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Pangolin Chobe Hotel

Pangolin Chobe Hotel is a specialist photographic hotel located in Kasane on the edge of the Chobe National Park.

Pangolin Chobe Hotel is owned and operated by specialist photographic safari company, Pangolin Safaris. While the hotel is comfortably furnished, and has great access to Chobe National Park and the Chobe River, it is the photographic focus that really sets it apart. The hotel was purpose built and designed with photographers in mind and the activities, on specially adapted vehicles and boats, are hosted by a photographic guide. With cameras, lenses, tuition and an editing room all included in the price, Pangolin Chobe Hotel offers a great value option for those wanting to hone their wildlife photography skills, whilst at the same time enjoying some excellent wildlife viewing along the Chobe River, which is particularly famous for its elephant viewing during the dry season.

Rooms

Accommodation is provided in 14 air-conditioned bedrooms, all of which are identical (nine have king size double beds while five have a twin bed configuration with two double beds) and furnished in minimalist style with plenty of desk space for cameras and laptops. En suite facilities include a double vanity, toilet and shower. There are plenty of international plug sockets and charging stations and also tea and coffee making facilities. Seven of the rooms are on the first floor with views and seven are on the ground floor, all with private balconies furnished with chairs and a coffee table, overlooking the garden and Chobe floodplain.

Central Areas

The central areas of the lodge consist of a photographic gallery, photo editing room, pangolin bar with seating (with great west-facing views over the floodplain) and dining room. Outside there is a large deck which is used for dining and relaxing through the day, and this leads to a U-shaped swimming pool and a sunken campfire area with comfortable seating which provides the venue for pre-dinner drinks.

Facilities

Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for charging – Yes
Swimming pool – Yes

Habitat & Wildlife

The Chobe covers an area of 11,000 sq. kms and its habitats range from the floodplains of the Chobe River to sand ridges, dry lake beds, scrub bush, riverine thickets and mopane forest. Most of the wildlife in the north of the park is concentrated along the Chobe River, especially during the dry season, and this is where Pangolin Safaris operate.

The birdlife along the Chobe River is prolific – kingfishers, bee-eaters, the majestic fish eagle, martial eagle, ducks, egrets, plovers, herons, cranes, storks, geese, woodpeckers, shrikes, thrushes, buntings, chats and owls are just a few of the many species found here. However, Chobe is most famous for its large animal herds, particularly elephant and buffalo which are drawn to the Chobe River in large numbers, especially during the dry season. In the river, hippo laze all day and crocodiles sun themselves on the banks. Amongst the 16 antelope species present in Chobe, kudu are common, and the near endemic puku can also be seen. The Chobe bushbuck is a sub-species of bushbuck found only here. Giraffe, lion, leopard, waterbuck, tsessebe, roan and sable antelope, lechwe, impala, warthog, wild dog, spotted hyaena, baboon and vervet monkeys are among the other animals to be seen.

Activities

Morning and afternoon game viewing activities are hosted by Pangolin’s experienced photographic guides and are undertaken either on their specially designed photo-boats which seat up to eight guests, or in eight-seater adapted open sided game viewing vehicles. Cameras and lenses can be supplied if required at no extra cost. A day trip to the Victoria Falls is included for those staying at The Pangolin Chobe Hotel for four nights or more, but doing this makes little sense.

Seasons

Pangolin Chobe Hotel is open all year round but game viewing is best during the dry season, especially from June to early November. Photography and birding are good all year round, and can be best outside of the harshest dry season conditions.

Children from the age of 12 years are accepted at Pangolin Chobe Hotel. There is no specific family accommodation, but all rooms are located in the same building so it would be possible to request adjacent rooms. With the strong photographic focus, the hotel is naturally going to suit families travelling with older children who are interested in and want to learn about photography, so would be quite a specialist holiday for a family.

Pangolin Photo Safaris has established its own not-for-profit organisation, Pangolin.Africa which is dedicated to the conservation and protection of the four African pangolin species. The organisation is primarily funded by guests staying at the Pangolin properties and every bed night contributes $5 to the funds used for their work. The organisation works with partners in the tourism, conservation, and corporate fields to increase education and awareness around pangolin species, contribute to much needed research, and implement protection and rehabilitation projects.

They also play an integral role in bringing together and supporting other individuals and organisations across Africa who are working in the pangolin conservation space.

Projects include partnering with the Kalahari Wildlife Project to rehabilitate and rewild pangolins rescued from the wildlife trade and electric farm fencing and educating youth in rural areas.

ALTERNATIVE CAMPS IN The Chobe National Park