Chobe National Park

🇧🇼 Botswana

🐘 Largest Elephant Herds Roam Chobe

🌍 #26 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #19 in Africa #20 in Savanna & Grassland

Southern Africa, Botswana 972 spp. recorded

Chobe National Park in northern Botswana is a tropical savanna that hugs the Chobe River and stretches across flood‑plain grasslands and scattered woodlands. The park’s open plains meet river islands, creating a mosaic of water and dry land that supports large herbivore movements.

-18.690° S 24.195° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Very likely

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

60–70% · Likely

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus chobiensis

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

70–80% · Very likely

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

60–70% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

60–70% · Likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

60–70% · Likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

60–70% · Likely

African Jacana

Actophilornis africanus

60–70% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

50–60% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

50–60% · Likely

Great Egret

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Very likely

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

50–60% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

50–60% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely

Chacma Baboon

Papio ursinus

40–50% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

40–50% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

40–50% · Likely

Banded Mongoose

Mungos mungo

40–50% · Likely

Leopard

Panthera pardus

40–50% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

30–40% · Possible

Lechwe

Kobus leche

30–40% · Possible

Sable Antelope

Hippotragus niger

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

70–80% · Very likely

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

60–70% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

60–70% · Likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

60–70% · Likely

African Jacana

Actophilornis africanus

60–70% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely

Great Egret

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

50–60% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

African Darter

Anhinga rufa

50–60% · Likely

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

50–60% · Likely

African Openbilled Stork

Anastomus lamelligerus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus chobiensis

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

60–70% · Likely

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

Wahlberg’s Striped Skink

Trachylepis wahlbergii

30–40% · Possible

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

10–20% · Possible

Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko

Chondrodactylus laevigatus

10–20% · With luck

Flap-necked Chameleon

Chamaeleo dilepis

10–20% · With luck

Southern African Python

Python natalensis

10–20% · With luck

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

Insufficient data

Spotted Bush Snake

Philothamnus semivariegatus

Insufficient data

Puff Adder

Bitis arietans

Insufficient data

Boomslang

Dispholidus typus

Insufficient data

Olive Whip Snake

Psammophis mossambicus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

0–10% · With luck

Angolan Reed Frog

Hyperolius parallelus

Insufficient data

Giant bullfrog

Pyxicephalus adspersus

Insufficient data

Senegal Kassina

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data

Common Rain Frog

Breviceps adspersus

Insufficient data

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Elephant Riverfront Concentration

AugSepOct

During the peak of the dry season, massive herds of African Bush Elephants congregate in high densities along the Chobe Riverfront to drink and bathe, creating unparalleled wildlife viewing spectacles.

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Very likely

🦌

Intense Lion Pride Territorial Roaming

Aug

Lion prides actively patrol and defend their dry-season territories along the concentrated river corridors where prey species are forced to gather.

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

🦌

Impala Synchronized Lambing Season

Dec

The onset of the green season triggers a synchronized birthing pulse among impalas, dropping their young simultaneously to overwhelm local predators with sheer numbers.

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

African Bush Elephant

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

Southern Giraffe

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

40–50

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

20–30

20–30

10–20

20–30

20–30

20–30

10–20

20–30

10–20

10–20

30–40

20–30

Blacksmith Lapwing

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

African Fish-Eagle

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

80–90

Helmeted Guineafowl

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

Cape Turtle Dove

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

Common Hippopotamus

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

African Buffalo

70–80

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

Animal Events

🦌 Elephant Riverfront Concentration

🦌 Intense Lion Pride Territorial Roaming

🦌 Impala Synchronized Lambing Season

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🐘 Largest Elephant Herds Roam Chobe

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

636

🐒 Mammals

170

🦎 Reptiles

115

🐸 Amphibians

51

972 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

34 Threatened 10 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

64%

📊

Coverage (237 species at ≥5% of 972 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

24%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (6 bird, 5 mammal, 1 reptile)

47% Global avg

76%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

186

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

40

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

41

Explore Other Parks

Moremi Game Reserve

📍 109 km 🦁 Lion Pride Roams Moremi's Floodplains

Moremi Game Reserve

🇧🇼 Botswana 🌍 #13 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #9 in Africa #1 in Wetlands & Mangrove

Kafue National Park

📍 502 km 🦁 Lion Roars Across Kafue's Plains

Kafue National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia 🌍 #24 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #17 in Africa #18 in Savanna & Grassland

Mana Pools National Park

📍 645 km 🐘 Elephants Stand Tall for Acacia Pods

Mana Pools National Park

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 🌍 #18 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #14 in Africa #14 in Savanna & Grassland

Lower Zambezi National Park

📍 709 km 🐊 Nile Crocodiles Patrol Lower Zambezi

Lower Zambezi National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia 🌍 #17 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #13 in Africa #13 in Savanna & Grassland