The name means high view in Setswana, and the ridge above the Chobe River earns it. Floodplains, channels and Sedudu Island lie below, with the Namibian horizon beyond. Days here divide between open 4x4s in the park and boat cruises on the water, both setting out from the same base.
Elephants cross the floodplain below in long, unhurried herds.
Chobe National Park holds a large, well-documented elephant population, and the riverfront concentrates them from July to October, when the surrounding bush dries out and permanent water becomes the only reliable option. Elephants cross the floodplain below in long, unhurried herds. Buffalo, hippo and crocodile hold the same banks, and lion, leopard and puku work the margins.
Fifteen thatched cottages sit in mature gardens, built in brick under heavy thatch that holds the Chobe heat at bay, and finished in terracotta and sand. Birdsong carries through the trees at first light. The main building holds the lounge, bar and library, there is a split-level pool, and golf carts move quietly along the paved paths beneath the trees.
Birdsong carries through the trees at first light.
A full-service spa runs on the same grounds, its treatment room raised into the trees, with hydrotherapy and a plunge pool of its own. Dinner moves between the main room, the patio above the gardens and a fire-lit boma, and high tea appears on the lawn each afternoon as the day cools. There are wood-fired pizza nights too, and a temperature-controlled cellar to draw on.
Game drives run twice a day in open 4x4s, and inside Chobe National Park they run to the park’s rules: daylight hours only, designated tracks, no off-road driving. The neighbouring Kasane Forest Reserve lifts two of those constraints. Night drives operate there, and guided walks go out on foot with armed rangers, subject to guide availability and how high the grass has grown since the rains. For anyone who would rather be out of the vehicle than in it, that difference is the one that counts. Fishing is catch-and-release, tigerfish and bream, and seasonal.
The water side runs on a custom double-decker boat with 360-degree swivel seats, built for photographers who need a stable base while a herd swims the channel. It seats up to eighteen, with a bar on the lower deck and breakfast or lunch served on the water, and sundowner cruises go out most evenings. Buffalo file across toward Sedudu Island. Hippos surface in the shallows and crocodiles hold the sandbars until the light goes. Lunch can also be taken back at the lodge, high above the floodplain.
Hippos surface in the shallows and crocodiles hold the sandbars until the light goes.
Three of the cottages open into an adjoining twin room, which suits families with small children. Child-minding is available, there are children’s menus, and the activity programme runs to nature walks, crafts and croquet on the lawn. Children under five stay off shared game drives, though a private vehicle solves that. At the far end of the grounds, one secluded cottage keeps its own plunge pool, and comes with a private vehicle and guide for every activity.
Kasane International Airport is a short drive away, which removes the light-aircraft hop that most Botswana lodges require, and Victoria Falls lies close enough for a day trip across the border. All of which makes this a natural first or last stop on a Botswana itinerary, before the Delta or after it. The riverfront is a different ecosystem from the Delta’s floodplains, and the two read well together. The view does the rest: shimmering channels, white salt flats and green islands running out to the blue-grey line of Namibia.
accommodation
Fifteen thatched cottages, each with a canopied super-king bed, freestanding tub, indoor and outdoor showers, air conditioning and a private walled garden with a furnished patio. Nine are doubles, three add an adjoining twin room for families, and one has a plunge pool and viewing deck.
activities
Twice-daily game drives in open 4x4s inside Chobe National Park, daylight hours and designated tracks only. Night drives and guided walks with armed rangers run in the neighbouring Kasane Forest Reserve. River cruises, a photographic boat with swivel seats, catch-and-release tigerfishing, birding, and Victoria Falls day trips.
conservation
The CARACAL biodiversity centre in Kasane rehabilitates injured wildlife and birds and runs environmental education. The Chobe Women's Arts & Craft Centre sells hand-woven Botswana baskets from the same site. The Dipetsana Women's Bike Shop trains local women as bicycle mechanics.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
Kasane International Airport is ten to twenty minutes away by road, which makes this one of the easiest arrivals in the region. Kasane takes flights from Johannesburg, Maun and Victoria Falls.
The road crossing from Victoria Falls takes around an hour and a half to two hours including the border, and it is a common way to link the two. We handle the transfer and the paperwork timing as part of the booking.
Yes. Northern Botswana is a malaria area, and both TravelHealthPro, the UK's official travel health service, and the CDC place it among the regions where antimalarial tablets are usually recommended. The risk is highest during and after the summer rains and lower through the dry winter, but the dry season is not risk-free.
We are travel planners rather than medical people, so speak to a travel clinic or your doctor before you go. Cover up once the sun drops over the river and use repellent, whatever they advise.
Yes, children of all ages are taken. Those aged fifteen and under share with an adult, and families with children of five and under need a private vehicle for the activities.
That private vehicle is worth having anyway, because it lets a family cut a game drive short or stay out longer without affecting anyone else. Tell us the ages at enquiry and we will price it in from the start rather than let it appear later.
Two seasons, sharply drawn. The dry winter from May to October brings clear sunny days and cold starts, and an open vehicle or a boat at dawn in June and July calls for a proper jacket, a hat and gloves. Summer, from November to April, is hot and humid with afternoon storms that build and break quickly.
Neutral colours, a wide-brimmed hat and strong sun protection cover the days, with a warm layer for the early mornings and the river. Soft bags for any light aircraft leg, and binoculars, because a great deal of the viewing here is across water.
May to October, and June to September in particular. The bush dries, the elephants come down to the Chobe River in the numbers this place is famous for, and the boat cruises are at their best.
November to April is green, much quieter and considerably cheaper, with migrant birds and newborn animals. It is hotter, wetter and mosquitoes are more of a presence, so it suits a returning visitor more than a first safari.
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our approach
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
