Chobe National Park lies about five hours by road north of Maun and is often combined with an Okavango visit as part of a wider northern Botswana circuit. The park covers nearly 11,000 square kilometres and encompasses several distinct ecosystems: the Chobe riverfront in the north, the Savuti marsh in the centre, and the remote Linyanti wetlands in the west.
Game viewing along the Chobe River is exceptional year-round. Boat safaris on the river are the signature experience — drifting past pods of hippos, watching crocodiles sun themselves on sandbanks, and seeing elephants swim between Zimbabwe and Botswana on the far bank. Lions, leopards, and wild dogs are all present, and the birdlife is extensive.
Most visitors base themselves in Kasane on the river, which has good lodge options across a range of budgets. Day trips from Maun are technically possible by road but involve a very long day; flying in is the more sensible choice for those with time constraints. Chobe is part of the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, which extends into Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, and Angola.