About 5km south of the campsite, just before the hill known as Leopard Rock, the track splits two ways. This point (GPS: MARSAN) is shown very clearly on Veronica Roodt's Chobe map. In October 1999 there was still one of Chobe's rare old signposts standing here, but since then it appears to have vanished.

The left-hand track is the marsh road, signposted Savuti Marsh; it's more scenic but becomes very rutted and bumpy in parts following the western side of the marsh itself. This is fine during the dry season, and you'll see great views of the marsh. It's often a particularly good area for giraffe due to the high number of acacia trees around. However, it's a bad route to choose during the rainy season, as you will almost certainly get stuck.

The right fork is the sand ridge road and heads more directly towards Maun, west of the marsh. Taking this you will cut across the Magwikwe Sand Ridge about 26km south of Savuti. Don't expect this to be too obvious, as the ridge is little more than a wide, vegetated sand dune. You will climb slightly to get on to it, and drop slightly to come off – and in between the driving is more difficult than normal as your vehicle's tyres will sink deeper into the sand.

Both meet up again about 20km north of the park's Mababe Gate. The sand ridge road takes 37km to reach this, and the marsh road takes about 44km. The sign here reads: Khwai 45km, North Gate 54km and Maun 133km.

Before you reach that you'll reach the old Mababe Gate, at around (GPS: OLDGAT), which is marked on some maps as the gate. Around here the road becomes more difficult during the rains. In contrast to Savuti's relatively lush vegetation, there is little ground cover here, and only low stunted mopane trees to protect the soil from the extremes of the elements. The road's fine earth is hard-baked when dry, and very slippery when wet.

Around 10km further on is the new Mababe Gate (GPS: MABABE), where you sign out of (or into) Chobe, and pay your park fees. Just south of this the road forks, without a signpost in sight, and you have a choice... right for Moremi, or left for Maun directly.

Continue into Moremi
Turn right and head west at this junction and a few kilometres later you climb slightly onto Magwikwe Sand Ridge. This takes about 3km of very slow driving to plough through (from about 16km to 19km after Chobe's exit gate), and shortly after you reach the other side you enter the stunningly beautiful river valley of the Khwai River. In the dry season the contrast could not be sharper. After the unrelenting dryness of southern Chobe, the Khwai's lily-covered waterways and shady glades under huge spreading umbrella thorns (Acacia tortilis) are completely magical.

About 6–7km after joining the river, you'll reach the boundary of the Chobe and Moremi parks, and then 22km later you'll reach the bridge over the River Khwai at North Gate.

Along this road, at (GPS: OKAV24), you'll find a turning north signposted to Seronga marked by one of the park's old signs, in the form of a green concrete pillar. Beware of this, especially if you're heading in the opposite direction towards Chobe, as it will lead you astray through private concessions towards Selinda.

Continue to Maun
Turning left, southeast at the fork here will lead you much more directly and quickly to Maun, effectively reaching the village of Kudumane (also known as Mababe Village) first, about 22km from the Mababe Gate. Here you'll take a right turn, passing through Sankuyo, the veterinary fence, and then Shorobe before Maun.

If your destination is Maun, then don't imagine that travelling through the edge of Moremi (on the direct road from North Gate to South Gate) is a quick option. It'll take a good six or seven hours to reach Maun this way. You'll have some slow, heavy driving across the sand ridge, and have to pay an extra set of park fees for Moremi (even if you have just paid some for the same day in Chobe).

However, if you have pre-arranged a few nights in Moremi, then do take this road and don't miss the chance to stop off. It offers a completely different experience.

On the road to Maun, just north of Sankuyo, you'll spot a right turn to Mankwe Bush Lodge. About 25km south of Sankuyo, the Sankuyo Tshwaragano Management Trust is reported to have recently developed a campsite and traditional village. This is signposted from the road, about 70km north of Maun.