Chobe Day Safari from Victoria Falls: 9 Hours & River Cruise
Boat cruise and game drive in Chobe National Park, all in one day
You get picked up from your Victoria Falls hotel, cross into Botswana, spend three hours on a boat watching wildlife from the water, eat lunch, then spend another three and a half hours in an open jeep searching for elephants and buffalo on game drives. Hotel drop-off is included, and the whole day runs nine hours: long enough to see real animal behavior, short enough to be back before dark.
Step-by-step itinerary
Full day Chobe National Park safari
- Pick up from lodge or hotel
- Transfer to Botswana via Kazungula border
- Meet and greet with guide
- Morning boat safari cruise on Chobe River
- Buffet lunch
- Afternoon game drive in 4x4 open jeep
What’s included
Your day includes hotel or lodge pickup and drop-off from Victoria Falls or Livingstone, the three-hour morning boat safari on the Chobe river, a buffet lunch, the three-and-a-half-hour afternoon game drive in an open 4x4 jeep, bottled water throughout, and a guide who navigates both the water and the park. Border crossing into Botswana is handled as part of the itinerary.
Times
- Every day 07:00 07:30
Before you book
Operated by Intondolo Safaris and Tours
Prices and times updated today
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The experience
A guide steps out of the vehicle at the riverbank, points toward the water, and you follow. That's how the morning starts: the boat safari on the Chobe river in Botswana, three hours of slow movement through the park while elephants wade into the shallows and buffalo herds drink at the edge. You're picked up from your lodge or hotel in Victoria Falls early, driven through the Kazungula border post into Botswana, and by the time you're on the water, the day has already shifted into something slower. The guide reads the animals the way someone reads a map, stopping when a giraffe moves between the trees or when lions rest in the grass near the bank. It's not rushed. You sit, you watch, the engine cuts in and out.
After three hours on the water, you head back for a buffet lunch. Nothing fancy, but it breaks the heat and gives you time to sit still for a moment. Then the afternoon game drive starts, another three and a half hours in a 4x4 open jeep, moving through the park on dirt roads. This is where the pace changes. The vehicle stops and starts, the guide scans the landscape, and you're looking for movement in the grass, shapes under trees. Elephants, buffalo, lions, giraffes. They're all here, and the open jeep means you're close enough to hear the animals move, to see the dust they kick up. The whole day is nine hours from pickup to drop-off, which sounds long until you realize how much ground that covers and how much wildlife you actually see.
One thing to know: if you're traveling with children, bring birth certificates for the border crossing into Botswana. The Kazungula post requires them, and immigration doesn't move without the paperwork. A KAZA visa is ideal if you're coming from Zimbabwe, though if you're picked up from Livingstone in Zambia, you go straight into Botswana without that step. The guide handles the logistics, but the documents have to be there. Bottled water is included throughout the day, and the vehicles are wheelchair accessible if that matters for your group.
Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Victoria Falls or Livingstone who want to see large wildlife without arranging their own transport or park entry: the nine-hour structure fits both the boat safari and the game drive into a single day, which is what makes seeing animals from two different angles possible.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (9 to 10 years); Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4).
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.
Do I need a passport for this tour?
Yes, a current valid passport is required on the day of travel for the border crossing into Botswana.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Vehicles are wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces in the park are accessible. Specialized infant seats are also available.
What's included in the price?
Hotel pickup and drop-off, the boat safari, the game drive, buffet lunch, bottled water, and a driver/guide for the full nine hours.
How long is the boat safari versus the game drive?
The boat safari on the Chobe river is three hours in the morning. The afternoon game drive is three and a half hours.
What animals will I see?
Elephants, buffalo, lions, and giraffes are common in Chobe National Park. Wildlife sightings depend on the day and time, but the park has high concentrations of large animals.
Do I need a KAZA visa?
A KAZA visa is ideal if you're picked up from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. If you're picked up from Livingstone in Zambia, you go straight into Botswana without needing it.
What if my cruise ship is late and I miss the tour?
Refunds are not issued if the tour is missed due to late or non-arrival of a cruise ship. Confirm your pickup time with the operator before booking.
Chobe Day Safari from Victoria Falls: 9 Hours & River Cruise
2h–9h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 185 per person
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