Northern Botswana
Chobe Bakwena Lodge
The welcoming Chobe Bakwena Lodge is a fantastic eco luxury safari spot to use as a relaxing base on the edge of the Chobe National Park and river. It has a unique position close to the borders where Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia meet. Bakwena also means ‘people of the crocodile’ and it is the largest tribe in Botswana.
There are 10 individual beautifully built chalets, two of which are family chalets. Each comfortable chalet has its own private viewing deck where you can view the river wildlife. Inside the accommodation the rooms have several windows to allow as much natural light in, the beds are covered with mosquito nets, and the walls are insulated to keep the chalets warm at night. They come with an en-suite indoor bathroom which leads out to a screened garden and an outside shower.
The restaurant serves spectacular local African fusion dishes whilst the Rain Tree Bar offers a perfect setting to unwind with a cold drink overlooking the river after a day out in the National Park
Facilities
A restaurant, Rain Tree cocktail bar with a viewing deck, lounge, a firepit, a pool deck, gift shop, an activities centre, and free WIFI hotspots.
Local Wildlife
One of the largest elephant populations in Africa is found in the Chobe National Park so you are bound to see them on a regular basis. Early morning game drives give you the chance to spot some of the big cats, buffalos, giraffes, zebra and,impalas. Boat cruises offer encounters with hippos and crocodiles. You may hear a variety of birdsong at the lodge. The guides are fantastic and will take you on a guided walk to spot them around the lodge.
Optional Activities
Enjoy game drives and boat cruises, go on a guided bird walk at the Seboba Recreational Park, visit the Caracal World of Wildlife Centre, go fishing, or go on a Victoria Falls day trip, take a guided bicycle tour and village walk, book a scenic flight and visit the reptile park.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
If you have any questions regarding our Botswana tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
On behalf of my wife and myself, I would like to thank all at Reef and Rainforest for arranging so superbly yet another exceptional wildlife experience. As you are aware our ‘expeditions’ tend to be species led and this year’s brief was to observe and photograph the ‘Three Big Cats of Africa’ in a truly wild setting (i.e. no fences). Your recommended destination, Botswana, did not let us down, in fact the whole trip proved an outstanding success in all aspects.
We stayed in three camps (three nights in each) across the Okavango Delta and surrounding area, each provided a different environment which ensured our aims were met. Each camp was run to a very high standard, was extremely comfortable and provided excellent meals. The quality of guiding and tracking in all our camps was of the highest standard. As Botswana manages its natural resources so well all the camps were small (no more than 18 guests) ensuring a very intimate safari experience in pristine wild African habitat.
I am delighted to report our big cat objectives were realised. All observations were lengthy and offered excellent photographic opportunities. However, unexpectedly, the highlight of our spectacular trip turned out to be sightings of two separate packs of African Painted Dogs. We visited two dens, the first had a very healthy number of adult dogs, approximately fifteen and eighteen pups. The second had seven adult dogs and sixteen pups. At Lebala we had the privilege of spending a prolonged period of time following the pack of dogs as they hunted, an experience we will never forget.
When one also considers the significant mammal and bird species we observed, Botswana is truly a must visit destination for the wildlife enthusiast. Incidentally we also observed three serval and two African wild cats. We also thoroughly enjoyed our few days at Victoria Falls, possibly the most spectacular waterfall in the world, the hotel in Zimbabwe was excellent. Viewing the falls from the Zambian side and also the helicopter flight are both well worth doing.
This was our third consecutive trip with Reef and Rainforest, and I would be very surprised if there is not a fourth being planned very soon. Thank you all once again.