Chobe Day Trip in Botswana: Safari drive and river cruise

Two hours on land, then the river: elephants and lions from both sides

A full-day tour of Chobe National Park in Botswana pairs a 2-hour safari game drive with a boat cruise on the Chobe River, letting you watch the same animals from the shore and the water in a single day. The park's floodplains stay green year-round and concentrate antelopes, buffalo, lions and elephants in one area. Lunch and air-conditioned transport are included. A live English-speaking guide leads the trip. A minimum of 2 people is required for the tour to run.

Step-by-step itinerary

Chobe National Park safari and boat cruise

• Take 2-hour safari game drive
• Enjoy boat cruise on Chobe River
• View wildlife including elephants and lions

The experience

The day splits between land and water. You start with a 2-hour game drive along the Chobe River's shores, where the floodplains stay lush and green throughout the year: the reason the animals gather here. Chobe National Park holds one of Africa's largest elephant populations, and the drive puts you in range of lions, leopards, buffalo, giraffes, zebras and impalas as they move between grazing grounds. The layout of the park makes the river drives especially productive: the animals follow the water, and the vantage from the vehicle lets you spot them across the open plains.

After the drive, you board a boat for a cruise on the Chobe River itself. This is where the same animals come to drink and bathe, and the water puts you at eye level with them: a different angle on the wildlife you saw from the shore. The river narrows the distance and changes what you can photograph and observe. Lunch is served during the day. The vehicle is air-conditioned, which matters in the Botswana heat.

The tour runs 10 hours total and includes pickup. A live guide who speaks English leads both the drive and the boat portion. The park is Botswana's first national park and its third largest, located in the north of the country. Because the floodplains stay green when the rest of the park dries out toward year's end, the concentration of animals here is highest during the dry season, though the river itself draws game year-round.

What’s included

• Lunch.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• parking fees.
• 2-hour game drive.
• boat cruise on the Chobe River.
• live English-speaking guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (13 to 85 years) · Child (under 13)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 22 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Willch Travel And Tours

Is this one for you?Pickup is included, so you do not need a car or a way to reach Chobe National Park on your own. The tour collects you and handles the full day. The combination of a land drive and a water cruise in a single outing suits anyone who wants to see the same wildlife from two angles without splitting the day between separate outings.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 13).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals am I most likely to see on the Chobe game drive and river cruise?

Chobe National Park holds one of Africa's greatest concentrations of elephants, and the tour regularly encounters lions, leopards, buffalo, impalas, giraffes, zebras and baboons. The floodplains and river draw large numbers of antelopes and grazing animals, which in turn attract the lion prides that have territories within the park.

Why does the Chobe River matter more than other parts of the park?

The Chobe floodplains stay lush and green year-round, while the rest of the park dries out toward the end of the year. This means the animals concentrate in this area for most of the year to feed and drink, making the river and its shores the most reliable place to find wildlife in a single day.

How does the boat cruise differ from the game drive?

The game drive covers 2 hours along the riverbanks from the vehicle, giving you a wide view of the floodplains and the animals grazing across them. The boat cruise then takes you onto the water itself, where you see the same animals at close range as they come to drink and bathe: a different perspective on the same landscape.

Is pickup included, and how does the tour start?

Pickup is included with the tour. A live guide who speaks English meets you and leads both the game drive and the boat cruise, handling the logistics so you do not need your own transport.