Chobe National Park

Day Three - Botswana & Victoria Falls - 2018

After crossing into Botswana, a full afternoon is spent exploring the Chobe National Park riverfront.

1. Kazungula

A view of the village of Kazungula, Botswana, from which four countries - Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia - can be seen at the same time.

Kazungula -an area named for the town of the same name across the Zambezi River in Zambia- is one of the only locations in the world (Mount Ararat and the Gulf of Aqaba being perhaps the only others) where you can see four countries at the same time - Botswana (foreground), Namibia (background left), Zambia (background center), and Zimbabwe (background right).

After departing Victoria Falls, I had a 45-minute transfer to the Zimbabwe-Botswana. Border formalities were simple enough, and soon I was headed in our safari vehicle to Kasane where we would buy provisions for our four days camping in the Botswana veld.

2. Chobe National Park Riverfront #1

An elephant peeks out from behind trees in the riverfront area of Chobe National Park.

After another brief drive from Kasane, we arrived at the riverfront portion of Chobe National Park. Here we would spend the afternoon along the Zambezi River in search of wildlife. The following 41 images are a sample of what we spotted along the way. During this period, elephants such as this one were arriving at the Zambezi River in search of water. This represented the conclusion of their long trek from then-dried-up watering holes away from the river.

3. Chobe National Park Riverfront #2

An elephant crosses an opening, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

4. Chobe National Park Riverfront #3

Elephants graze on trees, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

5. Chobe National Park Riverfront #4

A baby elephant follows their parent, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

6. Chobe National Park Riverfront #5

A vervet monkey rests in a dirt patch, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

A small vervet monkey appeared during our ablution stop.

7. Chobe National Park Riverfront #6

An elephant shovels water into its mouth along the riverfront, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

8. Chobe National Park Riverfront #7

Elephants shovel sand onto their skin, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

After reaching the riverfront and drinking copious amounts of water, the elephants would cover themselves in dust to protect their skin from the mid-day sun.

9. Chobe National Park Riverfront #8

An elephant shovels sand onto its skin, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

10. Chobe National Park Riverfront #9

An antelope emerges from the Zambezi river in Botswana at Chobe National Park.

This antelope courageously crossed the Zambezi River from Namibia to Botswana, successfully dodging the many crocodiles who live along this stretch of river.

11. Chobe National Park Riverfront #10

An antelope walks past an elephant, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Welcome to Botswana, friend!

12. Chobe National Park Riverfront #11

A group of elephants walk along the riverbank, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

13. Chobe National Park Riverfront #12

A close-up of an elephants eye and skin folds, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

14. Chobe National Park Riverfront #13

An alligator swims in the Zambezi River, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

15. Chobe National Park Riverfront #14

Cape buffalo relax in shade, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

16. Chobe National Park Riverfront #15

A giraffe looks off into the distance, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

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17. Chobe National Park Riverfront #16

An elephant crosses a dirt patch, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

18. Chobe National Park Riverfront #17

A parent and baby elephant cross a dirt patch, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

19. Chobe National Park Riverfront #18

An elephant eats grass along the Zambezi River, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

20. Chobe National Park Riverfront #19

A parent and two small elephants eat grass along the Zambezi River, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

21. Chobe National Park Riverfront #20

A baby elephant eats grass along the Zambezi River, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

22. Chobe National Park Riverfront #21

A baby elephant walks in mud along the Zambezi River, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

23. Chobe National Park Riverfront #22

A blacksmith lapwing walks along the Zambezi River, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

24. Chobe National Park Riverfront #23

A saddle-billed stork walks along a clearing, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

25. Chobe National Park Riverfront #24

A saddle-billed stork drinks from a pool of water, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

26. Chobe National Park Riverfront #25

An African fish eagle looks for prey from a tree limb, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

27. Chobe National Park Riverfront #26

Two zebra eat grass, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

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A zebra eats grass, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

29. Chobe National Park Riverfront #28

The skull of a deceased cape buffalo, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

30. Chobe National Park Riverfront #29

A herd of elephants march across a plain, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

31. Chobe National Park Riverfront #30

A mongoose walks through grass, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

32. Chobe National Park Riverfront #31

A lion sleeps in the sun, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Right at sundown, we spotted a pride of lions waking up in time for some early evening hunting. The pride quickly spotted a group of cape buffalo, and slowly moved towards their location.