Chobe Chilwero Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary

The last stop on our 2-week African adventure brought us to the Choebe Chilwero Lodge, where we were greeted by the singing of the wonderful staff, along with a cool towel to wipe off the dust and a nice drink to settle us into the comfort zone that the lodge became.||With only a handful of lodges overlooking the Choebe river, we enjoyed beautiful sunsets in the evening and a wonderful front deck to watch the baboons play during the afternoon. The warmth of the service and the attention to detail was outstanding. The complementary foot massage introduced us to the spa which my wife and I took advantage of between safari rides.| |Chica, our guide was wonderful in making sure we got a complete and exciting experience on our safari jeep and boat rides. The lodge is located adjacent to the Chobe National Park entrance. The jeep rides provided plenty of animal sightings, in the bush and along the riverbanks. As a National Park we needed to stay on the roads which was a different experience which we had at a private reserve. Where things stood out, was once we boarded a boat for on the river safari. Again, Chica, was amazing maneuvering the boat for us to get up close and personal with all manners of wildlife, whether Elephant, Hippo, Crock, or any number of exotic birds. The perspective of slowly floating down the river as literally hoards of Elephants passed by was amazing. Watching a group of Elephants swim across the river was something I will never forget.||All in all, it was a marvelous stay. When trying to describe the luxurious and relaxed feeling with our party I compared it to the White Lotus, only without the murder. I would highly recommend staying here.

The lodge is strategically located at the edge of the Kasane Forest Reserve, overlooking the Chobe River. The view of the river is truly amazing. The rooms are big and comfortable, the bathrooms are huge. Rustic decor with much attention to detail - from the quality of amenities to the coffee station and USB ports. The food was delicious with a homemade feeling and a vast selection of drinks to pair with and your boat ride/game drive. Service was spotless. A big thanks to our guide Kux for providing us with unforgettable days, with his experience and energy. Don’t miss: boat ride at sundown, sipping champagne, dinner around the fire pit, the simply fabulous game drives.

What an extraordinary lodge this is! We have traveled to South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya, but the Chobe Sanctuary Chilwero Lodgehas one of the best situations we could imagine from which to explore the beauty of Botswana. A short drive from the airport in Kasane, the lodge is nestled deep inside a private road and adjacent to the river. Each suite is spacious and beautifully turned out; in fact the entire lodge is charmingly appointed and showcases local culture. There is a separate bar from which to enjoy the sunset views, and the dining area is attractive and takes advantage of the scenic location. We visited in winter, so the blazing fireplace at breakfast was lovely, as were the lap blankets at dinner (and the heated mattress pads for cozy sleeping). The food was extraordinary and creative from make-your-own pizzas one lunchtime to a traditional Brai dinner with local dancers. Most amazing, though, were the game drives. Our genius of the natural world and kind-hearted teacher was Chika, the most passionate guide and driver. The lodge is located virtually around the corner from Chobe National Park, and the wildlife and scenery is truly breathtaking. The sunset cruises on the river are absolutely magical. The Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero has it all!

The family said to give this place 6/5 stars. We've stayed at several lodges over the years and this one has been the best by a large margin. Rooms and staff were excellent. Food was good. The night with traditional dancers and the BBQ night were fun and a nice touch. Our guide, Chika, was fantastic and gave us a once in a lifetime encounter with a pride of lions. We especially liked the lunch-time boat safari on the Chobe. They were all about the details and we noticed and appreciated these. Only complaint was the lack of inconsistent WiFi.

We recently stayed here for 3 nights. Fantastic experience can’t fault it. Bobby our guide was outstanding we can’t rate him more highly, and he went out of his way to maximise what we saw of the animals (he was determined to find the wild dogs and we did see them, which was great). Great staff at the lodge we could t fault our experience.

Three night stay in June at Chobe Chilwero, one of the three lodges visited in Botswana.||Pros:||- Very tasty food each day, and the chef and kitchen staff was very accommodating, making a simple meal of delicious chicken broth soup and rice one day, when one member of our party had an upset stomach. One of the best chicken soups ever tasted!||- Our private guide each day was Lets, and he was dedicated, flexible, and shared his love of nature and endless knowledge of the local environment. Thank you Lets!||- Lodges, not tents. The sleeping rooms are permanent structures, not tents or "under canvas," which means working heat and A/C as needed, spacious sleeping area, full bathroom and shower, etc.||- Convenient location. On the edge of the Chobe National Park entrance, Chobe River, and within a few minutes drive of Kasane town and airport. This means that you can fly into Kasane airport and spend the afternoon doing game drives. River location opens up the possibility of sunset cruises, which we enjoyed two days. While this is not a private concession (meaning no night drives, no walking safari, no off-roading), we encountered few other vehicles. Proximity to the river means you have drive and boat options, which we liked.||- Really nice view from the front yard down to the river. About every 4 days, the staff plans an sunset BBQ dinner in the boma.||- Victoria Falls (Mosi-Oa-Tunya – The Smoke That Thunders) is 90 minutes away, and we opted for a day trip. The lodge staff set it up for us, and enjoyed the chance to see this natural wonder.||- Elephants! Chobe National Park has many many elephants, and this was a big plus for us, personally.||- There is a swimming pool and a massage/spa option, but we were so busy on game drives that we did not use these.|||Cons:||- We had a few small miscommunications with housekeeping, but nothing that was too major.||- Wi-fi in the common areas. Suggestion: Please remove wi-fi access from the common areas and post signage. The atmosphere in the lodge bar and dining areas is lovely. It's unfortunate when it's ruined by somebody video chatting loudly (usually with no headphones) with family back home or doing a “business deal.” Nobody else wants to hear this conversation. Wish management would keep WiFi limited to the individual rooms.||Reminder to tip staff, guides, etc. They work hard and it makes a difference.

Fantastic, small lodge right on the river. All the staff knew us , and greeted us by our first names. Our safari guide, Spencer was first rate, and very knowledgeable. Daily laundry service is included, everything was washed and folded and back in our room the same evening. Rooms are very clean and spacious. Guests have their own standalone suite spread privately around the grounds.

Can’t recommend this more. Superb game drive, superb boat safari. Such a rich area. You don’t know where to look. Bobby was great in ensuring we saw what we could and even found a leopard. Boat safari allows you to look across the river into Namibia. And elephants swimming across the river to islands daily to graze. Only downside is no off-roading but good for conservation. Elephants EVERYWHERE.