The most popular area in and just outside Chobe National Park is the short 9-mile (15km) stretch of Chobe River from Kasane town to the Serondela campsite.

Few people come to Chobe without taking a trip on this river to see hundreds of hippopotamuses and crocodiles.

Both hippo's and elephants epitomise this park more than any other animals and are often featured on the cover of brochures to the area. The only subject more photographed in Chobe are the exquisite sanguine sunsets sinking slowly over the water.

Chobe National Park is probably the most affordable of Botswana's parks and with the lure of excellent game watching both on and beside the river, the well frequented areas can become quite crowded.

Notwithstanding the elephants, Chobe has some of the finest game viewing in Africa. It is notable for huge herds of buffalo and zebras, lechwe, Chobe bushbuck and being the southernmost point where puku antelope can be seen.

Where there are buffalo, lions are never far away and there is a good chance of seeing large prides who laze around in the shade all day and only yawn themselves awake at dusk. Hyeana and leopard also hunt at night while cheetah are diurnal predators.

Chobe is rich in bird life with the Pel's Fishing owl a favourite for bird watchers and the peculiar strangely beaked African skimmer another speciality.

African fish eagles are common and their distinctive cry is as evocative of the African wilderness as the roar of the lion.