Where Elephant Valley Lodge sits
Elephant Valley Lodge stands in the Lesoma Valley, in a private concession in the Kasane Forest Reserve on the outskirts of Kasane. The valley is a natural corridor between Chobe National Park and Zimbabwe, and the lodge is built around a waterhole that sits in the middle of that traffic. It is close enough to Kasane to be practical and far enough out to feel like bush.
The tents
There are twenty tented units. Eight valley tents look over the waterhole and the valley; twelve forest tents sit around the pool in the trees; one of the forest tents is a family unit with an additional bedroom. All are en-suite, with the family tent taking a bath as well as a shower.
In-tent comforts
Tents carry tea and coffee facilities, fans, hairdryers, charging points and electric blankets. The electric blankets are not a detail to skip over: Chobe winter nights drop sharply, and a canvas tent in June is genuinely cold before dawn.
The waterhole
The waterhole is the reason the lodge exists where it does. Elephant come through the valley in numbers, particularly through the dry months, and much of the viewing happens from the deck rather than from a vehicle. The lodge runs a live wildlife camera on the waterhole, which gives a fair sense of the traffic.
Game drives
Open-vehicle game drives run daily, into Chobe National Park and around the concession. The valley concession itself is quiet, so drives there avoid the vehicle density that the Chobe riverfront can carry in peak season.
Boat cruises on the Chobe
Boat cruises on the Chobe River inside the national park are offered as a standard activity. The river is where Chobe’s game viewing is most consistent, and the boat is the best platform for photography and for birding.
Victoria Falls day trips
Day excursions to Victoria Falls are run to both the Zimbabwean and the Zambian side. Kasane is close to both borders, and the Falls make a straightforward day out from the lodge.
The pool and the forest side
The pool sits among the forest tents, away from the waterhole deck. It gives the lodge two distinct atmospheres — the open valley view on one side, shaded forest on the other — and guests tend to prefer one or the other rather than both.
When to visit
May to October is dry, and the waterhole works hardest as the surrounding country dries out; elephant activity in the valley builds through the season. November to April is greener, hotter and better for birds, with migrants arriving and the valley in leaf.
Who it suits
Travellers who want elephant at close range without the Kasane strip, families who need a unit with a second bedroom, and anyone combining Chobe with Victoria Falls. It is a comfortable tented lodge rather than a remote wilderness camp, and it is well positioned for a short Chobe stay.
