Botswana by car. Kasane and Chobe.

We travelled in October 2014

After crossing the “Game Drive Route” ( Maun to Kasane) and seeing wild animals, we arrived to Kasane.

Maun and Kasane are the two tourist centers of Botswana. 
Kasane is just a small tourist town surrounded by the wilderness of the Chobe River and the national park, close to Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe borders and one of the main attractions of Africa: Victoria Falls.

Cheap accommodation in Kasane

Most of the places are on the shores of Chobe River, spread out on several km, east of Kasane. Also budget options, mainly camping.

We stayed in Chobe Safari Lodge. Great place! Luxe!

Price for camping is 80 P/pp (7€).

Careful with the baboons and monkeys, very naughty!

It´s not possible to book in advance for the campsite (26 sites); first come, first stayed. Easy to find a site during low season.

The location is just at the limit of the National Park, west of town, at the end of the tarred road, just passing Choppies supermarket. So, it is really easy to see the wild life on the river and in the surrounding bush.

Chobe Safari Lodge is a 4 stars hotel, exclusive place, on the Chobe River. And the campsite is the cheapest in Kasane! Good news!
All the customers can use the big pool and the terrace on the river with views (crocodiles, hippos, etc. are just there... and bring your binoculars to look further). Free wifi at the reception.

Other option for camping is Thebe River Safari , also popular, if Chobe Safari is full. East of Kasane.

The price for camping is 95 Pulas / person.

                                                          Camps around Kasane

Shopping in Kasane:

2 commmercial areas, separated a few km, around Spar and Choppies. Banks and ATM. Gas stations.

What to do in Kasane?

Just relax and enjoy the river views and feel you are surrounded by wildlife with all the comfort of staying in a town (pool, supermarkets, wifi...).

Many activities, depending on your budget and time.

We really recomend you don´t miss the safari-boat on Chobe River! It´s Magic!

If travelling through Botswana, you should stop for a while in Kasane!

  Safari-boat on the Chobe River.Chobe National Park  

Amazing! The landscape, the river, the animals (so close), the sunset… Crocodiles, elephants, buffalos, antilopes, birds, and the hippos! And quite cheap, as we paid less than 40 € in total for both of us.

A “must-do”.

3 hours trip, morning (6:00) but better and more popular for the sunset (from 15:00 til 18:00 aproximately). Also possible to hire a boat (more expensive)... go fishing…

We did the safari with Cherry Lewis Morundu (+267.73724938 / 71237761)

The bussiness is Chobe Cherry Safaris ( chobeche@yahoo.com )

Looking for the cheapest price to do the safari, we went to the jetty just behind Spar, and there we found  Cherry.

Really good service and cheaper than booking at the hotels (usually is around 220P without entrance fee).

Price for Safari boat: 150 P/p (3h30 trip!) in a small boat, sharing with other 6 people.

As you enter the Chobe National Park, there´s an entrance fee: 70 P/p (organised tour, just ask them to buy your ticket) and 120 P/p if independent.

So in total, we paid 220 P/p (20 €!).

Note: the entrance fee to the Chobe National Park is for 24 hours, that means that if you do a safari drive and the boat on the same day, you just pay once the park fee.

  Safari drive in Chobe National Park 

You need a  4x4. Not possible with our Ford Fiesta, so we didn´t go.

Possible to hire a 4x4 or take a tour in Kasane.

The park is north and south of the main road from Kasane to Namibia. Many cars follow the road parallel to the river (only one direction traffic alllowed), access is 5 km west of  Kasane. The south access (gravel road to Maun, Savuti, etc.) is just before the Namibia border, 50 km west of Kasane.

Prices in Chobe Safari Lodge (maybe cheaper in some Kasane agencies... enquire...):

3 hours game drive (between 6:00 to 15:00): 245 P/p (20 €). 

Half day (6h) 475 P/p. 

Day (10 h) 940 P/p. 

Plus the entrance fee (70 P/p).

On the way to Namibia (Ngoma border) you will cross the park, there´s free transit, no fees, just 2 “check points” where you need to register.

We just saw a few zebras, baboons, antílopes. But you never know!

  Transport Kasane

We were driving a rental car, so we didn´t use public transport in Botswana.

Around Kasane, there are a few taxis (also shared taxis) and vans, connecting with villages in the surrounds.

There´s a bus station in the center, up the road in front of Spar Supermarket. You have buses to Gaborone, Francistown, Kasane. Ask around.

In Kasane there´s even an international small airport. 
But if you budget is tight, connecting flights here are quite expensive.
Domestic and international flights. Check www.airbotswana.co.bw. There are flights to Maun -Okavango, but expect to pay around 100 $. For Johannesburg flights, check also with South African Airways and Air Link. 

Victoria Falls airport (Zimbabwe) and Livingstone airport (Zambia) are not far away from Kasene.