Chobe & Chobe River: Full Day Safari with Game Drive & Cruise

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/15

Duration10h–11h

GroupUp to 100

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Chobe day trip blends river cruise wildlife and open savanna drives

You’ll cross from Livingstone into Botswana for a full day exploring Chobe by both boat and 4x4—with hotel pickup, border help, lunch and a local guide smoothing every step. Expect close-up views of elephants at the riverbank, time to watch hippos or lions if you’re lucky, and those long stretches of wild quiet that stick with you long after you leave.

10h–11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Chobe National Park full day trip

Pickup from hotel in Livingstone
Drive 1 hour to Kazungula border
Complete passport formalities at border
Meet Botswana guide at border
Drive to Botswana office for briefing
Start morning game drive or river cruise
Enjoy lunch break
Afternoon game drive or river cruise
Return to border for drop-off
Drive back to Livingstone hotels

The Experience

We were barely awake when the van pulled up outside our place in Livingstone—honestly, I was still fumbling with my shoes. The road to Kazungula was quiet except for the odd goat wandering along the verge, and I kept thinking about how we’d be in Botswana soon. Crossing the new Kazungula bridge felt weirdly futuristic compared to everything else around; then came the border shuffle—stamps, smiles, that faint smell of dust and paperwork. Our Botswana guide, Tumi, met us just past immigration. She had this calm way of explaining things even as I panicked for a second about my passport (I always do). The Chobe day trip really starts there, right after you realize you’re standing in another country.

After a quick briefing at their little office in Kasane, we set off for the first part—our group started with the river cruise. The boat was low and open; you could feel the sun warming your knees but there was this cool breeze off the water. Hippos snorted somewhere close by—louder than I expected—and every so often an elephant would just appear at the bank like it had been waiting for us. Tumi pointed out a puku (never heard of it before), and Li laughed when I tried to say it in Setswana—definitely butchered it. There’s something about drifting along the Chobe River that makes you forget time; birds everywhere, water shimmering like tin foil.

Lunch back on land was a buffet—nothing fancy but after all that fresh air I ate more than usual. The afternoon game drive brought us into these wide open spaces where the light felt different somehow—almost gold? We saw zebra herds flicking their tails and one old buffalo who stared right through us like he’d seen too many tourists already. It’s strange how quiet it gets sometimes out there; not silence exactly, but this hush that settles over everyone when a lion moves through dry grass just meters away. I still think about that moment.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Livingstone, all national park entry fees covered, bottled water and snacks along the way plus a buffet lunch between activities. You’ll have an experienced driver-guide throughout both river cruise and game drive before returning across the border in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cherish Travel and Tours