Big skies, big predators and the famous lions that hunt elephants.
Enquire About SavutiSavuti, sometimes spelled Savute, lies in the western reaches of Chobe National Park, between the Okavango and the Linyanti. It is a wild, open and slightly otherworldly place, dominated by the Savute Marsh and the Savute Channel, a waterway famous for flowing and drying up over decades for reasons that still are not fully understood.
The area is best known for its predators, and for one of the most dramatic wildlife behaviours in Africa: the Savuti lion prides that have learned to hunt elephant, particularly in the dry season when other prey is scarce. Few places offer this scale of big-cat drama.
In the dry season, elephant bulls and other game crowd the artificial and natural waterholes, drawing predators in close. In the green season, the zebra migration moves through and the marsh fills with water birds and raptors, giving Savuti two very different characters across the year.
It is a more rugged, less manicured safari than the Delta camps, which is exactly its appeal for travellers who want raw wilderness and action over polish.
Lions are the headline, in strong prides with a reputation for tackling elephant. Spotted hyaena are numerous and bold, cheetah hunt the open marsh, and leopard occur in the rockier ground around Leopard Rock.
Big elephant bulls dominate the dry-season waterholes, and general game gathers wherever there is water. The predator-prey tension as the dry season bites is what makes Savuti so compelling.
The Savute Marsh is excellent for raptors and, in the green season, for migratory birds and the zebra that move through on Botswana's great migration, bringing a burst of life to the plains.
May to October, the dry season, brings the classic Savuti experience, with elephant and game crowding the waterholes and predators in constant attendance. It is the time for the area's famous big-cat drama.
The green season from November to April transforms the marsh, filling it with water, raptors and migratory zebra. Game is more dispersed but the birding and the migration make it a rewarding, quieter alternative.
A comfortable, well-placed lodge overlooking the channel, with easy access to the marsh and its predators.
A mobile-style tented camp that brings you close to the action in classic safari style, moving with the season.
A lodge set on a rocky outcrop with sweeping views, offering Savuti's wildlife at a more accessible price.
Savuti is a classic stop on mobile camping routes linking Moremi, the Delta and Chobe over a week or more.
The well-known public campsite lets experienced, self-sufficient 4x4 travellers stay in the heart of the action for very little.
Savuti delivers high-drama wildlife photography: lions on the move, elephants at dusty waterholes and predators against big open skies. The open terrain gives clean backgrounds and the action can be relentless in the dry season.
Savuti spans mobile camping to comfortable lodges and suits travellers chasing predators and raw wilderness over luxury polish. It pairs naturally with Chobe and the Delta on a longer Botswana circuit.
Savuti lies in the western sector of Chobe National Park and is usually reached by light aircraft on the fly-in circuit between the Okavango and Chobe, or by 4x4 on mobile safaris.
We arrange every detail, from the right camp to flights and transfers. Tell us your dates and we will do the rest.
Plan My Safari WhatsApp UsYes. Savuti is famous for prides that have learned to hunt elephant, particularly young animals in the dry season when other prey is scarce. It is one of Africa's most dramatic predator behaviours.
A waterway that has flowed and dried up repeatedly over the past century for reasons that are still not fully understood, dramatically changing the area's character each time.
May to October for the classic dry-season predator action at the waterholes. The green season brings the zebra migration and excellent birding.
Yes. Savuti is the western sector of Chobe National Park, wilder and quieter than the busy Chobe Riverfront.
Most guests fly in by light aircraft on the circuit between the Okavango and Chobe. It is also a classic stop on guided mobile camping safaris.
It is superb for predators but rugged, so it works best as part of a wider Botswana trip rather than a standalone first safari.
Tell us roughly when you would like to travel and what you most want to see. Every enquiry is answered personally by Jarryd, a former Sabi Sands guide and Head Ranger at andBeyond Phinda, usually within 24 hours. No set packages, no booking fees.
