Chobe Safari from Victoria Falls: Small-group land and river tour

See Chobe's wildlife from two angles in one day without the crowds

A full-day safari from Victoria Falls combines a morning 4x4 game drive through Chobe National Park with an afternoon river cruise on the Chobe River, capped by lunch at a 4-star lodge. Groups stay under eight, so the pace stays unhurried and sightings feel personal rather than rushed. Your guide navigates both the park and the border crossing, and pickup is included from Victoria Falls or Livingstone.

Step-by-step itinerary

Chobe safari and river cruise experience

• Transfer from Victoria Falls or Livingstone
• Cross border smoothly
• 4x4 game drive in Chobe National Park
• Buffet lunch at 4-star lodge by river
• Afternoon boat cruise on Chobe River

The experience

The day starts with an early transfer from Victoria Falls, then a smooth border crossing into Botswana. Once in Chobe National Park, you spend the morning in a 4x4 with your guide, moving through terrain where Africa's largest elephant herds roam alongside lions, leopards, buffalo, and giraffe. The small-group cap of eight means the vehicle stops when something worth watching appears, rather than pushing on to the next scheduled stop.

Midday brings a shift in pace. Lunch is a buffet spread at a 4-star lodge perched on the Chobe River's banks, where you eat with the water in view and the afternoon ahead unscheduled. Tea, coffee, and soft drinks come throughout the day on both the land and water portions of the tour.

The afternoon river safari trades wheels for a boat, and the perspective changes entirely. From water level, elephants crossing the shallows, hippos wallowing, and crocodiles basking on the banks read differently than they do from a vehicle. Birdlife works the shoreline, and the pace on the water is genuinely serene. The full day runs about ten hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• Pickup from Victoria Falls or Livingstone.
• border crossing assistance.
• morning 4x4 game drive with a guide.
• buffet lunch at the riverside lodge.
• afternoon river cruise on the Chobe River.
• tea, coffee, and soft drinks throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to14h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (2 to 9 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Savannah Adventures Safaris

Is this one for you?The small-group format, capped at eight, means the guide can linger when wildlife appears and adjust the route to what's moving that day, rather than holding to a fixed schedule for a crowded vehicle. This suits anyone who came to watch animals, not to tick off a list.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 9 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What wildlife might I see on the Chobe game drive?

Chobe National Park holds Africa's largest elephant herds, and the morning 4x4 drive is built around spotting them alongside lions, leopards, buffalo, and giraffe. What you see depends on the season and the day, but the guide knows where animals gather and moves the vehicle to give sightings room.

How does the river cruise differ from the morning game drive?

The boat cruise on the Chobe River lets you watch the same animals from water level (elephants crossing, hippos in the shallows, crocodiles on the banks), and the angle changes how you read their behavior. The pace is slower and the boat stays steady, so it suits a different kind of watching than the 4x4 offers.

Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary needs?

Lunch is a buffet at the riverside lodge, and tea and coffee come throughout the day on both the drive and the boat. Soft drinks are included as well. Alcoholic drinks are not included. You can arrange those separately at the lodge.

Do I need experience or fitness for this tour?

The tour suits all physical fitness levels. The 4x4 and boat both involve sitting, and the lodge lunch break gives you time to rest. Infants can travel if they sit on an adult's lap.