Savute channel & marsh

Why visit Savute?

Savute (also spelt Savuti) offers abundant wildlife encounters, including lions that specialise in hunting elephants during the dry season and leopards that catch catfish in drying pools. Huge, old elephant bulls wander the vast plains and lions and hyenas - eternal enemies - battle for dominance.

Predators in action

Savute predators are plentiful, with excellent lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dog sightings. Large herds of buffalo kick up dust, and thirsty elephants target the channel and marsh during the dry season, attracting the lions that target them.

The Savute ecosystem

Savute is the remote western section of Chobe National Park - far away from the shores of the Chobe River. The Savute Channel, which flows through the area and drains into the Savute Marsh, was dry from the late 19th century until it flowed some 75 years later in 1958, only to dry up again periodically for years and even decades. The dry savannas are dotted with rocky outcrops where ancient humans left their ochre drawings.

Savute bird watching

Northern Botswana plays host to about 450 bird species, including secretary bird, kori bustard, carmine bee-eaters, southern ground-hornbill, scaly-feathered weaver and crimson-breasted shrike.

READ MORE about Savute and Chobe National Park

Why Savute is a responsible safari choice

Your Africa Geographic safari to Savute in Chobe National Park contributes directly to the conservation of the park to the benefit of local people because:

• We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level.

• Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about Chobe National Park and other important ecosystems.

• Our chosen lodges support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited vehicle numbers and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem.