Best time to travel – April to January
Savuti lies in the centre of the Chobe National Park. This vast thirst land is known for its Lion and Hyena
densities made famous by films like Eternal Enemies and BBC’s Planet Earth series. The Savuti was a river and
will become one again. The river dried up for the fourth time in 150 years in 1980. Last year it started to flow
again but it could take years, rain water input permitting, for it to flow again all the way to the “marsh”. It is the
dry river bed and marsh dotted with hills in the surrounding area that make the place unique. It is good country
for African Wild Dog and Cheetah. San art dating back to 4000 years ago can be seen on one of the hills. Our
game drives usually centre around visiting four pans – Main pan, Rhino pan, Maribou pan and Harvey’s. In
winter, they are the only source of water and wildlife come from miles around to drink. These pans are captive
audiences for photographers and we spend hours here watching and waiting.
“Remote” – the word we use to describe Zwe Zwe lies fifty kilometres east of Savuti. The drive out there takes us
through Mopane forest and pan systems. It is worth the visit if only for the solitude of the place as few people go
there. If the pans are holding water, then it is likely that we see shy breeding herds of Elephant coming to water.
The Chobe river has it’s source in Angola. Here it is called the Kwando River, down stream on entry into
Botswana, it is known as the Linyanti River and for its last 60 or so kilometres, it becomes the Chobe River.
A few million years ago it flowed south toward the Kahalari but tectonic movement changed that and today the
river drains into the mighty Zambezi. This final stage of the river opens up onto channels and floodplains that
supports an incredible amount of life. It is home to around 2000 Plains Zebra, 4000 Cape Buffalo and it is
greatest claim – the highest density of Elephant on Earth. Numbering around 45 000, it is a safe haven for the
planets largest land mammal. Here one can hang out with many herds and gain insight to this awe inspiring
species and their behaviour patterns. The river itself is loaded with Hippos and Crocodiles and on one afternoon
we take a boat ride up the river to get a totally different perspective. Bird life is abundant too. On one birding
safari we travelled a mere 300 metres in 3 hours.
Formerly known as Paradise Pan, this little visited park bring on the delights of the desert. Travelling there is
tough but once in the park, we get to witness the desert species. Herds of Springbok, Impala, Oryx, Zebra and
Wildebeest arrive at the main pan to drink under the watchful gaze of the resident pride of Lions. Leopard,
Cheetah and wild Dog are sometimes seen too. Bat Eared Fox and Black Backed Jackals are numerous and the
bird life will see you adding to your list in no time. This area of Botswana reminds us of an Africa of old, its wide
open spaces and incredible stars over head certainly takes us back in time.