sing22

We are planning a 3 day Vic Falls trip attached to a longer South Africa trip. We were offered a group day trip to Chobe which seems expensive and possibly not worth it. Has anyone done this, and did you go with a group or were you able to book a car and driver for yourselves. We never do group tours and are a bit wary of this. It will be in August, which I understand i a crowded time.

Safari_Craig

if you can at all swing it, i would spend the night at a lodge INSIDE the gates of the park. chobe game lodge or muchenje would be excellent for a one night stand.

craig beal

atravelynn

How about staying at Chobe and do a one day trip (group trip would be fine) to Vic Falls. Aug is a wonderful time for eles in Chobe.

sing22

This is really good advice. I think we are going to reroute to Chobe and do the day trip to vic Falls. Now we need to figure out where to stay ad who to book with.

HariS

Check Chobe safari lodge. It's also located close to Kasane, and you can easily do all the same river activities and game drives from there.

canadian_robin

Absolutely stay in the park (Chobe NP). You don't need three days for the falls, especially in the dry season. You could drive into the park from Kasane each day, but it takes about half an hour to get to the park gate from Kasane. Then your guide has to purchase your permits and then you have to drive into the park to the prime game viewing area. You will lose about the first 1 to 1.5 hours of prime game viewing time. Better to stay in the park and head out on a drive as soon as the rules allow (6:30am in August, I believe) taking your breakfast and lunch with you. If you can afford it, hire a private guide/vehicle from the lodge (arrange this with the lodge when you make your booking). Robin

shj

We stayed in Kasane at the Chobe Safari Lodge. it was fine. Plentiful good food and catering to groups but it was ok for a couple on nights and right on the river. We spent most time on the river. Early morning and again in the afternoon.
Don't go on the big boats, find a small one and you will have much more fun and fexibility, especially if you can arrange to have it to yourselves.
Muchenje is further away within the park. But in August you see it all on the river.
You will only need a day for Vic Falls. I also recomend the helicopter of microlight flight. If you stay at the Zambesi Sun you can do it all from there and it is ten minutes to walk to the falls from your room. Eat dinner at the Royal Livingstone, next door.

atravelynn

The outstanding boat trips leave from the Chobe Lodge dock, so staying there might be convenient.

sing22

Thanks all. We really appreciate the input. Two boats and one game drive sound like a plan? Both operators we spoke to put us in the Chobe Safari Lodge. We really appreciate the advice--the day trip to Chobe was not making too much sense. Also, do we want to try for a walking safari, or are the boat rides and a game drive a better combination? (Especially with a six year old)

LAleslie

I'd do one boat and two game drives. The river is pretty, with lots of birds and animals coming down to drink in the early morning and late afternoon, but you may see more on the drives. There are resiedent wart hogs on the game lodge property, which should delight the 6-year-old.