Where Chobe Bush Camp sits
Chobe Bush Camp lies along the Elephant Valley at Lesoma, in the Chobe district south-east of Kasane. The valley is a natural elephant corridor between Chobe National Park and Zimbabwe, and the camp is built beside a waterhole in the middle of it. It is a bush camp in the proper sense — set back from the river and the town, in the woodland where the elephants actually move.
The chalets
Accommodation is in thatched en-suite chalets raised on stilts, built from canvas, wood and thatch so that the camp sits into the environment rather than on top of it. The camp takes a maximum of twenty-six guests at any one time.
Chalet types
There are stand-alone chalets that overlook the waterhole, block-unit chalets, and guide chalets for visiting drivers and guides. Five of the units are triple chalets with a double bed and a single, which suits couples travelling with a child.
Deliberately without modern amenities
The camp offers what it calls a typical bush experience, without the modern amenities such as televisions that a Kasane hotel would carry. That is a choice, not an omission, and it is the main thing to understand before booking: the point of the place is the waterhole and the quiet.
The open kitchen
Meals are prepared in an open kitchen where guests can sit and watch, and are welcome to join in. Dishes are freshly prepared, menus are balanced, and dietary requirements are catered for. There is an open paved area that can be set for dining under the stars.
The waterhole
The stand-alone chalets look onto the waterhole, and it is the centre of the camp’s game viewing. In the dry season the Lesoma valley waterholes carry heavy elephant traffic, and much of what guests see is seen without leaving the property.
Game drives in Chobe
Game drives run into Chobe National Park. The riverfront section of the park holds the densest dry-season concentrations of elephant and buffalo in Botswana, and the drive from Lesoma reaches it comfortably.
Sunset boat cruises
Sunset cruises on the Chobe River are offered. The boat is the best platform in Chobe for photography and birding, and the late-afternoon cruise is the classic way to see the riverfront game.
Victoria Falls
Day trips to Victoria Falls are offered from the camp. Kasane sits close to both the Zimbabwean and Zambian approaches, which makes the Falls a straightforward addition to a Chobe stay.
Who it suits
Travellers who want a small, unpretentious bush camp with a working waterhole rather than a riverfront hotel, and who are content without televisions and resort facilities. It suits families with a child needing a third bed, self-drive travellers, and anyone building a Chobe and Victoria Falls trip. May to October is dry and strongest for game at the waterhole; November to April is green and better for birds.
