The best campsite near Chobe depends on the trip. Camp inside the park (Ihaha, Savuti, Linyanti) for a night in the bush, booked well ahead with park fees on top. Camp in Kasane for shops, boat trips and the Sedudu Gate. Camp on the Ngoma side for the cheapest, easiest base if you are self-driving from Namibia or towards Savuti. Lorato, in Muchenje, is 15 minutes from the Ngoma border, with pitches from $20 per person per night booked direct, hot showers, clean water for washing and solar power points at all 7 pitches.
Key facts
- Address: Muchenje, Chobe District, Botswana. GPS -17.9498959, 24.6858888 (plus code 3M2P+29 Muchenje).
- Distance: 15 minutes from the Ngoma border. Booking.com lists 6.8 km to the Ngoma Gate. About 60 km to Kasane on the tar road through the park.
- Price: $20 per person per night direct. Children aged 0 to 12 pay half. Hire tents $55 per night including the camping fee, 7 tents, each sleeping 2.
- Pitches: 7, all with solar power points. A pitch holds at most 6 people and 3 vehicles. Fenced green grass.
- Facilities: hot showers, clean water for washing (not drinking water, so bring or buy drinking water), free Starlink Wi-Fi at every pitch, cold drinks for sale. No meals are served.
- Times: check-in any time, check-out by 11:00, quiet hours 22:00 to 07:00. Open all year.
- Booking: 50% deposit. Free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival, after that the first night is charged. Pay by cash, card or EFT on arrival.
- Contact: WhatsApp +267 7430 4407 or [email protected].
- Park fees at the gate (checked 23 October 2026): BWP 270 per non-resident adult per day and a reported BWP 115 for a foreign-registered vehicle. A 2026 increase was postponed. Pay in pula cash.
- Vehicle: 4x4 only on the riverfront tracks. The tar transit road is free and open to any vehicle.
How do the three places to camp near Chobe compare?
Inside the park you get wildlife and no fence, in Kasane you get town and the river, and on the Ngoma side you get the lowest cost and the easiest arrival from Namibia. The figures below come from each operator's own website, checked 23 October 2026, and from Lorato's confirmed details.
| Inside the park (Ihaha, Savuti, Linyanti) | Kasane (Chobe Safari Lodge) | Ngoma side (Lorato) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A night in the bush | Shops, boat trips, Sedudu Gate | Self-drivers from Namibia, the western riverfront, the road to Savuti |
| Size | Ihaha about 10 sites | 23 stands | 7 pitches |
| Fence | No | Not stated on its site | Yes |
| Power | Ihaha has no electricity | A power point at each stand | Solar power points at all pitches |
| On the river | Ihaha, yes | Yes | No, green lawn in the village |
| Booking | With the operator, well ahead | Online, phone or email | WhatsApp or the website, arrive at any time |
| Park fees to sleep there | Yes, paid on top | No | No |
| Price per adult per night | Operators change it each year. Ask for the current rate | No standard rate published. Ask | $20 direct |
Which is the best campsite near Chobe?
There is no single best. The best campsite near Chobe is the one that matches your route, your vehicle and your budget. Wildlife at your tent door means inside the park. Walking to shops and cruises means Kasane. A cheap, fast first night on the Botswana side means the Ngoma side. Our guide to Chobe National Park campsites covers who runs what inside the park, and the comparison of campsites in Kasane and Kazungula covers the town.
Where is the cheapest campsite near Chobe?
Camping outside the park is the cheapest way to see Chobe, because the nightly rate carries no park fees. You pay park fees only on the days you drive in. At Lorato it is $20 per person per night booked direct, children aged 0 to 12 pay half, and 10% off applies to longer stays and groups of 5 or more in all seasons for now. Booking direct is cheaper than a booking site. We cannot quote competitors' nightly rates, because none are published in a form we could verify, so ask each for its current rate in writing. Our Botswana camping guide has the park fee tables and cheap camping in Botswana breaks down the real cost of a night.
Is there a private campsite near Chobe?
Lorato is a privately owned, family-run campsite with only 7 pitches, on a fenced lawn. Campsites inside the park are run by private operators too, but they are unfenced and shared with wildlife. We have not confirmed the spacing between pitches, so we do not promise seclusion. What we can say is that it is small, quiet at night (quiet hours 22:00 to 07:00) and a pitch holds at most 6 people. Ask us on WhatsApp which pitch suits a small group.
Who does each option suit?
- Inside the park: travellers with a 4x4 who want lions and elephants at night, and who have booked months ahead for June to October.
- Kasane: travellers who want supermarkets, fuel, river cruises and the Sedudu Gate, or an easy base for Victoria Falls through Kazungula. See Chobe to Victoria Falls.
- Ngoma side: self-drivers crossing from Namibia, travellers heading to Savuti, backpackers and anyone on a budget.
What is camping inside Chobe National Park like?
You get the wildlife at your tent door, and you give up a fence. Ihaha is on the Chobe riverfront and is listed as run by Kwalate Safaris. Savuti and Linyanti are run by SKL. Operators set their own rates and change them each year, so we do not quote them. You pay park entry and vehicle fees on top, need a 4x4 on the park tracks, and must drive in before the gate closes. Lions, elephants and hyenas walk through camp at night.
What is camping in Kasane like?
Kasane is the practical base: shops, fuel and the Sedudu Gate for the eastern riverfront. Chobe Safari Lodge lists a riverfront campsite with 23 stands, each with a power point, and three ablution blocks. It is also where the riverfront gets busy. Lorato is about 60 km west of Kasane on the tar road through the park.
What is the Ngoma side?
The Ngoma side is the western end of the park, around Muchenje and the Chobe Enclave, close to the border. You enter the riverfront at Ngoma Gate, which Kasane-based visitors tend to skip, and the same gate lets you drive east along the river to Ihaha and out at Sedudu near Kasane. See the Ngoma Gate day-drive guide. If you are coming from Katima Mulilo, the night after the border is naturally here: read campsite near the Ngoma border and the Chobe Enclave guide.
What is Lorato best for?
Lorato is best for self-drive travellers who want a cheap, easy, comfortable night on the Ngoma side with hot showers and clean water for washing. Specifically:
- Arriving from Namibia. 15 minutes from the border, check-in at any time, so a late crossing is not a problem. Message us your arrival time.
- Driving to Savuti. Lorato is on the tar road to Kachikau and Savuti. See Kasane to Savuti.
- Hot showers and clean water for washing. Guests praise the clean, well equipped ablutions with hot water and power. The water is not for drinking, so bring or buy drinking water (the Shell fuel station is about 1 km away and there are shops in Kasane).
- Power and Wi-Fi. Solar power points at all 7 pitches and free Starlink Wi-Fi at every pitch.
- No tent. Hire tents at $55 per night including the camping fee. See tent hire.
- No park fees to sleep here. You pay them only on the days you enter the park.
- Local help. We link you with licensed guides for game drives, boat cruises and birding. See local guides.
One guest wrote of "a lovely campsite close to the Chobe entrance gate" where the owner made them feel very welcome (Jonathon, Australia, Booking.com).
Lorato is not the best choice if you want to hear lions from your tent, since we are outside the park. We do not serve meals, and the nearest big supermarkets are in Kasane. The Shell fuel station is 1 km away and there are no ATMs nearby.
How do I choose?
- Want a night in the bush? Book Ihaha or Savuti months ahead, and add a night at Lorato before or after.
- Crossing from Namibia at Ngoma? Sleep on the Ngoma side. The border is not open 24 hours, and the 65 km to Kasane crosses the park.
- Based around boat cruises and Kasane shops? Camp in Kasane.
- On a budget? Camp outside the park, at a rate with no park fees in it.
To book Lorato, see how to book a campsite near Chobe.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I camp near Chobe National Park?
Inside the park at Ihaha, Savuti and Linyanti, in and around Kasane, or on the Ngoma side in Muchenje, where Lorato is. Each suits a different trip.
Which is the best campsite near Chobe?
It depends on the trip. Inside the park is best for wildlife, Kasane for shops and boat trips, and the Ngoma side for self-drivers crossing from Namibia or heading to Savuti. Lorato is on the Ngoma side.
Where is the cheapest campsite near Chobe?
Camping outside the park keeps park fees out of the nightly rate. Lorato in Muchenje is $20 per person per night booked direct, and children aged 0 to 12 pay half. Competitors do not publish current rates, so ask them.
Is there a private campsite near Chobe?
Lorato is a privately owned, family-run campsite with 7 pitches and a fence. We have not confirmed pitch spacing, so we do not promise seclusion.
Can I camp inside Chobe National Park?
Yes, at campsites run by private operators, such as Ihaha (Kwalate Safaris) and Savuti and Linyanti (SKL). Book well ahead and pay park fees on top.
Is there a campsite near Ngoma Gate?
Yes. Lorato in Muchenje, which Booking.com lists 6.8 km from the Ngoma Gate.
How much does camping near Chobe cost?
Lorato is $20 per person per night direct and children aged 0 to 12 pay half. Hire tents are $55 per night including the camping fee. Park campsites set their own rates, which change each year, and park fees are paid on top.
Do I need a 4x4 to visit Chobe National Park?
You need a 4x4 on the riverfront tracks. The tar transit road between Ngoma and Kasane is free and open to any vehicle if you stay on the tar.
How far is Lorato from Kasane?
About 60 km on the tar road through the park.
Is it safe to camp near Chobe?
Park campsites are unfenced and wildlife walks through at night. Lorato is a fenced campsite.
Can I cancel a booking at Lorato?
Free up to 7 days before arrival. After that the first night is charged. A 50% deposit applies.
More guides for your route
Sources
Checked 24 October 2026. Rules, hours and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.
- SKL Group of Camps: Savuti campsite
- Chobe Safari Lodge: accommodation and riverfront campsite (checked 23 October 2026)
- Botswana Daily News: proposed park fee increase (24 February 2026)
- Gabz FM: fee hike delayed by two years (May 2026)
- chobenationalpark.co.za: Chobe gates and rules
- Tourism Update: Botswana increases park and licence fees (2022)
- Booking.com: Lorato Lodge and Camping listing (distance to Ngoma Gate)