Chobe Safari Lodge

• rooms: 46 individually decorated safari rooms, 22 river rooms (with riverside gardens), and 8 thatched rondavels — plus a sheltered campsite with 23 powered stands for self-drivers
• child policy: all ages welcome; children 0–11 stay free in family rooms (12 family safari rooms with bunk beds, 2 family river rooms with a second bedroom)
• location: kasane, on the banks of the chobe river, bordering chobe national park (15-minute drive to the park gate); sister property chobe bush lodge sits right next door, with guests free to use both lodges’ facilities
• rate includes: breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus one game drive and one boat cruise per night
• activities: morning and afternoon game drives, sunset and photographic river cruises, private boat/game drive charters on request, fishing trips, namibian village walks, day trips to victoria falls
• facilities: à la carte restaurant and buffet dining, the sedudu bar (well known as a sundowner spot overlooking the floodplains), swimming pool, spa services, activity/concierge desk

I’ve been visiting CHobe Safari Lodge for years and years. I’ve even had a close friend celebrate their wedding here. I remember the place as a child, and I know it really well now as an adult. It’s been through a multitude of renovations and upgrades overtime, and it still remains timeless in this odd sort of way. It’s changed, and yet it still remains the same magical place – if that makes sense. It recently went through a proper renovation though and the historic rondavels have been restored to honour their heritage status while adding modern comforts like Wi-Fi and air-conditioning, and the whole property leans into its “steeped in history” story (there are ties back to the old Cape to Cairo railway era and Kasane’s trophy-hunting heyday).

My favourite addition from that renovation is the new Explorers Lounge (shout out to Mel for doing an amazing job here)— it’s a proper library-style retreat holding one of the country’s largest collections of Botswana-related travel documents, maps and memorabilia, which is a lovely touch for guests who want a quieter, more reflective moment between game drives. In my opinion, it’s the best value-for-money option right on the Chobe riverfront. The managers Di and James are also outstandingly wonderful people.