By Anouk Zijlma
Africa Travel Expert, about.com
[post_ads]I really like all of the Desert and Delta properties in Botswana, it's their staff that really make a difference. And what I love about Chobe Game Lodge is that all their safari guides are women. They call themselves the "Chobe Angels". It's rare to find female safari guides, more likely in South Africa but extremely rare anywhere else. It's not just because the opportunities are lacking so much as it's very hard for a woman to be able to have a family when she needs to be on duty for up to 3 months at a time in the middle of the bush. So Chobe being located close to the town of Kasane makes things a bit easier.
Because Chobe Game Lodge is relatively close to a town, it's also able to use the electric grid and that has led to another unique feature - electric game vehicles
and electric safari boats. Imagine how awesome that is, when you can
glide up to a bird without being heard a mile away ... or to be able to
start the engine and move the vehicle to get a better angle at a lion
kill.
If you've ever been on safari,
you know the roar of an engine starting up certainly affects the
animals you are viewing. For birders this is really revolutionary.
[post_ads]You can imagine when they first starting using the electric vehicles
that it took some getting used to - lots of startled animals as they
could not hear the approach. And some guides even found that the
elephants would run away. Apparently there was some vibration they could
feel through their feet that was not familiar - so they stayed their
distance. Not so anymore, the local wildlife population has become
completely habituated and ignore the vehicles as they always did!
Don't get the impression that because the town of Kasane is not
far away, that Chobe is somehow a "lesser" wildlife experience. The
proximity to town is relative, as Chobe Game Lodge is the only lodge
inside the Chobe National Park.
So when all the other vehicles head out to take guests back to their
lodges, Chobe Game Lodge guests get the place to themselves. They're
already home, which means they can watch the sun come all the way down,
and they can get out deep into the park at first light too.
Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park
covers an area of 4200 miles and lies north of the Okavango Delta in
the north west of Botswana. The Chobe River at the northern end of the
park, marks the border between Botswana and Namibia's Caprivi Strip... more about Chobe National Park
Great Guides, Great Vehicles , Great Safari .. what about the Lodge Itself?[post_ads_2]
Chobe
Game Lodge sits right on the Chobe river front, and has benefitted from
this location since 1972. It has had plenty of refurbishments since
then, but even Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton tied the knot here
for the second time, would still recognize it.
The buildings have a Moorish-East Coast
(Africa) design and feel. There are 43 river view rooms and 4 luxury
suites with private plunge pools. A 250 foot deck runs the length of the
property offering private dining nooks, a full service bar and couches
to enjoy the spectacular views from. Your stay includes two safari
activities daily and all meals and local beverages. For guests staying
longer than a few days, you can also enjoy cultural visits and full day
game drives into the furthest reaches of the National Park.
Best time to Visit[post_ads_2]
The best time to visit Chobe is during the dry season from April to October.
The pans dry up and the animals tend to congregate close to the river
banks making it easier to spot them. The dry season also means the trees
and shrubs lose their leaves, and the grasses are short, making it much
easier to see further into the bush to spot wildlife. The red earth,
and the dust that's kicked up as elephants come down to the river to
drink, backed by gorgeous African skimmers on the the river - is
breathtaking.
But the "green season"
after the rains start in November to March is also very rewarding, and
is my personal favorite time to visit. This is the time of year that the
little ones are born and nothing can be cuter than baby zebra, warthogs
and elephants. Birdlife is also best when its green and watery from
November to March, as migrating flocks come to visit.
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