Chobe Chilwero Lodge
A major redesign introduced a distinctive timber‑and‑thatch aesthetic by South African architect Jonathan Ridler, with terracotta tiles, handmade baths and curated African artefacts creating a warm, museum‑like atmosphere. Today, as part of Sanctuary Lodges, Chilwero blends polished hospitality with its original bush‑camp spirit, retaining the sense of closeness to nature that shaped its earliest days.
Location
Only ten minutes from Kasane International Airport, the lodge feels like a secluded and green oasis even in the dry season, its lawns protected by an electric fence that keeps wandering elephants from reshaping the gardens.
To the back of each suite a private deck awaits with views of the well-pruned gardens and beyond to the river. Opt for the romantic Pool Suite and add your own plunge pool to the list of amazing amenities.
Whether you choose to dine in the inviting inside dining area or outside on the veranda, meals at the camp are exquisite with views to match. After indulging in a mouthwatering meal, take a seat around the boma (traditional campfire) to share stories from your game drives over a glass of South African vino while countless stars twinkle overhead.
- Watch the world’s largest elephant population gather along the Chobe River, especially dramatic in the dry months when herds stream in from the interior.
- Drive the riverfront in 4WD vehicles, tracking big game and predators drawn to the permanent water.
- Cruise the Chobe on afternoon riverboat safaris, ending with sundowners as hippos surface and birdlife flares across the banks.
- Photograph wildlife from a specialist photographic boat, equipped with raised decks and 360‑degree swivel seats for unobstructed shots.
- Fish for bream and tiger fish on a catch‑and‑release outing, exploring quieter channels away from the main river traffic.
- Cross to Victoria Falls in about an hour, pairing Chobe’s wildlife with one of Africa’s great natural landmarks.
- Absorb exceptional birdlife – from carmine bee‑eaters nesting in riverbanks to relaxed jacanas and kingfishers flitting through the reeds.
Why We Include Chobe Chilwero in Our Journeys
Suites are spacious enough for children to share without compromise, and dedicated activities keep younger guests engaged. Although the lodge has an undeniably adult, polished atmosphere, it remains genuinely welcoming for families, offering comfort, convenience and excellent wildlife right on the doorstep.
Talk to us about designing your journey >
From the Team
“With first‑rate access and an environment alive with elephants and consistently strong big‑game and predator viewing, Chobe Chilwero delivers superb safari quality. And exceptional comfort to match.”
Why Plan Your Safari with Journeysmiths
Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Great Places to Combine with Chobe Chilwero
Chilwero works beautifully as part of a wider safari journey. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.Chilwero works beautifully as part of a wider safari journey. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
With a luxury tented camp and the option of even greater privacy and exclusivity at its two riverfront villas, Mpala Jena offers laid-back indulgence on the banks of the Zambezi River – combining classic safari experiences with the relaxed rhythm of life on the water.
Formerly Baines’ Camp and now rebuilt as a luxury lodge, Baines’ retains a superb position on the Boro River. Its private‑concession access and national‑park proximity create a potent mix of high comfort and consistently rewarding safari experiences.
Combining an intimate scale with a wonderfully secluded location, this remote camp suits travellers who want the feel of true wilderness alongside the comfort, care and refinement of a high‑end safari experience.
Quietly personal, this delightful camp amid the islands of a prime seasonally-flooded plain is in wildlife-rich territory and even offers a sleep out platform for a night under the stars.
Small, luxurious and in a perfect island position next to a permanent body of water, Daunara feels wild despite its exceptional comforts. It's an excellent choice for a private safari stay booked exclusively for your family or group.
Sitatunga Private Island is the perfect spot for a Botswana safari that whisks you away from the mundane and plunges you deep into the wild. Unwind on this peaceful island, surrounded by nature, exploring on the water, and relaxing in your beautifully designed suite.
A Recent Safari
Have just had the most awesome trip to Botswana and Zambia. Paul at Journeysmiths listened to what we wanted and put together the most brilliant itinerary. The organisation was faultless. Every venue was of the highest quality which exceeded our already high expectations. We had the most amazing experiences, truly a trip of a lifetime. Thank you to all the Journeysmiths team. Can't wait to start planning the next trip.
From the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, to the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this Botswana safari will leave you with incredible memories from beginning to end. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this epic journey from plains, to delta to desert.
This memorable safari combines a journey through one of Africa’s most game rich areas, with a visit to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Experience Botswana’s abundant wildlife in the spectacular Okavango Delta and Linyanti, before heading to the winding Zambezi River to see the astonishing Victoria Falls.
Travel across Southern Africa in complete luxury, staying at some of the most exclusive properties on the continent. With every single detail taken care of by exceptional guides and staff at each location, you can concentrate on what really matters - immersing yourself in an exclusive African safari experience.
From the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, to the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this family friendly safari will leave you all with lifelong memories. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this spectacular journey from Delta to Desert.
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
Imagine gliding silently along an Okavango waterway in a mokoro canoe as zebra and impala graze the grasslands. Or cantering on horseback with your guide alongside giraffe. In the Kalahari, take an early morning walk with a San Bushman as he explains the ancestral secrets of survival.
Here’s something you might not expect. The people looking after you on safari might create some of your happiest safari memories. You’ll remember laughter and those after dinner stories and jokes around the campfire. During a three-night stay in a luxury camp, you’ll get to make friends with your guide, the chef, the vegetable gardener and the other people who love their work.
Botswana is a great choice for an exclusive family safari. Roaming the spectacular deserts, deltas and savannahs are literally millions of animals. The fertility and abundant water of the Okavango and Linyanti Deltas supports an incredible 200 different mammal species. The Government’s high value, low volume tourism policy helps conservation and enables you to enjoy a top quality private safari.
Between safaris there is plenty for children to do in camp while the adults relax. Safari lodges may be small and in remote locations, but they have excellent facilities and your hosts’ purpose is to give you the best possible time. In this section we also suggest a couple of places that combine easily to complement your Botswana safari.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
The best way to give your family the facilities it seeks may be to book out an entire camp or lodge. Perhaps you are planning a multi-generation safari. Or you may want to fulfil a dream of walking, mokoroing and camping out in the Okavango. You may simply crave an extra degree of privacy. Most lodges we use take fewer than 16 guests, some take only eight, so booking a whole lodge is a viable option.
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
Escape into the wilds of Botswana, where the pristine landscape and varied wildlife abound. On a luxury safari in Botswana, you can expect to share your safari with only a handful of other guests, as our travel insider Philippa Page discovered.
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
The Kalahari is a fascinating place for a family safari. The children can sit by a meerkat den watching these curious little creatures foraging and playing as one stands guard on its hind legs looking out for eagles. They can watch enthralled as a San Bushman reveals hidden secrets that have enabled them to survive here for thousands of years.
Botswana, a land of contrasts, captivates travelers with its seasonal transformations. The Okavango Delta floods draw abundant wildlife, while rains blanket the Makgadikgadi and Nxai salt pans in green. Chobe National Park hosts vast elephant herds, and the north's lush landscapes contrast with the Kalahari's stark beauty in the south. This unforgettable journey offers Africa’s most exclusive safari in complete luxury.
When seeking advice, we all agree that we should trust someone with first-hand experience. A frequent visitor to Botswana, Laura knows the luxury lodges and camps that reveal Botswana’s remarkable wildlife and the distinct landscapes that shape each safari experience.