally-considered chalets that provide the perfect base for observing the prolific zebra migration during summer. Don’t forget to make a pitstop at the park’s famous ancient Baines’ baobab trees.

All Under One Botswana Sky lodges, plus our sister properties at Kwando Safaris, are open for business and have incredible deals for SADC travellers available right now. Get in touch to start ticking off these bucket list reasons to travel to Botswana.

Keep up to date with our latest offers by following us on Facebook.

TO BOOK AND GET CURRENT RATES, PLEASE EMAIL MARKETING@UNDERONEBOTSWANASKY.COM

The post 10 Awesome bucket list reasons to travel to Botswana appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

In the Press: Why the Rainy Season Is Still the Perfect Time to Visit Botswana

admin — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 10:17:16 +0000

In this December 2018 article in Culture Trip, South African-born travel writer and photographer, Melanie van Zyl, tells us why the rainy season is still the perfect time to visit Botswana.

An incredible place to visit at any time of year, Botswana tops the chart of Africa’s best safari destinations. Here’s why Botswana’s resplendent wilds are just as likely to impress during the rainy season.

Baby animals, vibrant birdlife, charismatic cats, scores of elephants, affordability and the magnificent rains are just a few reasons to visit during Botswana’s ‘Green Season’, often considered by many to be the worst time of the year to come.

One of the first things you’re likely to Google when travelling is ‘When is the best time to visit?’ For Botswana, some sites will recommend the dry, winter season between May and September, when temperatures are moderate and game viewing is said to be better than at other times of the year. However, experiencing Botswana in the ‘Green Season’ definitely has its perks.

The ‘Green Season’ is good value

Locally known as the ‘Green Season’, Botswana’s rainy, wet, summer season runs from December to March. The biggest advantage of travelling at this time is that visitor numbers dwindle, so you’re likely to enjoy a quieter, more personal stay at affordable rates as camps drop their prices by as much as 50 percent.

Discover Botswana’s beautiful beasts in the Okavango Delta

The November to February period is right in the middle of the heat and rain of midsummer. The Kalahari Desert is particularly stifling, but thankfully there’s a slosh of water, namely the Kavango River and its catchment area, cutting through this harsh environment and providing refuge for the wild world.

The Okavango Delta is a low-impact tourism destination and visiting requires off-road driving, boating or fly-ins using small aircraft. Thanks to this inaccessibility, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has been dubbed ‘the Last Eden of Africa’.

Spot tsessebe (the fastest antelope in the world) or shy water-dwelling sitatunga and enjoy the reinvigoration of the natural world as young, ungainly antelope join the herds. Botswana is also a hotspot for one of the world’s most endangered mammals, the African wild dog.

Tip: When staying at a lodge, such as the new Kwando Splash Camp in the Eastern Okavango, professional guides will be well acquainted with the movements of local lion prides, cheetah coalitions and the fast-moving, hunting packs of African wild dogs (named by World Wildlife Fund as the second-most endangered carnivore in Africa). In fact, these sought-after predators have territories so close to this particular camp that you’re likely to see them while eating breakfast.

See the wild from the water in Chobe National Park

The wide, wild Chobe River marks Botswana’s border with Namibia and provides both sanctuary and water for the many creatures of Chobe National Park. Most notably, this area is home to the African continent’s greatest concentration of elephants, with overall herd numbers at an estimated 120,000. They’re best admired from the water.

Tip: Many lodges in the nearby town, Kasane, offer sundowner cruises, but Chobe Safari Lodge is the closest base to the park for ease of access. You can also book a private boat for the early morning, when rain and thunderstorms are less likely.

Fall in love with Botswana’s birds

During summer, migrant birds swoop south and congregate in high numbers at various hotspots across the country. Even non-birders will be reaching for their binoculars during this active avian season.

Although Botswana has no endemic bird species, it’s one of the easiest places in the world to find extraordinary feathered friends. The Okavango Delta, for example, is a stronghold for critically endangered wattled cranes. For many twitchers, the ultimate sighting is the Pel’s fishing owl, a rarity that feeds on fish and frogs. Colourful bee-eaters snatch insects swiftly from the air, striking African skimmers flock to the northern rivers scooping up water using their specially adapted bills and the African fish-eagle lets out its resonating, soulful call.

Tip: During the Green Season, die-hard birders cannot miss the wonder of Godikwe Lagoon in the heart of the Okavango Delta, where waterbirds find safety from predators on islands surrounded by deeply flooded lagoons. Different species nest side by side in a seasonal ceasefire and create enormous breeding sites called heronries. Godikwe Lagoon is only accessible via boat when staying in lodges near to the Moremi Game Reserve, such as Kwando Splash Camp.

Dance in the rain

There is a particular reverence for rain in Botswana, which is called pula in the local language of Setswana. Pula is also the name of Botswana’s currency, and the colour blue dominates the country’s flag, representing the life-giving forces of water.

When the heat builds up and clouds eventually rupture with rainstorms, bringing water back to this parched place, join in the joy and soak up the open sky. After all, Africa knows best, that ‘no rain, no gain’.

Tip: During a stay at Mma Dinare Lodge in the southern reaches of the Okavango Delta, you may be so lucky as to meet the delightful camp manager Mmapula Malela. ‘Mmapula’ means ‘mother of the rain’, and rain is all that anyone can talk about in the heights of summer’s stifling heat.

Feature image courtesy of Melanie van Zyl for Culture Trip.

Chat to us about how the green rainy season in Botswana can make for truly magical safari in Chobe National Park and/or the Okavango Delta.

The post In the Press: Why the Rainy Season Is Still the Perfect Time to Visit Botswana appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

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.

In the Press: Explore Four African Countries in One Easy Road Trip

admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 19:05:42 +0000

In her latest contribution to the internationally award-winning travel blog Culture Trip, Melanie van Zyl inspires readers to go on the ultimate self-drive safari that covers four African countries in one week on just one tank of fuel. We have pulled out some of the highlights below from this seemingly impossible adventure story titled Explore Four African Countries in One Easy Road Trip.

A store at the local market in Kasane © Melanie van Zyl / Culture Trip

No signpost indicates the exact spot, but in northern Botswana near a place named Kazungula, four countries meet at the convergence of the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers. This is the African Quadripoint, where Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia and Botswana all flow into one border. Technically, it’s just water, but this quirky confluence occurs nowhere else in the world.

The Kazungula Bridge Project will eventually join these notable points, but the only way to experience this confluence today is by boarding the Kazungula ferry across the Zambezi River. It’s a border crossing for the bold, requiring time, hustle and patience. Luckily, there is another, much easier way to reap the rewards from the proximity of these four extraordinary countries.

Cruise your way across watery wonderlands, spend two nights in every country and explore the only international quadripoint in existence starting with Namibia. Anyone can tackle this easy tarred road trip route on one tank of fuel in roughly a week.

Namibia’s serene Zambezi Region

Traditional fishing on the Zambezi River © Melanie van Zyl / Culture Trip

Previously named the Caprivi Strip, the Zambezi region is a narrow 500-kilometre-long finger of land that hovers between Botswana and Zambia. The Caprivi (as it’s still primarily known around there) is home to four different rivers, but the most magnificent has to be the broad Zambezi, which is where this epic journey begins.

Self-drive safari guide to the Zambezi Region

Stay here: To get to Zambezi Mubala Lodge, and for the ultimate aqua stay, you’ve got to board a boat. Spacious cabins face the Zambezi River and porthole-shaped windows, plus watercolour decor, reinforce the feeling that you’re floating on water. For those on a tighter budget, the more rustic, neighbouring tented camp is equally charming.

Elephants everywhere in Botswana’s Chobe district

Elephants at Chobe River © Melanie van Zyl / Culture Trip

Driving the short 70 kilometres south from Katima Mulilo, villages line the tarred B8 road. Look out for sand sleighs specific to this area. They are pulled by handsome cattle to more efficiently transport goods than any wheelbarrow could in this thick river sand. Cross into Botswana at Ngoma border post.

Self-drive safari guide to Botswana

Stay here: Closest to the Chobe National Park, Chobe Safari Lodge is Kasane’s oldest tourism establishment and has riverfront views. Book an original 1960’s era rondavel room, which has been modernised on the inside, but feels like a traditional safari stay on the outside.

Zimbabwe’s natural wonder at Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwean side © Melanie van Zyl / Culture Trip

Onwards from Kasane, the abundant Chobe waters merge with the Zambezi River before the border crossing into Zimbabwe. Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “The Smoke that Thunders”, is the local name for Victoria Falls in the Lozi language and the next destination. A natural world wonder, bucket list tick and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the majority of the 1,7-kilometre-wide Victoria Falls is seen from the Zimbabwean side.

Self-drive safari guide to Zimbabwe

Stay here: Sip a Zambezi Lager at sunset and watch the wildlife drink at the waterhole from the sprawling deck above at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Bushbuck, guinea fowl and more walk the grounds, but the daily vulture culture feed will be the most memorable wildlife encounter. Critically endangered, the lodge has been feeding these curious birds for 19 years and every afternoon, they fly in from far and wide for a free feast.

Adventure abounds in Zambia’s little town of Livingstone

White-water rafting on the Zambezi rapids © Melanie van Zyl / Culture Trip

After seeing Victoria Falls from the many meandering viewpoints on the Zimbabwean side, the spectacle of spray and scenery is best appreciated from the sky. Breathtaking doesn’t begin to describe the half-hour helicopter flight with Batoka Sky that takes you looping above the wide waters of the Zambezi River before dropping right down into the untamed Batoka Gorge.

Self-drive safari guide to Zambia

Stay here: Another great hydrous hotel, the Victoria Falls Waterfront is perched on the banks of the Zambezi and offers adventure alongside creature comforts. The Explorer Club Africa is the on-site hub from which to organise any Livingstone exploits, from white water rafting to sunset cruises on a wooden-decked 1950s-era boat. There’s also a daily shuttle to see the Victoria Falls from the Zambian side or to explore the town of Livingstone, which is a little too far for walking.

Whether you are interested in taking this exciting self-drive safari or experiencing beautiful Botswana by itself, contact us to book your stay in Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta.

The post In the Press: Explore Four African Countries in One Easy Road Trip 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.

Giving Back: Community Christmas Celebrations

admin — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 19:48:26 +0000

December is the festive season and, for most people, it’s a time to celebrate with friends, families and colleagues. That’s why, as part of giving back to our local community, Under One Botswana Sky throws a Christmas party every year for orphans, vulnerable children as well as those with physical and mental disabilities.

This year, Chobe Safari Lodge was the place to be as we celebrated the 9^th Annual Christmas Party in a special way. This year, 220 children, 60 caregivers, 20 staff volunteers and 20 attachment trainees celebrated with Santa on a three-hour cruise along the Chobe River. From the river, they were escorted to the camp site where entertainment and lunch was served. As the day came to a close, the children were treated with goodie bags and handballs, before they went home dancing with joy!

This initiative started in 2009 in collaboration with organisations such as Red Cross Orphanage, Orphans from Chobe District Council, Children’s Ark, Metlayabofelo and Kachikau Special Unit Primary School. In 2013, we officially adopted the Kachikau Special Unit and are both privileged and proud to be part of this important organisation. Also at the event were representatives from the Chobe Regional Education, Social Work Department, District Commissioners Office, Fire Department, among various other stakeholders who had donated supplies and gifts for the event.

We believe in promoting a country of compassionate, just and caring people, which is why we throw this party to demonstrate genuine care and love to these children. Through this, we aim to help dispel the stigma that society has towards those who have disabilities as well as stressing that financial aid is not the only thing that children need that heart-felt affection goes a long way too.

Next year, it will be the 10^th Annual Christmas Party held by Under One Botswana Sky and we intend to continue this tradition for many years to come.

The post Giving Back: Community Christmas Celebrations 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.

In the Press: The Hungry Tourist’s Guide to Kasane

admin — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 12:50:14 +0000

In the 2018/2019 edition of Go! Botswana travel guide, renowned travel writer, Toast Coetzer, reviews the top spots for hungry tourists to pull into when in Kasane, and Chobe Bush Lodge makes the cut! We’ve included just a snippet from the published review, so if you want to read on you’ll need to grab a copy of the magazine in-store or online.

Kasane is wild enough that you might see an elephant in the street, but developed enough to have three shopping centres (one even has a Nando’s drive-thru). It’s your base for trips to the adjacent Chobe National Park, to Vic Falls in Zimbabwe or to Livingstone in Zambia. But first, lunch! Here’s where to eat.

Chobe Bush Lodge

Chobe Bush Lodge is part of Chobe Safari Lodge across the road. The restaurant at Bush Lodge is usually quieter and you won’t have to wait for a table for breakfast or lunch. (Book beforehand for dinner.)

What’s on the menu? All the right stuff, from a Greek salad – you’ve been craving something green, haven’t you? -and chicken schnitzel and chips, to a beef burger with cheese, bacon and egg. If you want to go big, order the Bush Grill platter, which has chicken drumsticks, Greek meatballs, pork ribs, salad and chips. End the meal with a slice of cheesecake. That’s the lunch menu! The dinner menu has even heartier meals.

What else? If you want a river view, cross the road to Chobe Safari Lodge. (It’s busier.)

Where? On the western tip of Kasane, where the tar road ends.

Opening times: Breakfast from 7am to 10:30am; other meals from 10:30am to 9:30pm.

Thanks to Go! Botswana and Toast for featuring Chobe Bush Lodge as one of the best establishments to eat at in Kasane. Contact us for more information on our lodges and camps in Chobe National Park.

The post In the Press: The Hungry Tourist’s Guide to Kasane appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.

#ThisIsChobe: In Abundance

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 10:30:54 +0000

There’s so much to love about Chobe National Park that there’s even a four-day long #ThisIsChobe campaign dedicated to celebrating it – and it starts this weekend!

What is #ThisIsChobe?

The #ThisIsChobe campaign began in 2014 as a ‘Twitter safari’ to give both those who know as well as those who want to visit Chobe a chance to celebrate their love for or find out more about this top safari destination by simply following the hashtag.

Four years on and the campaign has extended to include Facebook and Instagram, but it continues to remain “dedicated to exploring and sharing the very best of Chobe”. This Saturday marks the start of this year’s event, which will continue through until this upcoming Tuesday.

What will we be doing during #ThisIsChobe?

The Chobe River, which Chobe Safari Lodge and Chobe Bush Lodge look across, is a well-known haven for local herds of elephants who come to quench their thirst or wallow in the cool water. On Monday, Chobe Safari Lodge will be hosting the #ThisIsChobe Team as well as representatives of Elephants Without Borders and CARACAL, two organisations that do wonderful wildlife conservation work throughout Africa.

We’ll be on the ground covering some of the events taking place over the four days. So, if you’re keen on joining us on our online safari in Chobe, check out our feed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Why do we love Chobe?

Elephants everywhere: This lush paradise is the stomping ground of more elephants than anywhere else in Africa. If you love elephants like we do, you definitely need to plan a safari to Chobe National Park.

Diverse animal species: It’s not just about the ellies though. Chobe is also home to a wonderful variety of big cats like leopard and lions as well as plains game such as giraffe, zebra and different types of antelope.

Feathered friends from afar: Over 450 species of birds are found in Chobe and many of these are migrants who come to enjoy the warm and wet summers.

Water-based safaris: The mighty Chobe River and its waterways make for the perfect way to encounter game from a mokoro. And watching the sunset from a boat is simply spectacular.

To find out more about the #ThisIsChobe campaign or to book your Chobe safari, contact us.

The post #ThisIsChobe: In Abundance appeared first on Under One Botswana Sky Blog.