Botswana Chobe National Park Safari Camps

Chobe Under Canvas takes in the best of Chobe National Park by using semi-permanent camp sites by the Chobe River. One of the top wilderness reserves in the world, this area is home to large herds of elephant and buffalo, many species of antelope and an array of predators including the lion. The landscape has dry savanna, permanent swamp, and vast floodplains along the river. Elephants have been responsible for removing the dense riverine forest that fringed the Chobe River and opening up this area for other herbivores and the carnivores that prey on them. This area has hot and wet summers from October to April, and cool and dry winters from May to September. The camp is closed during the heaviest rains in January and February. The pristine wilderness has dedicated campsites and the camp is moved every five or six days to ensure fresh safari drives and the least impact on the fragile nature.

There are five double or twin bedded tents, all equipped with private bathrooms and hot bucket showers. Your private butler is there to make your visit the most comfortable and enjoyable experience possible. Well-used animal trails meander past and through the camp bringing surprise thrills with unexpected visitors, and the air is filled with sounds of birds through the trees. At night, a drink at sunset with fellow guests and a simple but delicious meal cooked on an open fire will round up the day.

Home to the entire Big Five, Chobe National Park is particularly well known for its large herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as the two antelope that can’t be encountered anywhere else in Botswana, the puku and the Chobe bushbuck. Watching the elephant families drink and bathe in the river is an unforgettable sight, all the more impressive when herds of buffalo, rafts of hippo and gigantic Nile crocodiles are part of the scene. Lion and spotted hyena are frequently seen on the floodplains, where red lechwe, puku, zebra, sable and roan come out to graze.

Savute Under Canvas is located in the remote and wild corner of Chobe National Park, south of the Chobe River. This is an area of open savanna grasslands dotted with watering holes in the desert-like landscape. During the summer rains from November to May, the pans of Savute fill with water which sustains wildlife long into the dry season. Come here to close encounters with the elephant, large herds of zebra and tsessebe, and the greatest concentration of lions in Botswana. The pristine wilderness has dedicated campsites and the camp is moved every five or six days to ensure fresh safari drives and the least impact on the fragile nature.

There are five double or twin bedded tents, all equipped with private bathrooms and hot bucket showers. Combining the natural beauty of the area with comfort and personalized service, Savute Under Canvas is an ideal way to experience African wilderness intimately. Night time noises filter through the canvas of your tent to lull you to sleep, and during the day, relax on your own little veranda and observe animals passing on their trails past the camp. You are surrounded by birdsong and the sweet fragrance of the savannah vegetation. At night, a drink at sunset with fellow guests and a simple but delicious meal will round up the day.

Chobe National Park has the highest concentration of elephants in the country. In addition to zebra and tsessebe, you can also encounter wildebeest, eland, kudu, roan, sable, impala, waterbuck and many other species of antelope. With all the antelopes, it is no wonder that the predators appear in great numbers. It is not uncommon to sight leopard, cheetah, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox or the African wild dog – but it is the eternal battle between the lion and the spotted hyena that dominates the predator world here. Birdwatching in the area is best during the wet season when flocks of birds are attracted to the pools of water. Carmine bee-eaters, storks, rollers, kestrels, plovers and the kori bustard, the world’s heaviest flying bird, are commonly spotted in the area. Savute Under Canvas is open from April to August.