Chobe Elephant Camp

OVERVIEW:

In a departure from the more luxurious offerings in the area, Chobe Elephant Camp is a toned-down, eco-style lodging with a farmhouse aesthetic on the western side of Chobe National Park. Perched on a rocky ridge overlooking the majestic Chobe river, guests can expect simple, cozy accommodations with a comfy, rustic feel and an excellent location to explore the river and its surroundings. As a mid-range option offering good value and outstanding service, Chobe Elephant Camp is a great choice! Rates are full board, including accommodation, meals, daily safari activities, local drinks, and laundry.

ACCESS & LOCATION: 

Chobe Elephant Camp is located in Chobe Forest Reserve on the western side of Chobe National Park. The area offers excellent access to the game-viewing areas of the Chobe riverfront, with its large herds of elephant, giraffe, zebra, and antelopes, and predators such as lion, leopard, and wild dog. Access is by road transfer from Kasane International Airport (approximately 50 minutes by car).

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT CHOBE ELEPHANT CAMP: 

Chobe Elephant Camp can comfortably accommodate a maximum of 36 guests in 18 rustic, river-facing guest chalets, including two 2-bedroom family units. All chalets have been built from red Kalahari sand and have insulated walls made out of rendered sandbags. The camp has a strong environmental focus, using reclaimed and recyclable materials wherever possible, as well as solar-heated water, low-wattage LED lights, and careful waste management. The no-frills interiors are pared-down and cozy, with concrete floors, screened windows, twin beds with mosquito netting, overhead ceiling fans, and a simple space to hang clothes with a few shelves, a digital safe, and a couple of umbrellas. The rooms also have aircon units, ideal for particularly hot days! There’s also a wooden storage trunk, a writing desk, plug points, and luggage racks. Each small en-suite bathroom has a single basin, large wicker baskets where towels are stored, a flush toilet, and both indoor and outdoor showers. Double doors open onto a private veranda with a couple of safari chairs facing the Chobe river. The family suites are similar in terms of décor but have two bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, separated by a shared lounge.

Chobe Elephant Camp’s communal area has a distinct homestead feel with its corrugated iron roof and open-sided verandas. A few steps down from the main house, you’ll find a welcoming campfire surrounded by campaign chairs, where guests congregate for storytelling and drinks by firelight. Inside the house, there’s a lounge, a small bar area, and a basic dining room where tables are set for communal meals. The camp also has a well-sized swimming pool on its own deck, surrounded by sunloungers and fully optimized views of the Chobe river.

ACTIVITIES AT CHOBE ELEPHANT CAMP:

Activities at Chobe Elephant Camp are centred on the Chobe River and include game drives, boat trips, and nature walks.

Activities at Chobe Elephant Camp are centred on the Chobe River and include game drives, boat trips, and nature walks.

• Game drives

  – The ecosystems around the Chobe River support some of Africa's greatest animal densities. Enormous herds of elephants cross the Chobe river, there are huge numbers of grazing zebra and buffalo, and sightings of lion, leopard, wild dog, and hyena are common. This makes for truly outstanding morning and afternoon game drives, offering unbeatable wildlife encounters in the company of an expert professional guide. Please be aware that 6 years is the minimum age for game drives.

• Canoe excursions

  – Depending on the water levels, you might have the opportunity to glide along the Chobe floodplain by canoe, keeping an eye open for the myriad aquatic bird species and perhaps buffalo, elephant, and various antelopes as they come to drink at the water. Please note that 12 is the minimum age for this activity. 

• Boat cruises

  – Full-day boat cruises begin near Kasane and include a riverfront drive followed by an unforgettable boat trip on the Chobe river. Pods of hippo, wading crocs, sable antelope, and vast elephant herds are just some of the sights you’ll likely encounter. Please be aware that 6 is the minimum age for boat cruises.

• Cultural experiences

  – Chobe Elephant Camp is located within the ancestral lands of the Sibuya people who inhabit the area’s low-lying floodplains. Visit one of the local villages and gain insight into the community, their traditional ways of life, and their co-existence with the resident wildlife.

• Victoria Falls visits

  – Visit the largest waterfall in the world on a full-day tour of Victoria Falls. Few experiences compare to this thundering water curtain with its dramatic misty spray and rainbows. You’ll stop at various viewing points, with an expert guide showing you around, sharing facts and history along the way.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.