Chobe National Park

Q: What animals can you see in Chobe National Park?

The most likely sightings are Blacksmith Lapwing (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), African Bush Elephant (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), African Fish-Eagle (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Lion (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Egyptian Goose (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 972 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

Q: When is the best time to visit Chobe National Park for wildlife?

April has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Q: Can you see African Bush Elephant in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 66% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 300 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: Can you see Lion in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 63% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 268 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: Can you see Southern Giraffe in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 59% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Giraffe sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 230 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: Can you see Chobe Dwarf Gecko in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Chobe Dwarf Gecko sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 30 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

🇧🇼 Botswana

🐘 Largest Elephant Herds Roam Chobe

🌍 #27 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #21 in Africa #21 in Savanna & Grassland

Southern Africa, Botswana 972 spp. recorded

Chobe National Park in northern Botswana is a tropical savanna that hugs the Chobe River and stretches across flood‑plain grasslands and scattered woodlands. The park’s open plains meet river islands, creating a mosaic of water and dry land that supports large herbivore movements.

-18.690° S 24.195° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Loxodonta africana

Panthera leo

Giraffa giraffa

Lygodactylus chobiensis

20–30% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Vanellus armatus

Haliaeetus vocifer

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Numida meleagris

Actophilornis africanus

60–70% · Likely

Streptopelia capicola

Crocodylus niloticus

Ardea alba

Coracias caudatus

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

50–60% · Likely

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Loxodonta africana

Panthera leo

Giraffa giraffa

📊 Most Spotted

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

50–60% · Likely

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Hippopotamus amphibius

50–60% · Likely

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely

Papio ursinus

40–50% · Likely

Phacochoerus africanus

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Mungos mungo

Panthera pardus

Equus quagga

Kobus leche

Hippotragus niger

📊 Most Spotted

Vanellus armatus

Haliaeetus vocifer

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Numida meleagris

Actophilornis africanus

60–70% · Likely

Streptopelia capicola

Ardea alba

Coracias caudatus

Dicrurus adsimilis

Anhinga rufa

Ardea cinerea

Anastomus lamelligerus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

★

Lygodactylus chobiensis

20–30% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Crocodylus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

Varanus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

Trachylepis wahlbergii

20–30% · Possible

Stigmochelys pardalis

10–20% · With luck

Chondrodactylus laevigatus

Chamaeleo dilepis

Python natalensis

Hemidactylus mabouia

Bitis arietans

Dispholidus typus

Philothamnus semivariegatus

Insufficient data

Psammophis mossambicus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Chiromantis xerampelina

5–10% · With luck

Hyperolius parallelus

Breviceps adspersus

Kassina senegalensis

Ptychadena anchietae

Pyxicephalus adspersus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Elephant Riverfront Concentration

AugSepOct

During the peak of the dry season, massive herds of African Bush Elephants congregate in high densities along the Chobe Riverfront to drink and bathe, creating unparalleled wildlife viewing spectacles.

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

🦌

Intense Lion Pride Territorial Roaming

Aug

Lion prides actively patrol and defend their dry-season territories along the concentrated river corridors where prey species are forced to gather.

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

🦌

Impala Synchronized Lambing Season

Dec

The onset of the green season triggers a synchronized birthing pulse among impalas, dropping their young simultaneously to overwhelm local predators with sheer numbers.

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

African Bush Elephant

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

Lion

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

Southern Giraffe

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

20–30

10–20

20–30

10–20

30–40

20–30

Blacksmith Lapwing

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

African Fish-Eagle

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

Egyptian Goose

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

80–90

Helmeted Guineafowl

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

African Jacana

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

Cape Turtle Dove

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

Nile Crocodile

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

Great Egret

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

Lilac-breasted Roller

70–80

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

Greater Kudu

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

30–40

40–50

Fork-tailed Drongo

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

Impala

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

Animal Events

🦌 Elephant Riverfront Concentration

🦌 Intense Lion Pride Territorial Roaming

🦌 Impala Synchronized Lambing Season

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🐘 Largest Elephant Herds Roam Chobe

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

636

🐒 Mammals

170

🦎 Reptiles

115

🐸 Amphibians

972 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

34 Threatened 10 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

62%

📊

Coverage (230 species at ≥5% of 972 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

24%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 3 mammal, 1 reptile)

46% Global avg

65%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

185

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Chobe National Park?

The most likely sightings are Blacksmith Lapwing (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), African Bush Elephant (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), African Fish-Eagle (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Lion (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Egyptian Goose (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 972 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Chobe National Park for wildlife?

April has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see African Bush Elephant in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 66% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 300 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Lion in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 63% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 268 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Southern Giraffe in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 59% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Giraffe sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 230 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Chobe Dwarf Gecko in Chobe National Park?

Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Chobe Dwarf Gecko sighting in Chobe National Park, based on 30 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Explore Other Parks

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Chobe National Park

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Lion

Southern Giraffe

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

📊 Most Spotted

Blacksmith Lapwing

African Fish-Eagle

Egyptian Goose

Helmeted Guineafowl

African Jacana

Cape Turtle Dove

Nile Crocodile

Great Egret

Lilac-breasted Roller

Greater Kudu

Fork-tailed Drongo

Impala

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Lion

Southern Giraffe

📊 Most Spotted

Greater Kudu

Impala

Common Hippopotamus

African Buffalo

Chacma Baboon

Common Warthog

Waterbuck

Banded Mongoose

Leopard

Plains Zebra

Lechwe

Sable Antelope

📊 Most Spotted

Blacksmith Lapwing

African Fish-Eagle

Egyptian Goose

Helmeted Guineafowl

African Jacana

Cape Turtle Dove

Great Egret

Lilac-breasted Roller

Fork-tailed Drongo

African Darter

Grey Heron

African Openbilled Stork

⭐ Iconic Species

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Nile Monitor

Wahlberg’s Striped Skink

Leopard Tortoise

Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko

Flap-necked Chameleon

Southern African Python

Tropical House Gecko

Puff Adder

Boomslang

Spotted Bush Snake

Olive Whip Snake

📊 Most Spotted

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Angolan Reed Frog

Common Rain Frog

Senegal Kassina

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Giant bullfrog

Animal Events

Elephant Riverfront Concentration

African Bush Elephant

Intense Lion Pride Territorial Roaming

Lion

Impala Synchronized Lambing Season

Impala

Sighting Calendar