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Claire
Chobe Riverfront: In Praise of Elephants
For anyone with a passion for conservation, Kasane and the Chobe Waterfront lie at the heart of KAZA - the world's largest transfrontier conservation area and home to almost half of Africa's elephants.
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It was my first visit to Botswana. We’d driven a highway lined with elephants (a novelty that has never lost its lustre) and arrived in Kasane. A pair of bulls stood in the shade near the shopping centre – moving monuments to the wild nature of this place that lies at the heart of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area or KAZA.
As the years have gone by, I’ve been lucky enough to piece together parts of the puzzle of Chobe, with visits to Southern Africa’s many awe-inspiring destinations. However, there is some pull – current, if you will – that takes me back to that first day alongside the Chobe River in Chobe National Park. The hot, sandy roads. Waves of elephant herds heading to the water. Standing at the water’s edge watching a dramatic evening sky give way to galaxies. →
Elephants Everywhere
It feels like there are elephants around every bend on the Chobe Riverfront - and it is amazing to think that the horizon holds even more wild places for elephants to roam without borders.
For me – and many visitors – to the Chobe riverfront and Chobe National Park, the name is synonymous with one thing: elephants. This is a place in praise of these great, grey beings. It is said that Chobe is home to Africa’s highest concentration of elephants. Indeed, it is an amazing place to find and observe them. Dotting the floodplain into the distance, mirage-like in the throbbing heat, or crossing in front of the car, it’s easy to fill a camera roll with these incredible, intelligent creatures.
There is no tiring of their antics. The clap of a matriarch’s ears as she shakes her head in displeasure. Young bulls working out their size. Tiny calves rolling in slick, shiny mud. These giant forms making short work of big distances, while keeping the appearance of moving slowly. The uncanny ability of the biggest bulls to hide behind even thin mopani branches and their butterfly leaves. The joyfulness of anything aquatic – from swims to long drinks. Sprays of mud and dust like fireworks. →
The Great Wall of Chobe
It is not unusual to see a living wall of elephants lining the riverfront in Chobe.
The emerald floodplain stretched ahead of us and giraffe necked and swung and clashed – because how else would these towering creatures assert their warring intentions? They crossed in almost choreographed paths and paces.
Elephants in the foreground convened. When they stand together, one can almost feel the conspiracy – silent communication beyond our interpretation; a pachyderm’s secret society. With elephants at intervals that led into the distance, Chobe gives the gift of elephants in every perspective.
The confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers is nearby to Southern Africa’s ‘Four Corners’ at Kazangula. I remember reading once that rivers must share memories at this meeting point of confluence. What fantastic stories these particular African rivers must tell – stretching across the southern part of this amazing continent, spanning some of the world’s most famous marvels. →
With elephants at intervals that led into the distance, Chobe gives the gift of elephants in every perspective.
Giraffe Crossing Swords
Giraffe slammed into each other - neck-in-neck in conflict.
As a backwater of the Zambezi River, these rivers share an inkpot when it comes to storytelling. Of course, there is an element of the fantastic to it – with the Chobe waters ‘running both ways’, filling lakes in the wet season and flowing back as the water recedes with the dry season.
On closer examination, the connection strengthens and extends. Savuti Marsh, with its elephant-hunting lions – stretching to the Okavango Delta. Livingstone’s Linyanti. The border with Namibia and the gateway to the Caprivi Strip. Primeval links to the giant pans at Makgadikgadi. When you’re talking about big name safaris, Chobe must be towards the top of the list. If these waters are storytellers, theirs are time-worn tales of Africa.
If a river’s confluence is a place to recount memories, I suppose the same should be said of the region’s large population of elephants - moving in time to ancient migration paths through KAZA. Indeed, every interaction is a form of communication: sound, chemical, physical. →
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Tipping the Scales
Like primordial beasts, observing crocodiles from a Chobe boat cruise is a reminder that we're impostors when we're on the water.
Elephant storytelling takes place across extraordinary distances, sometimes harmonically – like a song. Their stories are told in the air, are felt in vibration and interaction. They are wordless wonders in a world full of chatter – moving poetry. They tell elephant legends that stretch down into Khaudum National Park in Namibia and reach round through Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – covering the Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi in a perfect network of Africa’s most treasured gift: wide, wild open spaces.
As the years go by, water levels may fluctuate and human settlements may change. But there is a comforting certainty that elephants and other wildlife will head to the Chobe waterfront, guided by the seasons, as if on well-worn elephant paths etched in time. →
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Secret Keepers
Elephants are not the only storytellers in this bushveld wonderland. Oxpeckers must be the greatest gossip spreaders of all.
Whether you're out on a game-viewer or taking in the sights from the deck of a boat, what you pack impacts your experiences. Make sure you are ready for every element of your adventure - and the elements - with made-for-purpose safari clothing. Get expert safari packing advice and get packing with in-depth Chobe safari packing advice and quick tips for travellers to Chobe National Park from our experts and your comprehensive safari packing list.
No-Boredom Yawns
Hippo yawns are menacing announcements of displeasure - and awesome reminders of who holds the territorial cards when it comes to Chobe waters.
Lily-Trotter on Land
These long-toed icons are a ubiquitous sight on Southern African watercourses.
Water-Bound
Water buck, house boats, and water birds - the worlds converge on the Chobe.
Botswana Links:
Chobe National Park | Chobe Riverfront | Savuti | One Night In Linyanti | What To Pack For Chobe, Savuti, and Linyanti | Quick Travel Tips for Chobe National Park |