Eleven chalets on the banks of the Savute Channel — a waterway so unpredictable it has confounded geologists for over a century, flowing and vanishing on a schedule all its own.
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Overview
The Stolen River
When David Livingstone first saw the Savute Channel in 1851, it was flowing. Thirty years later it had vanished — the first chapter in a mystery that has puzzled researchers ever since.
The channel has flowed and dried independent of rainfall or flood patterns elsewhere for generations, giving it a reputation as the river that runs in both directions. It began flowing again in 2009, spilling into the Savute Marsh by 2010 for the first time in three decades. Savute Safari Lodge sits directly on its banks in the western reaches of Chobe National Park, with just eleven chalets and one family chalet capping occupancy at 24 guests — an intimate footprint in a region famous for its brutal contests between lion and hyena over elephant kills.
Second-largest zebra migration in Africa. Savute lies on the path of Africa's second-largest zebra migration, typically passing through between November and December, and again from February to April, depending on the rains.
11
Chalets, plus 1 Family
24
Maximum Guests
2
Pumped Waterholes
1851
First Recorded by Livingstone
Chalets
Every Deck, On the Channel
Eleven thatch-and-timber chalets, plus one family chalet, sit on elevated wooden platforms with private decks facing the Savute Channel's waterholes.
Chalet — Private Deck, Waterhole View
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Elevated, Glass-Fronted ChaletsEach chalet is raised on stilts along the tree line, with expansive glass sliding doors and a private deck facing the channel.
02
Neutral, Earthy InteriorsMuted colour schemes and wooden and woven furniture give each chalet a contemporary feel without losing its African character.
03
One Family ChaletTwo interleading en-suite rooms make up the camp's single family chalet, each with its own private deck and seating area.
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A Photographic HideA hide built directly at eye level with the waterhole in front of the lodge, ideal for photographers waiting on elephants.
Experiences
Elephants, Lions & a Vanishing Channel
Savute's reputation for predator drama is well earned — resident lion prides here are known for taking on elephants, a behaviour rarely documented elsewhere.
Day
Game Drives
Open 4x4 game drives through the Savute region, with a strong chance of encountering the area's famous lion and hyena populations.
Landmark
The Savute Marsh
Drives out to the Savute Marsh itself, where the historic channel's presence is still written into the landscape.
History
Gubatsa Hills Rock Art
A visit to ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills, a rare hilly outcrop breaking up the otherwise flat terrain.
Migration
The Zebra Migration
Africa's second-largest zebra migration passes through Savute, typically November to December and February to April.
From Camp
The Sunken Viewing Bench
A sunken bench at the lodge gives guests eye-level views of the waterhole without needing to leave camp at all.
Stars
Stargazing from the Deck
A high-level deck with a telescope doubles as a stargazing platform once the sun sets over the channel.
Dining
A Fire Deck, Facing the Channel
Meals move between the lodge's indoor dining room and its outdoor fire deck, both looking directly over the waterholes that draw elephants past camp all day.
01Al fresco dining on the elevated viewing deck
02Candlelit dinners in the indoor dining room
03The fire pit, for evening drinks by the channel
04A poolside sundeck for lazy afternoons
The Fire Deck — Overlooking the Channel
Location
The Western Reaches of Chobe
Savute sits in the western section of Chobe National Park, Botswana's first national park and its third largest, where the Savute Channel forms the region's defining feature.
The Savute Channel runs from the Linyanti River to the Savute Marsh, flowing and drying independent of rainfall elsewhere.
Chobe National Park, established in 1967, is thought to hold the largest elephant herds of any park in the world.
Night drives, walking safaris and off-road driving are not permitted in this part of the park, preserving its wilderness character.
Two pumped waterholes in front of the lodge draw elephants in large numbers, especially in the morning and evening.
Fly
Light aircraft charters connect to an airstrip near Savute, followed by a short game-drive transfer.
Drive
A road transfer of roughly three-and-a-half hours from Kasane is also possible.
Combine
Savute pairs naturally with Camp Moremi or Chobe Game Lodge for a wider Chobe and Moremi circuit.
Migration Season
Time It With the Zebra
Visit between November and December, or February and April, to coincide with Africa's second-largest zebra migration passing directly by the lodge.