Elephant Valley Lodge

Great place to see the animals in their natural habitats. Excellent staff-friendly, helpful and great to see each morning.

A bit far from Chobe River Safari portion and steep path to boats and 20+ min ride to Chobe Gate for land safari but Elephant Valley was a spectacular site for lodging and observing their own water hole frequently visited by numerous animals.

Nice above-average glamping safari lodge in the valley near the village of Kasane and very close to Kasane airport. The food and service were excellent! I am only giving it 4 stars because of the accommodation and lack of a “smoking area” for other patrons, and taking half an hour to get to the start of (and back from) the actual safari. Once you start the safari, it doesn’t disappoint! Mike (our guide) was informative and very friendly. They also do take you on a fabulous river cruise (we thought it was better than the Zambezi cruise we went on at Victoria Falls!). But again, another half hour trip back and forth to the Chobe River. There were some fundamental issues with the floor in the bar area at the lodge, as well as beside the pool. They were rotted out or falling down, and they were working on it the day we left. They allowed smoking in the bar and common area, and I am allergic to cigarette smoke, so couldn’t go in there (where the wifi is only available). We happened to hit bad luck, and had “monsoon-like rains” while we visited, and everywhere seemed really dark i.e. not enough light. Our tent looked out over the watering hole, and the first day (when it was nice and hot), we saw giraffes getting a drink, water buck, and herons. That night we saw a herd of elephants. As for the tent itself, it was small — or rather, the bed was too big for the tent (they push 2 - 1 1/2 width beds together, which makes it larger than a king size). My husband had a very hard time moving along the side right next to the tent wall, with only inches available. One of the reading lights bedside was broken and hanging out of the wall; only 2 floor power outlets; toilet in the same area as all of the sinks and shower; fan did not oscillate. It was very dark where the toilet, sinks and shower were (at the back of the tent), and it really could do with some more light here. The entire tent could use more lighting for that matter. The bed was comfortable, with a great mosquito screen, and comfortable pillows. They did have AC. The entire lodge was not very busy, so it was very quiet and relaxing. The staff were friendly and they work very hard. They also do laundry, if you need it done, which is included! A real bonus! Would recommend as long you don’t have very high expectations for the tent.

during our group trip we first supposted to be a Chobe Marina Lodge, but due to circumstances we finally "landed" at Elephant Vallye Lodge. In the end it was definitely the better choice. Just to know when you are sharing a room with someone els, bathroom and toilet are not really separated from sleeping room....

EVL is rustic charm mixed with fine dining and a fantastic chill factor. We stayed one of the tents that faced the water hole. Now, while there were no animals to be seen at the hole, due to a lot of rain that had them going elsewhere, the view was still wonderful. The accommodations were glamping to be sure. The food was outstanding and much appreciated before and after each safari outing. Regarding the safari outings, know that if it is raining, you will get wet. There are ponchos provided, but the open Land Cruiser does not really keep the elements at bay. Additionally, we spent a majority of the game drives on unpaved roads. Kind of felt like you were riding a horse (great for core strength). According to my iPhone, I burned calories being jostled about during the drives! And, yes, there are bugs. And, yes, they hit your face especially at dawn and then again at dusk. Just keep your mouth shut and you'll be fine. Of course, the highlights of each outing were sightings of: hyena, hippo (many), impala (lots), elephant (in herds), lion (in one or two prides), kudu, crocodile, fisher eagle, countless birds, baboon, giraffe, and more. While we didn't see all of the Big 5, we were not disappointed.

Elephant Valley Lodge was a great place to stay. Rooms and food were excellent! I enjoyed seeing all the animals on our safari game drives twice per day. We saw elephants, baboons, eagles, hippos, giraffes, and more! This place is highly recommended! Staff is excellent and very attentive to all needs.