Located just outside the Chobe National Park, forming the safari park's northern border, the Chobe River is famous for its river boat safaris, offering a unique up-close and personal game viewing and bird watching experience for all tourists destined for Botswana.
A highlight on any safari traveller's itinerary, a sunset cruise on the Chobe River is an ideal way to spend an afternoon and evening relaxing and soaking up the essence of Africa. It is therefore not surprising that the sense of anticipation for a sunset river cruise is usually quite high as this is definitely something quiet exhilarating and different to the usual evening game drive one will have become quite used to.
Boarding either the small speed boat or large double decker cruise boat the excitement mounts - what amazing wildlife are you about to encounter? You find a space and sit back, relaxing as you sip on a glass of wine or an ice cold beer.
Slowly the boat starts to amble its way down the river, stopping for a few minutes so that you can watch a family of Hippos splashing in the water, their huge mouths opened wide showing their impressive teeth.
Further down the river a large herd of Elephant lumber down to the water for their evening drink, wallowing in the mud or splashing each other with their trunks. Other game you may be lucky to see include Buffalo, Lechwe, Reedbuck,Cheetah and Impala and maybe even Lion.
The African wildlife usually spend the day inside the game reserve, sheltering under trees or eating the long grasses and then they venture down to the water's edge as the day begins to cool, to quench their thirst.
Throughout the adventure, this tranquil and idyllic scene is emphasized by the massive orb of the African sun setting on the horizon, painting the landscape shades of yellow, orange, red and lilac.
Enthusiastic photographers will be in their element capturing silhouettes of the animals and surrounding landscape as the sun slowly slips away. After about 2 hours the adventure must come to an end, as a decadent dinner awaits you back at the lodge and the boat slowly makes its way back.