Maun - Savuti - Chobe Riverfront - Kasane

Departure 2014-Mar-20 - 7.00     Arrival 2014-Mar-23 - 11.30

The city of Maun ist just a stopover to refuel and replenish on food. Driving through Africa is beautiful, but the long distances are exhausting! Basically, all of Botswana's North is a hugh National Park with 4x4 tracks. The goal is reaching Kasane, Botswana's boarder town to Zimbabwe. To get thereI will drive along Moremi- and through Chobe Nationalpark, Chobe Forest Reserve and the Riverfront Nationalpark. Due to all the rain the roads are bad now and it will take long to drive these approximately 160km. And in deed, the way to Kasane is long yet amazing!

 

To get to Savuti, parts of the roads turn out to be impassable, thus the route needs to be changed. The lady at the park gate is optimistic though "The road is a challenge - but you will make it". And after 3 hours and 60km I finally get to the Savuti Camp!

Exhausted but happy I have made it I settle in - having seen endless pot holes, too much water on the road and a large number of big elephants crossing. As soon as it gets dark I sneak into the tent - there are no fences here whatsoever and I here lions roaring. Time for me to check out …

Choose your route carefully
Choose your route carefully
Encounters on the road to Savuti
Encounters on the road to Savuti

Around Savuti - deep in the bush of Botswana
Around Savuti - deep in the bush of Botswana
Waterhole on the street
Waterhole on the street
Hawksbill
Hawksbill
Going on the right side of the road
Going on the right side of the road

Everything is growing in the rainy season
Everything is growing in the rainy season
Nap-time
Nap-time

Chobe - elephants' paradise
Chobe - elephants' paradise
The more the merrier
The more the merrier
Going with the flow of nature
Going with the flow of nature

It was raining all night and thunderstorms were rolling over the land. Nevertheless I had a good sleep and am ready for the next bit of dirt roads to the Riverfront. The tracks starting in Savuti are better then the ones before, however it is not an easy ride. Especially the deep sand track through the Forest Reserve is 'interesting' … not to speak of all the elephants that are crossing here.

The Chobe Riverfront Park
The Chobe Riverfront Park
Colorful swamp
Colorful swamp
Dense fauna at the riverfront
Dense fauna at the riverfront
A hippo and its baby
A hippo and its baby

Baobab Tree
Baobab Tree
Kudu
Kudu

Entering the waterfront park though is a real treat! The amount of game that is found here at the river is overwhelming - even in the wet season. The track from the entrance gate to the camp is a good game-drive already and the campsites are impressive. Each is located directly at the river with only a path in between the water and the site. Again, no fences are around and an elephant herd decides to play in the water just there. I do get a bit scared when one of the big ones starts to come closer and closer, munching away on the trees. At one point, he is peaking over the bush behind the car - does he want that green I am parked under? The trick is, elephants don't like loud clapping ... so I bang against the car and luckily the 5 tone creature turns away and looks for trees in another direction. This will be another interesting night ….

Elephants on their way to the river
Elephants on their way to the river
Enjoying the water in full
Enjoying the water in full
Drinking-action
Drinking-action

Kasane - a last view on the River
Kasane - a last view on the River

Kasane - the boarder town to Zimbabwe and the main hub for safaris in the Chobe Riverfront Nationalpark. After a night in the bush it sounds promissing to sleep in a city again, even though it is still in the roof-tent. Unfortunately, it turns out that the campground of Chobe Safari Lodge is well infested with baboons - thus, the stay here is almost as exciting as camping in a national park without fencing. One night here sure is enough - especially as Victoria Falls is next on the list.

continue with ... ZIMBABWE