Kasane lies on the southern bank of the Chobe River, a few kilometres from its confluence with the Zambezi © Pavel Špindler, Wikimedia Commons
Kasane is an important gateway to the Chobe National Park and to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia.
The administrative centre of Chobe District, Kasane is on the surface just a small town in the northeast corner of Botswana. It lies on the southern bank of the Chobe River, a few kilometres from its confluence with the Zambezi – where the borders of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana meet at a point. Thus, while the town is of limited interest in itself, it is an important gateway: to the Chobe National Park; to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia; to the road across Namibia’s Caprivi Strip; and to the small charter flights which ferry visitors between the various lodges in northern Botswana.
Construction of a new bridge over the Zambezi River at this point is bringing change to the area, with the neighbouring town of Kazungula gaining something of the air of a border settlement. Along with shopping developments and fuel stations, several small guesthouses are springing up to service the increasing and anticipated level of passing trade. There is even a set of traffic lights (locally known as a robot) – albeit designed to control access to the new fire station.
If you’re just passing through the area, it’s quite likely that you’ll come via Kasane, if only on a transfer bus. And if you’ve organised your own travelling then you’re likely to want to stop here, to refuel and refresh before continuing. But for many people, Kasane is a relaxing place to stay for a couple of days and to take advantage of its proximity to Chobe National Park, affording opportunities of boat cruises and game drives into the park.