Key Takeaways
- A Chobe safari package bundles your lodge or houseboat, game drives, river cruises, meals and park fees into one all-inclusive price — with game viewing by both land and water.
- Chobe has the highest concentration of elephants in Africa — an estimated 120,000 roam the region, gathering along the Chobe River in herds that number in their hundreds.
- Budget roughly $350–2,000 per person per night all-inclusive — from excellent riverfront lodges and houseboats at $350–700, to premium Linyanti and Savute camps at $1,000–2,000.
- The Chobe River cruise is the park's signature experience — drifting past drinking elephants, hippos, crocodiles and spectacular birdlife as the sun sets over the water.
- Chobe is exceptionally easy to reach — just over an hour by road from Victoria Falls, making the two a natural and effortless pairing.
- Chobe is the perfect start or finish to a grand Botswana journey — combine it with the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls for the ultimate southern-African safari.
1. What's Included in a Chobe Safari Package
A Chobe safari package is unique among Africa's great parks because it delivers game viewing by both land and water. Everything is bundled into one all-inclusive price, and the combination of game drives and river cruises makes for an exceptionally varied and rewarding safari.
A typical all-inclusive Chobe package includes:
- Accommodation — riverfront lodges, luxury tented camps or a Chobe River houseboat, usually on a full-board basis.
- Game drives — morning and afternoon drives along the game-rich Chobe riverfront in open 4x4 vehicles.
- River cruises — the celebrated boat safaris that bring you close to elephants, hippos, crocodiles and birdlife.
- All meals and most drinks — full-board dining, with house wines, beers and soft drinks at the finer properties.
- Park entry fees — the daily conservation fee for Chobe National Park.
- Transfers — from Kasane airport or the Victoria Falls road border.
Land and Water — Why Chobe Is Different
Most safaris rely on game drives alone. In Chobe, the Chobe River forms the park's northern boundary and its wildlife magnet. A morning game drive along the riverfront might bring you lion, buffalo and hundreds of elephants; an afternoon boat cruise then lets you drift silently among those same elephants as they drink and bathe, with hippos surfacing beside you and fish eagles calling overhead. This land-and-water combination is Chobe's great signature — and it is why the park rewards even a short stay so richly.
2. Chobe Safari Package Prices in 2026
Chobe offers excellent value for a premier Botswana park, with options from comfortable riverfront lodges to remote luxury camps. Here is what to expect per person, per night, all-inclusive, in 2026:
- Riverfront lodges & houseboats: $350–700 per person per night — comfortable, well-located and superb value near Kasane.
- Premium riverfront & Linyanti camps: $1,000–2,000 per person per night — remote luxury in the private Linyanti and Savute concessions.
- Day trips from Victoria Falls: a popular, affordable way to sample Chobe's game drives and river cruises in a single day.
- Domestic flights & transfers: roughly $150–400 per person, though Kasane is easily reached by road from Victoria Falls.
A classic three-night Chobe safari for two guests typically ranges from $2,500 to $14,000 depending on whether you stay in a riverfront lodge or a remote luxury camp. Add Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta and a complete journey runs $9,000–35,000 for two.
Because we book direct with the lodges, you pay no resale markup — and we tailor the balance of value and luxury to your budget. For the wider picture, see our African safari cost guide.
3. Best Lodges & Camps for Your Chobe Package
Where you stay shapes your Chobe experience — on the busy, game-rich riverfront near Kasane, or in the remote private concessions of Linyanti and Savute. These are the properties we recommend most.
Chobe Game Lodge — The Riverfront Icon
The only lodge inside the national park itself, set right on the riverfront with elephants passing the deck. Elegant, historic and superbly positioned for both drives and cruises. From roughly $500–800 per person per night.
Chobe River Houseboats — A Floating Safari
For something truly different, a luxury houseboat lets you sleep on the river itself, waking beside drinking elephants and cruising to the day's best sightings. Intimate, romantic and unforgettable. From around $400–700 per person per night.
Linyanti & Savute Camps — Remote Luxury
In the private Linyanti and Savute concessions south of the river, camps such as Savuti and Linyanti offer exclusive, low-density game viewing with superb predator sightings, off-road driving and night drives. From roughly $1,000–2,000 per person per night.
To compare properties across the continent, read our best luxury safari lodges in Africa guide.
Related journey: Luxury African Safaris →
4. Sample Chobe Safari Itineraries
Here are two package itineraries we build most often. Both can be tailored to your dates, budget and pace.
The Chobe & Falls Short Break — 4 Days
- Day 1: Arrive Victoria Falls; afternoon tour of the Falls and sundowners on the Zambezi.
- Day 2: Transfer to Chobe (just over an hour by road); afternoon river cruise.
- Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat safari on the Chobe River.
- Day 4: Final morning game drive and departure from Kasane.
The perfect pairing of the world's greatest waterfall and Africa's elephant capital — ideal as a standalone or add-on.
The Grand Botswana Journey — 10 Days
- Days 1–2: Victoria Falls — the Falls, the Zambezi and its adventures.
- Days 3–4: Chobe — riverfront game drives and river cruises.
- Days 5–7: Linyanti or Savute — remote predator country.
- Days 8–10: The Okavango Delta — mokoro safaris and water-based wildlife.
The ultimate southern-African safari — the Falls, the elephant capital and the Delta in one seamless journey.
5. Best Time for a Chobe Safari
Chobe's game viewing shifts with the seasons, and both the dry and green seasons offer their own rewards.
Dry Season (May–October) — Peak Elephant Spectacle
This is the classic time. As the inland pans dry out, elephants and buffalo concentrate on the Chobe River in staggering numbers, and the boat cruises are at their spectacular best. Predator sightings are excellent, and the weather is dry and mild. July to October is the finest window.
Green Season (November–April) — Lush, Dramatic & Superb for Birds
The summer rains bring lush green floodplains, newborn animals, dramatic skies and the arrival of migratory birds — Chobe is a birding paradise at this time. The Savute region comes alive as its channel fills. Rates are lower and the landscapes are beautiful, though some wildlife disperses from the river.
For the greatest elephant and river spectacle, travel in the dry season; for birding, green landscapes and value, the summer months are rewarding. We advise on the best timing for your priorities.
6. Combining Chobe with Victoria Falls & the Delta
Chobe's greatest strength as a package is how effortlessly it links with the other icons of southern Africa into one seamless journey.
Victoria Falls
Just over an hour by road from Chobe, one of the natural wonders of the world is the most natural of pairings — the thundering Falls, the Zambezi and a wealth of adventure activities.
The Okavango Delta
A short light-aircraft hop links Chobe with the Okavango Delta, adding mokoro safaris and water-based wildlife viewing to your elephant-rich riverfront experience — the definitive Botswana combination.
Linyanti & Savute
Within the greater Chobe ecosystem, the private Linyanti and Savute concessions add remote, exclusive predator country to your journey.
We arrange every flight, transfer and border formality so the whole journey flows as one.
Related journey: Big Five Safaris →
7. Activities Beyond the Game Drive
While game drives and river cruises are the heart of any Chobe package, the region offers much more.
Sunset Photographic Cruises
Specialist photographic boats with swivel seats and camera mounts get you to water level for eye-to-eye images of drinking elephants, hippos and birds in the golden evening light.
Fishing on the Chobe & Zambezi
The rivers offer superb fishing, including the famous tigerfish — a thrilling catch-and-release adventure for anglers.
Cultural Village Visits
Visits to local communities near Kasane offer a window into the life and traditions of the people who share this remarkable region with its wildlife.
Day Trips to Victoria Falls
With the Falls so close, a day trip to walk the rainforest paths beside the thundering water is an easy and unforgettable addition.
8. Why Book Your Chobe Package with Beyond Africa Safaris
We know Chobe and the wider region intimately — which riverfront lodges have the best game viewing, which houseboats and photographic cruises are worth it, and how to weave Chobe into a seamless journey with Victoria Falls and the Delta. We book direct, so you pay no resale markup, and we handle every flight, transfer and border crossing.
Practical Planning Notes
- Getting there: Fly into Kasane, or transfer by road from Victoria Falls (just over an hour) — one of the easiest safaris in Africa to reach.
- Visas & health: Most nationalities do not need a visa for Botswana; Chobe is a malaria area, so prophylaxis is advised.
- Land and water: Pack for both game drives and boat cruises — sun protection and a good camera are essential.
- What to pack: neutral colours, warm layers for early drives, binoculars and a zoom lens for the river.
Ready to plan your Chobe safari? Browse our luxury safaris, use our trip planner, or contact our specialists for a tailored quote within 24 hours.
Ready to Plan Your Chobe Safari Package?
Our specialists craft tailor-made Chobe safari packages — matched to your dates, budget and travel style. We book direct with the lodges, handle every flight and transfer, and deliver a seamless journey from your first enquiry to your final sundowner.
