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African elephants in Chobe National Park, Botswana
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

Safari · Botswana

Chobe National Park Animal Checklist

Chobe National Park in northern Botswana is home to some of the largest elephant herds in Africa, best seen drinking and swimming from a boat on the Chobe River. It has four of the Big Five (no rhino), with famous lions at Savuti and wild dogs in the Linyanti. This checklist covers 73 animals. The dry season, June to October, is best.

Most visitors see the Chobe riverfront near the town of Kasane, about an hour and a half by road from Victoria Falls. Savuti and the Linyanti, further south-west, are wilder and reached by 4x4 or light aircraft.

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See all 73 animals
The Chobe checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked
Animals to find
73
Where
Botswana
Best time
Jun to Oct
Big Five
Four (no rhino)

Chobe's headline animals

  • African Savanna Elephant, one of the animals to look for in Chobe

    African Savanna Elephant

    In the dry season, June to October, herds of hundreds come down to the river each afternoon to drink, bathe and swim across to the islands. A late-afternoon boat trip puts you at water level beside them.

    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Lion, one of the animals to look for in Chobe

    Lion

    Savuti is famous for its large prides, known for tackling big prey. On the riverfront, lions often rest in the shade of the woodland just back from the water.

    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Cape Buffalo, one of the animals to look for in Chobe

    Cape Buffalo

    Big herds graze the floodplains of the riverfront, and lone bulls wallow in the shallows. Watch for oxpeckers riding on their backs.

    Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa, CC BY 2.0

  • Leopard

    Seen along the riverfront woodland between Kasane and Serondela, usually early in the morning or late in the day.

  • African Wild Dog

    The Linyanti and Savuti areas are among Botswana's best for wild dogs. They are rarer on the busy riverfront.

  • Hippopotamus

    Hundreds live in the Chobe River. On a boat trip you pass pods at close range and may see them grazing on the islands in daylight.

  • Sable Antelope

    Herds come down to drink on the riverfront in the dry months. The males, glossy black with swept-back horns, are a highlight.

  • Puku

    A golden antelope found in Botswana only on the Chobe riverfront, especially around Serondela. Easy to miss among the impala, so look for its shaggy coat and short horns.

  • African Skimmer

    Skims the calm water with its long lower bill at dawn and dusk. Look on the sandbanks from the boat.

All 73 animals to spot in Chobe

Grouped the way you'll meet them. Tips show where to look.

The Big Five 4

Grazers and browsers 16

Hunters 8

Smaller mammals 7

River birds 20

Land birds 15

Reptiles and amphibians 3

  • Last reviewed September 2026.
  • Sources are listed below the questions.
  • Wild animals only. Please give them space.

Best time to see wildlife in Chobe

The dry season, from June to October, is the best time to see wildlife in Chobe. Inland water holes dry up and the river becomes the only reliable water, so thousands of elephants, buffalo and antelope gather along the riverfront. September and October are the peak, but also the hottest months. The rains usually come from November to March. Animals then spread out across the park, and the riverfront is quieter, but the bush turns green, antelope have their young, and the birding is excellent, with Southern Carmine Bee-eaters nesting in the riverbanks from September to November. In the wet season many zebras move to Savuti to graze. Some of the Savuti and Linyanti roads can be hard going in the rains.

  • Jan-MarGreen season; zebras on the Savuti grasslands, migrant birds
  • Apr-MayRains ending; herds start returning to the river
  • Jun-AugDry season; big elephant herds at the river, cool mornings
  • Sep-OctPeak elephant numbers; hot, carmine bee-eaters nesting
  • Nov-DecFirst rains; game disperses, baby impala and birds

Tips for spotting wildlife in Chobe

  1. Take the afternoon boat

    A boat trip on the Chobe River from about 15:00 to sunset catches elephants crossing, hippos grazing and the best light. Morning trips are quieter and good for birds.

  2. Drive the riverfront early

    The park gate at Sedudu, near Kasane, opens at dawn. The first hour on the riverfront road is the best time for lions, leopards and sable antelope before the crowds.

  3. Look for the rapids birds

    Rock pratincoles nest on the rocks in the rapids near Kasane, and white-crowned lapwings patrol the sandbanks. Ask the skipper to keep well back from nesting birds and not to linger.

  4. Head to Savuti for predators

    If you have more time, a few nights in Savuti adds lions, cheetahs on the open marsh and a better chance of wild dogs, away from the riverfront traffic.

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The Chobe checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked

Chobe wildlife FAQ

What animals can you see in Chobe National Park?

You can see elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, hippos, giraffes, sable antelope, puku and wild dogs in Chobe National Park, plus Nile crocodiles and more than 450 bird species. This checklist covers 73 animals. Chobe is best known for its elephants: in the dry season thousands gather on the riverfront, making it one of the best places in Africa to see them.

When is the best time to see elephants in Chobe?

The best time to see elephants in Chobe is from June to October, when water elsewhere dries up and huge herds come to the Chobe River to drink. September and October usually bring the biggest numbers. From November to March the rains let the elephants disperse into the woodland, so sightings along the river are smaller and less predictable.

What will I see on a Chobe River boat safari?

On a Chobe River boat safari you will usually see elephants drinking and swimming, pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalo on the floodplains and water birds such as African fish eagles, kingfishers and African skimmers. In the dry season, elephant crossings to the river islands are the highlight. Afternoon trips are busiest with animals and give the best light for photos.

Can you do Chobe as a day trip from Victoria Falls?

Yes, you can visit Chobe on a day trip from Victoria Falls. Kasane is about 80 km away, and tours usually include a boat safari and a game drive on the riverfront. You cross the border into Botswana at Kazungula, so bring your passport and allow time for formalities. A day trip only covers the riverfront, not Savuti or the Linyanti.

Sources

Last reviewed September 2026

Photo credits

All photo credits. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, resized.

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