Chobe river, Botswana

Chobe River, in Botswana, is simply a paradise for birding and wildlife photography.

There are over 450 bird species and it is estimated there are 120,000 elephants that gather at the river. Every where you look there are spectacular sights. The area has won my heart.

Game ‘drives’ are often by boat, allowing an eye-to-eye perspective that helps create real connection with the subjects. It is, without doubt, the most amazing wildlife photographic location I have ever visited. The top of this page has photos from my last trip in the Green Season of 2025, and the rest of the page is made up of shots from previous trips

The Green Season 2025

A cheetah walking through dry grassland with a focused, alert expression.

A close-up of a leopard lying on a tree branch, gazing directly at the camera with green eyes, surrounded by blurred trees and sky.

An African fish eagle in flight with wings spread wide, showing brown and black feathers, a white head and chest, and yellow facial markings.

A harpy eagle perched on a rock, with a dark blurred background.

An African fish eagle landing on water with wings spread wide, showing white head and brown body, with grassy background.

A herd of elephants drinking water at a riverbank with lush green trees in the background.

A large elephant walking through water with a grassy plain in the background.

An elephant spraying water with its trunk in a natural habitat.

Close-up of a kingfisher bird with bright blue and white feathers, perched on a wooden branch, with a blurred background.

A bird with red and black plumage sitting inside a nest made of grass and reeds, built on green reed plants.

A colorful kingfisher bird in mid-flight with wings partially open and beak pointing forward.

A crocodile partially submerged in water, with only its head and part of its back visible, in a dark environment.

A warthog standing in tall grass in a natural habitat with a blurred background of trees and bushes.

Close-up of an African wild dog, also known as a painted wolf, with distinctive facial markings, large ears, and attentive eyes.

A bird of prey, possibly an osprey, in flight with a blurred landscape background.

A southern ground hornbill standing with black feathers, red facial skin, and a long, black beak, in a natural outdoors setting.

Bald eagle with wings spread, standing in shallow water, surrounded by aquatic plants and reflections.

An impala leaping in mid-air with a background of greenery.

Two young zebras standing in grassy savannah with blurred trees in background.

A bird with yellow and black feathers hanging upside down from a nest, using its claws to hold onto the nest.

A bird with a long neck and a small head standing in tall grass in a natural habitat.

A heron in flight showing its outstretched wings and long beak against a blurred green background.

Close-up of a young monkey with large ears and expressive eyes, looking to the side, with a blurred background.

A lion carrying a carcass of a prey animal in its mouth in a grassy plain.

Close-up of a coyote with a butterfly flying nearby in a natural setting.

A close-up of a majestic vereaux eagle owl perched on a tree branch with a blurred dark forest background and pink sky.

A gabber goshawk perched on a tree branch with a dark, blurred background and some green grass in the foreground.

A pygmy goose bird with an orange, white, black, and green head, tan and black body, and orange beak perched on a textured grey tree branch against a dark blurred background.

A baby elephant standing between the large legs of an adult elephant on dry ground.

A baby elephant standing under its mother, with mud on its head and trunk, in a muddy area.

Young elephant with mud-covered skin interacts with water, lifting its trunk with water droplets falling.

A weaver bird hanging upside down from a nest made of twigs and grass, with a food item in its beak.

A brightly colored bird with a red head and black body perched on a green reed. The background is blurred green foliage.

A yellow bird with a black face perched on a green reed in a grassland environment.

Close-up of an elephant's face showing detailed skin texture and a brown eye.

A warthog standing in dry grass, with dirt on its snout and large ears, surrounded by sparse vegetation.

Two baboons hugging on sandy ground with blurred background.

A malachite kingfisher bird in flight with blue, orange, and white feathers, and a long orange beak, flying against a gray background.

A large group of yellow butterflies with black and brown markings on their wings gathered on the ground.

A black heron standing on grass with its wings partially spread, showcasing its dark feathers and slender beak.

Close-up of a baboon with brown eyes, detailed gray fur, and a black face, looking intently at the camera with a blurred green background.

Close-up of a giraffe's face with a blurred natural background.

Two gazelles running across a dirt landscape with sparse green vegetation.

African Fish Eagle catching fish in water, with lily pads and water plants in foreground.

African fish eagle flying with a fish in its talons over a grassy wetland area.

A baby elephant walking beside an adult elephant in a dusty terrain.

A large adult elephant and a small baby elephant walking together on a dirt path, with trees and bushes in the background.

Two baby elephants interacting on dry ground, one with its trunk over the other's back.

Colorful bird with a black face mask, red throat patch, and blue tail perched on a thin branch against a blurred natural background.

A gazelle with curved horns walking through tall grass in a natural habitat.

A lone antelope with curved horns standing in a grassy field with a blurred background.

A kudu antelope with twisted, spiral horns standing in a grassy plain. A small bird is perched on its back.

A close-up of a North American Chachalaca bird with a crest on its head, standing on sandy ground.

A Northern Ground Hornbill with a worm in its beak, sitting on grass with a blurred green background.

A close-up of a bird with black and white patterned feathers, a red beak, yellow ring around the eyes, and red legs, perched on a tree branch with green leaves in the background.

An elephant spraying dust from its trunk in an open landscape.

Close-up of an elephant's trunk holding a bunch of grass with some roots attached.

An elephant splashing water with its trunk, mid-air droplets surrounding it, in a natural setting.

Silhouette of an eagle perched on a rock against a sunset sky with scattered clouds.

A lone tree on the horizon with a dark water body in foreground, under a colorful sunset sky filled with orange, yellow, purple, and pink clouds.

Silhouette of an elephant walking on a grassy plain during sunset with large clouds and a colorful sky in the background.

Close-up of a snarling lioness with sharp teeth and fierce expression.

Close-up of a young lion cub lying on the ground, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

A group of lions, including adult males and females, hunting a large prey animal, possibly a wildebeest, in a grassy savanna during daylight. One lion is on top of the prey while others surround it.

A pied kingfisher bird standing on a branch holding a fish in its beak.

A woodpecker perched on a tree stump, holding a fish in its long beak, with a green background.

Pied kingfisher on a rock holding a small fish in its beak.

A lioness and two lion cubs in a grassy field, with one lion cub lying down and holding a hyena with its paws, while the lioness and another cub observe.

Giraffe with long neck eating leaves from a bush, with another giraffe in the background, both in a natural setting.

A kingfisher bird with turquoise and black feathers and a long red beak perched on a piece of wood against a dark background.

A kingfisher bird perched on a textured gray branch, with a blurred green background.

A colorful kingfisher bird perched on a textured, dark brown tree branch with a blurred green background.

A baby elephant walking next to a larger adult elephant in a dirt landscape.

Close-up of an adult elephant in a natural habitat.

Two elephants, a young one and an adult, sharing a tender moment with their trunks touching and their heads leaning together, standing near water in a natural habitat.

A close-up of a Southern Ground Hornbill standing among grass and small bushes, with black feathers, a red face, and a large black beak.

A close-up of a bird of prey, possibly a hawk or eagle, perched on the ground next to a nest or dense grass, with detailed feathers and a sharp beak, looking to the left.

A gabber goshawk perched on a tree branch in a natural environment with grasses and bark visible.

A cheetah walking through tall grass in a natural habitat.

Close-up of a cheetah in tall grass, showing its spotted fur and focused expression.

A cheetah stands among tall grass and low bushes, looking directly at the camera in a natural habitat.

A kingfisher bird perched on a thin reed, holding a small fish in its beak, with a blurred natural background.

A colorful malachite kingfisher bird perched on a diagonal green reed.

A kingfisher bird diving with wings extended and beak pointed downward, over a blurred green background.

A wild African dog standing in tall grass, facing right, with a slender build, large ears, and a short coat with dark and light patches.

A dingo standing on sandy ground with sparse grass, looking at the camera, with natural background.

Close-up of a hyena puppy's head with its large ears, in a grassy landscape.

A bird with bright red and black feathers perched on a bird nest amid green grasses.

A brightly colored bird with black and red feathers perched on a green plant, partially hidden by leaves and stems.

A red and black bird hiding in a nest made of tangled grass and leaves, elevated on green plant stalks.

Close-up of a giraffe's fur with irregular brown patches and lighter background fur.

Close-up of a zebra's face showing black and white striped pattern, with a blurred natural background.

A kudu antelope standing in a grassy field, looking back over its shoulder with large twisted horns against a light blue sky.

A close-up of a brown owl perched on a tree branch with a blurred green and pink background.

Silhouette of a bird of prey perched on a broken tree branch during sunset with a cloudy sky in the background.

A bird with a large, curved orange beak, gray and brown feathers, and long tail perched on a branch against a dark green leafy background.

A jackal walking on dirt ground with sparse grass, looking down at the ground.

A coyote standing in tall grass with a butterfly nearby, in a natural habitat.

Close-up of a cheetah in a natural habitat with dry vegetation in the background.

A cormorant bird holding a fish in its beak, with the ocean in the background.

Silhouette of a bird perched on a branch against a background of shimmering water and a bokeh effect during sunset.

A cormorant bird holding a fish in its beak with water in the background.

Two birds with red beaks perched on a hippopotamus submerged in water, with only its head and ears visible.

A close-up of a hippopotamus submerged in water with its head tilted upward, showing its nose and upper face, surrounded by other hippos partially submerged.

A hippopotamus partially submerged in water among floating white water lilies.

A brown bird with a black bill and dark eyes perched on a light green reed in a marshy habitat.

Two owls perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves, facing the camera with large black eyes.

Close-up of a large owl perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves.

Close-up of a lion cub walking through dry foliage with a focused gaze.

A lioness peering through dense green foliage with her face partially obscured by the leaves, gazing directly at the camera.

Close-up of a lioness in a natural habitat

A duck flying low over the water with wings spread, creating splashes, in a natural water setting.

Two owls perched on a tree branch during dusk with pink and purple skies in the background.

A close-up of a kingfisher bird with a large black beak, black and white head, reddish-brown chest, and black and white speckled body, perched on a weathered piece of wood against a dark green background.

A gazelle is captured mid-leap with a rocky background, showing its streamlined body and long legs stretched out.

A lone antelope with large, twisted horns standing in a grassy plain under a cloudy sky.

A close-up of a kudu antelope with long, twisted horns and large ears, standing outdoors with a blurred natural background.

A colorful bird with red and black feathers perched on a green reed in a marshy area.

Close-up of a bird's nest made of dried twigs and grass hanging from a branch.

A small brown bird perched on a reed, holding an insect in its beak, with a blurred green background.

A lioness walking through tall grass in a savannah landscape.

An elephant covered in mud standing in a grassy plain with trees blurred in the background.

An elephant standing at the edge of a water body, drinking water with trees and bushes in the background.

A white heron stands on a twisted, barren branch with dark background.

A white heron standing on a branch with dark background, captured during twilight or early morning.

A white bird with its wings spread flying against a dark background, possibly a heron or egret.

A lioness walking through grassy terrain, with a focused gaze and spotted fur, in natural light.

Close-up of a lioness walking towards the camera with an intense stare.

A young lion walking on dusty terrain in a natural habitat, staring directly at the camera with a focused expression.

Small kingfisher bird with vibrant blue and orange feathers perched on tall grass stem, against a blurred natural background.

A kingfisher bird perched on a green branch, with its beak open and feathers ruffled, showing its vibrant blue and orange coloration.

A woodpecker perched on a tree branch, facing slightly to the right with its head turned downwards. The bird has black and white feathers with a reddish-brown chest and face. The background is blurred with blue and green tones.

A colorful kingfisher bird with a bright orange beak, blue and turquoise head, and brown and blue wings, perched on a metallic railing against a blurry sky background.

A kingfisher bird in flight with blue, brown, and white feathers, a long red beak, and orange legs, flying near a green reed plant against a blurred natural background.

A kingfisher bird perched on a tall, green reed in a marshy environment with a blurred, muted background.

Close-up of a lion's face with a serious expression, showing detailed fur and eyes.

Two hippos swimming in water, one is exhaling water and making a splash.

Close-up of a hippopotamus partially submerged in water, with only its head visible above the surface.

A Pied Kingfisher perched on a reed with a fish in its beak.

Colorful malachite kingfisher perched on a metal pole with wings partially open against a bright, white background.

A kingfisher bird in mid-flight near the edge of a tree branch, with vibrant blue and orange feathers, and a long red beak, set against a blurred green background.

Young elephant walking on dirt ground with a plant visible in the bottom left corner.

Close-up of a hippopotamus with its mouth wide open, showing its large teeth and pink interior, partially submerged in water.

A baby elephant standing near water with other elephants nearby, drinking and splashing.

Kingfisher bird on a branch holding a fish in its beak.

Close-up of a black and white woodpecker perched on a piece of wood, with a blurred green background.

A black heron stands in shallow water among grass and reeds, with its head slightly tilted downward.

Several orange and black butterflies resting on a thin plant stem in a natural setting.

Two black beetles on a sandy surface, one on top of a round rock and the other on the ground near it.

Multiple orange butterflies with black and white markings resting on and flying around tall green grass

A large bird of prey with outstretched wings flying against a clear blue sky

A large bird of prey with dark brown feathers and white on its head, standing on sandy ground and holding a small animal in its beak.

A vulture soaring in a clear blue sky with its wings spread wide and talons extended downward.

A hippopotamus emerging from water, splashing and opening its mouth, in a wetland environment.

Close-up of a hippopotamus wading in water, with grass and mud on its back and face.

A large hippopotamus standing on grassy terrain near a white egret bird, with greenery in the background.

Close-up of a vulture with a brown and gray body, a long neck, and a hooked beak, surrounded by a blurred natural background.

A close-up of a vulture with blood on its beak, standing against a natural background of branches and rocks.

Close-up of a vulture's head with brown feathers, a black beak, and dark eyes, with a background of blurred feathers and sky.

A lioness with its mouth open mid-yawn in a natural setting.

An adult elephant walking through grassland, spraying dust or mud over its back with its trunk and with a small tusk visible on its face.

A large vulture in flight with wings spread wide against a clear blue sky.

Two vultures on desert ground, one with wings spread, pecking at carcass, the other with beak open, holding a fish.

A vulture in flight with wings spread wide against a light blue sky

A carmine bee-eater with a metallic blue head, black eye stripe, pink body, and long tail perched on a thin branch against a gray background.

Colorful bird perched on a thin, leafless branch against a clear blue sky.

A bird in flight with brown and black feathers, a white face, and a long, pointed beak, set against a blurred gradient background.

Black and white speckled bird in flight against a dark background.

A bird standing on wet brown leaves in a wetland, with a white flower to the left and a blurred background.

A bird of prey, likely an African fish eagle, is captured mid-flight with wings spread wide. It has a white head and tail, a dark brown body, and a yellow beak with a black tip. The background is blurry with shades of green, indicating a natural envi

A pied kingfisher with black and white plumage holding a fish in its beak, perched on a branch against a green background.

An African fish eagle in mid-flight over a grassy landscape. Its wings are spread wide, showcasing dark brown and black feathers with a white head and tail. The background is blurred with green and gray tones.

A deer standing in tall grass with a blurred background.

Close-up of a monitor lizard resting on a tree branch with a blurred green background.

A sacred ibis, a large bird with a long, curved black beak, black head and neck, white body, and black tail feathers standing on grassy ground in front of green foliage.

A blacksmith's lapwing bird standing on grass with a blurred green background.

A red billed oxpecker bird with red beak and orange eyes standing on a dark log with a blurred green background.

A mongoose standing upright on the ground amidst grass and bushes, looking to the side.

A crocodile partially submerged in water, with its head and one eye visible above the surface, amidst dark water and foliage.

A white water lily flower with a yellow center floating on the water, surrounded by lily pads.

An African darter, an elongated bird catching a fish with its long beak, holding the fish in its mouth.

A thick knee with brown and white feathers, yellow legs, and a sharp beak catching a black beetle on the ground.

A triple banded plover standing on sandy ground with a blurred background, featuring brown, white, black, and red colors, with long pink legs and a red and black beak.

A thick knee standing on sandy ground, holding a beetle in its beak.

A wire tailed swallow with a brown head, black and white body, perched on a thin, leafless branch against a dark background.

A bird of prey, possibly a hawk or an eagle, soaring in the sky with outstretched wings against a cloudy backdrop.

A wire tailed swallow in flight with brown head, white underparts, and black and white wings.

A marabou stork standing on grass with a blurred natural background.

Close-up of a marabou stork, a large bird with a long, pointed beak, pinkish face, and dark and white feathers on its body, against a green blurred background.

A boubul, a small bird with a black face and brown body perched on a weathered tree stump against a blurred green background.

A close-up of a three-banded courser, with detailed brown and white plumage, sharp beak, and yellow-ringed eye, against a blurred background.

A close-up of a cattle egret with a reddish-orange beak, white body, and tan crest feathers, standing against a blurred green background.

A lesser grey shrike, small bird with a black eye stripe, perched on a thin branch against a gray background.

A red-backed shrike, a small brown bird perched on a thin branch against a plain blue background.

A lilac breasted roller, a colourful bird with pastel pink, purple, and blue feathers perched on a small branch against a green background.

A colorful bird with a long tail perched on a piece of driftwood against a cloudy sky.

Close-up of a colorful bird with brown, blue, and purple feathers and a black beak against a light blue background.

A bird with black and white feathers perched on a piece of weathered wood against a dark, cloudy sky.

A small falcon perched on a tree branch against a clear blue sky.

A heron standing in green grass with a blurred dark background.

A small bird with a black eye stripe, light beige body, and black and white wings perched on a thin branch with greenish-yellow leaves, against a blurred green background.

Two colorful birds perched on a weathered piece of wood, with one bird handing a small crustacean to the other.

A wood duck swimming in water with a blurred background.

Two elephants, a larger adult and a smaller baby, standing in water with green blurred background.

A kingfisher bird perched on a diagonal reed, with its wings partially spread, displaying vibrant blue, orange, and white feathers against a blurred green background.

An adult elephant walking through tall grass near water, with a muddy spot on its leg, in a natural habitat.

An owl perched on a tree branch next to a smaller bird, with a blurred green background.

A Spotted Nutcracker bird with dark brown and white speckled feathers and bright red eyes perched on a tree branch.

A close-up of a brown and gray owl perched on a tree branch, with a blurred green and pink background.

Close-up of a great horned owl against a blurred green and purple background

A colorful bird with a long beak, green body, blue tail, and red throat perched on a rocky surface near a small hole.

A colorful bird sitting on a branch with a butterfly in its beak, dark background.

A small bird with brown and red feathers, black eye stripe, and long beak perched on a thin branch against a blurred green background.

A colorful bird perched on a diagonal tree branch, holding a butterfly in its beak against a dark background.

A colorful bird with a long, black beak perched on a thin branch against a blurred green background.

A brown bird with a white patch above its beak, sitting on a tall stalk of grass or reed in a natural habitat.

Colorful bird with a red chest, tan head, black eye stripe, and bright blue tail perched on a thin branch against a blurred background.

A Philippine eagle standing on a mound surrounded by green grass, with a blurred natural background.

A colorful bird, possibly a kingfisher, perched on a weathered branch, showing its bright blue and gray feathers, red and black beak, and dark eyes, with a blurred dark green background.

A kingfisher bird diving downward with a blurred green background.

A pied kingfisher perched on a branch, holding a fish in its beak against a blurred green background.

A bird of prey, possibly an African fish eagle, is in flight with its wings spread wide, displaying brown, white, and black feathers, with a yellow crowned head and sharp beak.

A giant kingfisher perched on a tree branch in natural surroundings.

A belted kingfisher perched on a tree branch with a blurred green background.

A close-up of a hippopotamus with its head tilted upward, showing its large nose and small ears, in water with a blurred background.

A bird of prey, likely a hawk or similar raptor, perched on a tree branch with a blurred background of greenery and bark.

A bird, likely a falcon or hawk, perched on a branch near a tree trunk, with green grass in the background.

A bird of prey, possibly an African fish eagle, perched on a dark tree branch with greenery in the background.

A yellow bird with black face and red eyes perched on a branch with green leaves.

A bird in flight with outstretched wings against a blurred green background.

A yellow and brown bird perched on a green reed against a blue sky background.

A pinkish-brown and gray bird perched on a weathered brown tree branch against a dark green background.

An adult elephant splashing water with its trunk while standing in a body of water in a natural landscape.

A kudu walking through a grassy field with blurred trees in the background.

A sea eagle with a white head, dark body, and brown chest perched on a tree trunk against a dark background.

Close-up of an African fish eagle with a white head, dark eyes, and a dark beak, standing against a blurred background. Sunlight highlights its features.

A black heron preening itself among tall grass.

A dark-colored heron standing in tall grass with its wings partially open and head lowered, in a natural wetland habitat.

A lion lying on the ground with a thorny branch in its mouth, facing two lionesses, one of which is approaching while the other looks on in a grassy plain.

A kingfisher bird perched on a diagonal stalk, catching a fish and holding it in its beak.

A lion lying on the ground in a grassy plain, holding and biting a carcass.

Lion lying on the grassland with a warthog in its mouth.

A lioness and two young lions running across grassland, with one lioness leading and the other following close behind.

A close-up of a bird of prey, likely a hawk or similar bird, perched on a nest made of twigs, with a clear blue sky in the background.

The photos from previous trips are grouped in sections for the Birds of Chobe - Kingfishers; Bee-eaters; Raptors & owls; Birds of the River; Birds of the Land; the Mammals and Reptiles; and some landscape images of The Chobe River. In each section clicking on a photo will open a gallery of larger images.