Chobe Bakwena Lodge

Chobe Bakwena Lodge is an intimate and privately owned eco-friendly lodge set on the banks of the Chobe River. Boasting a total of 15 individual chalets designed and decorated in a manner that perfectly illustrates the environment in which it operates. Bakwena Lodge offers a cool and comfortable escape for all guests. There are 13 Standard Chalets, 1 Family Room and 1 Honeymoon Suite. A Standard Chalet is either a Riverine or Treetop Chalet. Riverine Chalets are nestled in the indigenous riverine landscape and in keeping with our eco principles we don't cut down the trees and bushes for clear open views of the Chobe River. Treetop Chalets are elevated 3m above the ground and wrapped in the Treetop canopy. Guests will find out on arrival which room type they've been allocated

Chobe Bakwena Lodge offers an inclusive safari for guests with some of the finest game viewing in this region. Well known for its predators, Chobe has become the home of most of Botswana’s estimated 200 000 elephants.

Activities are land and water-based, all year round. These are all curated by the lodge and there truly is a host of activities to suit all guests. These include guided bicycle tours, sundowner cruises to the meeting place of the four countries, game drives, and village walkabouts.

Chobe Bakwena is a pioneer in responsible tourism. The lodge’s eco-credentials include a natural swimming pool filtered by their plans and all policies, food choices and building materials are sourced locally with the intention to bring no harm to the environment.

About Chobe National Park

When you visit the Chobe National Park, you will never forget the first glimpse of the dazzling, deep blue Chobe River, as it winds its way through sandy terrain, small towns, lush floodplains, dense forests of cathedral mopane trees, and endless broadleaf woodlands. The park is named after this majestic river that protects 10.700 km² of the northern Kalahari desert, providing ensuing wilderness and a game density that is steadily remarkable.

Famed for its massive elephant populations, big herds of buffalo (matched only by some large lion prides) and incredible birdlife, Chobe National Park will leave an everlasting memory. Where else can you find such an amazing riverfront, with bustling wildlife, undisturbed predators, heavenly landscapes and tranquil lodges? The most accessible area of the park is the Chobe Riverfront, this is also where you will find the largest concentration of wildlife. For a more predator-rich area: head off to Linyanti Marshes. Or nourish your soul in the remote Savuti area. Wherever you go in this park, wildlife encounters are plentiful and all of Chobe feels like true wilderness. It is a place that can be enjoyed by everyone: couples, families and seasoned Africa travellers.

We will explain more about the different areas below. But first, a little bit about the history of this special place.

The original inhabitants of Chobe were the Bushmen, followed by the – impressively named – Hambukushu, Bayei and Basubiya. In the 1850s, locals saw explorer David Livingstone passing through the area on his way to the Victoria Falls (a little over an hour away from Chobe National Park), and some big-game hunters seeking trophies and ivory. Luckily, for all the flora and fauna of this unique land, the area was first protected as a game reserve in 1961 and proclaimed as a national park in 1968.

Up to this day, the game density remains exceptional. You will be forced to halt frequently because a parade of wildlife wants to pass by. Much better than stopping for a red light in traffic, right? Moderating the number of visitors to the park keeps it from feeling ‘too busy’, adding to the remote and exclusive Chobe safari experience.