Boat cruises along the Chobe Riverfront are the definitive game viewing experience in this renowned national park, with the animals considerately coming to the water in huge numbers to take refreshments. Morning boating activities will focus specifically on the wildlife, with vast herds of buffalo and elephant arriving at the riverbank and often paddling into the shallower waters to drink and graze.
While this happens throughout the year, it is in the dry season months that the biggest concentrations of wildlife can be seen, with prides of lion frequently drawn out during daytime hours by the rich buffalo pickings. You will also see crocodile, monitor lizards and some fantastic birdlife on a Chobe cruise, including fish eagles, kingfishers and colourful carmine bee eaters, which create nesting holes in the riverbank. Afternoon activities on the water also concentrate squarely on the wildlife for the first couple of hours, before the engine is turned off for snacks and drinks to be served as the sun begins to set over the river. The Chobe Riverfront is probably the best destination on the continent for seeing significant volumes of wildlife by boat, rather than just enjoying the tranquillity of the experience with the odd animal sighting.