Things to do in Botswana

Embark on a remote river safari at Chobe Savanna Lodge

On early morning sunrise trips you can hear whistling ducks and other birds tweeting as you see the sun come up above the floodplains…

By Sue Ricketts

Owner of Target Africa

As Chobe Savanna Lodge is set right by the river (across from Chobe Game Lodge, on the Namibian side), all of the activities here are water-based.

There are morning and afternoon motorboat safaris which take guests along the river to see the local wildlife – they last about three hours, and you can see elephants, zebras, buffalo, giraffes, impalas, waterbucks and kudu, as well as an abundance of birds (there are more than 300 species here, including the African fish eagle). There’s a large pod of hippos which are always popular with guests too, as well as some sinister-looking crocodiles basking on the riverbanks.

During my last visit I sat for ages watching a family of baboons; it was fascinating to learn from our guide about their behaviour and family structure, and to watch the cheeky youngsters being reprimanded by one of their parents for being too boisterous.

What’s nice about the boats is they’re quite small, so you can get really close to the wildlife, and also the chairs aren’t fixed, so you can move them around to get the best photos.

The lodge also offers sunset cruises on skimmer boats, with sundowners served on board, as well as early morning sunrise trips, where you can hear whistling ducks and other birds tweeting as you see the sun come up above the floodplains. Watching the sky turn deep red and gold above the water is always mesmerising.

You can also head out on catch and release fishing trips – tiger fish, tilapia and catfish are all found in the river.

There are no game drives here, so it’s a great option for guests who’ve already done a traditional safari and want to see it all in a different way. It’s also incredibly peaceful thanks to its remote location, accessed from the Botswana border by boat – it’s a real adventure, and guests love it.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Botswana Conservation and Community
by Dagmar Marrocco

Length9 Days

Price range£6,095 - £8,595pp

Alfred & Sue Ricketts

Sue has worked as the UK Sales Representative for Desert & Delta Safaris for 18 years under her company Target Africa, which she launched in 2003 after working as a Product Manager for Jetsave and Southern Africa Travel. She has visited all of the operator’s nine properties and is drawn back to Botswana every year by the people.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Louise, who's travelled extensively in Botswana. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the rangers who'll ensure you'll spot the best wildlife in Chobe, the village chiefs who'll give you an insight into local life and the helicopter pilots who can land you on an island in the Delta never visited by humans before.

Louise Dean

Africa Expert for Alfred&

When it comes to Africa, Louise is well versed. She’s flown into an empty Namibian beach to eat lunch on the aircraft wing, experienced Tanzania’s Great Wildebeest migration and listened to stories of the Anglo-Zulu War on the battlefields where it happened over a centennial ago. While she’s witnessed vast, incredible game including the last two northern white rhinos, it’s the people who she finds most inspiring; the native Maasai women whose lives are deeply rooted within the Olare Motorogi Conservancy and the local guides - resilient, highly knowledgeable, and ever smiling.
Harrison Mangwegape

Guide at Camp Xakanaxa

Harry was born in the Botswanan village of Thamaga, near capital Gaborone. He loved wildlife growing up and trained at the Okavango Guiding School in Maun to pursue his passion. He started working as a guide at Desert & Delta’s Savute Safari Lodge in 2010 and later joined Leroo La Tau in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, before moving to Camp Xakanaxa.
Keitumetse 'KT' Mogale

Guide at Camp Okavango

Keitumetse has been guiding for 12 years. He grew up in the village of Mogotho in the Okavango Delta and began his career as a tracker. He now leads walking safaris and game drives at Camp Okavango and enjoys sharing his stories with guests from all over the world.
Florence Kagiso

Senior Guide at Chobe Game Lodge

Florence grew up in a farming family in the Okavango Delta and has been a guide at Chobe Game Lodge for 17 years. When she joined in 2004, she was the first female guide at the camp - she now mentors a team of 17 women. Her work was recognised in National Geographic Traveller’s recent Reader Awards 2021, where she won The Innovator award.
Andrew Baker

Founder and Managing Director of Helicopter Horizons

Andrew grew up in Zimbabwe before moving to the US to train as a pilot. Botswana had always held a place in his heart, so he began his aviation career as a fixed wing pilot in the Okavango Delta. He founded Helicopter Horizons in 2004, offering photographic flights - without doors - for organisations such as the BBC and National Geographic. The company now offer scenic flights for tourists in the Okavango Delta, Linyanti region and the Makgadikgadi Pans, as well as transfers between safari camps.
Ollie Maitapiso

Guide at Leroo La Tau

Ollie grew up in the village of Xaxaba in the Okavango Delta and began his career as a trainee poler in 1999, taking guests out on mokoro trips. He started guiding in 2004 and joined Camp Xakanaxa in the Moremi Game Reserve in 2007, before moving to Leroo La Tau in 2014.