I had travelled by bus from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe to the town of Kasane, Botswana, where I planned to enter the famous Chobe National Park. Kasane is at Africa's "four corners" where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe all meet.
Approaching the border, I stared in dismay at the long line of trucks waiting to complete the necessary customs clearance. It can take hours or even days. Luckily cars and buses aren't subjected to the same formalities, and we went straight to the head of the queue and were soon on our way.
Chobe was Botswana's first national park, and it has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa. By size it's the third largest park in the country after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park.
Chobe National Park is one of the best places in Africa to see elephants, particularly in the water. Some herds contain hundreds of elephants and the total number in the park is estimated at 120,000.
There are equally large herds of buffalo to be found. Both buffalo and elephant – and sometimes other animals as well – can often be seen outside the park boundaries wandering around the outskirts of Kasane, seemingly oblivious to traffic or people.
The park also affords lion and leopard sightings, while the Chobe River has an abundance of hippos and crocodiles and an almost inconceivable wealth of birdlife, including a number of particularly rare species that attract top wildlife photographers to the park.
I took a boat cruise of about three hours on the Chobe River. Having seen elephants frequently in the African bush and on the dry, dusty plains, it was amusing to see how much they love the water.
From the boat I could see across the Caprivi Strip into neighbouring Namibia. Extending like a long finger from the northeast corner of Namibia, the Caprivi Strip is bordered by Angola and Zambia to the north and by Botswana to the south. As well as being the focal point for a number of conflicts over many decades, the Caprivi Strip was the subject of a longstanding territorial dispute between Botswana and Namibia.
The Botswana government considered it an integral part of the Chobe National Park, whereas the Namibian government argued that generations of inhabitants had used it for grazing livestock and the island was part of an old German-British agreement. The matter was resolved in December 1999 when the International Court of Justice found in favour of Botswana.
Later I took a safari ride through the park, which consists of four areas: Ngwenzumba Pans, Linyanti, Savute and the Chobe Riverfront. When the dry season begins, large herds of elephant and buffalo seek the permanent waters of the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers, some coming all the way from Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park.
All year round, Chobe's wildlife includes zebra, impala, baboon, kudu, giraffe, warthog and vervet monkey … and elephants of course. Lions and spotted hyena are the dominant predators, but leopard and cheetah can also be seen.
Chobe and the surrounding region have a wide range of accommodation options, from picturesque campsites with good amenities in and around Kasane, right through to mobile bush camps and remote luxury lodges inside the region's parks and reserves.
Most of Kasane's accommodation options are found along the banks of the Chobe River and I stayed at one such riverfront property – Chobe Marina Lodge, right at the edge of Kasane and just a short drive from Chobe National Park. Accommodation is provided in 60-plus thatched studios, apartments, chalets and suites. All the rooms offer king or twin beds, mosquito nets and repellent, ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, hairdryer, satellite television channels, tea and coffee making facilities and minibars.
The wrap-around sundowner deck gives a magnificent view of the Chobe River and its wildlife, some of which reside in the gardens surrounding the lodge, offering a sneak peek of what to expect in the park. Right at your doorstep you'll find warthog, monitor lizard, vervet monkey, squirrel and mongoose.
There is a riverside dining venue called Commissioner's on the first floor for gourmet nights. For more casual meals breakfast, snacks and light lunches are served at the Mokoros Family Restaurant.
There is a terrific poolside bar with great cocktails and a large swimming pool. At sunset, guests jostle for a front-row spot at the riverside bar to enjoy views across the Chobe River.
Kasane is a typical African small town with an eclectic mix of sights, and it has a good array of services and amenities including some quirky and colourful shops and restaurants. Local handicrafts and clothing are sold on the streets. It also has a hospital and a small international airport.
From here you can also access the world-famous Okavango Delta, although entering from Maun to the south is a better option.