It immediately stands out, the odd, protruding strip of land in the extreme northeast of Namibia, the Caprivi strip. In the whole of Africa, many country borders appear as straight lines on the land map, the result of negotiations between the colonial powers. Namibia was occupied by Germany in these times, which wanted a trade route to the Zambezi River. After a lot of commotion back and forth, land was traded with Great Britain in 1890 and the Caprivi Strip became part of Namibia.
In many ways, the Caprivi strip is more similar to the surrounding countries than to the rest of Namibia. As it is the area that receives the most rain of all the country, you will find a lush green landscape here, with a more tropical climate and warm winters.
The Caprivi is surrounded by 4 permanent rivers: The Chobe, Kwando, Linyanti and Zambezi. The river area’s, together with the riverine forests and vast wetlands attract over 600 bird species, 4 of the big 5 (no rhino) and offer 4 National Parks: Bwabwata, Mamili, Mudumu and Mahango. Nearly 200 kinds of flora, shrubs, trees and fruits, complement the wildlife and amazing geography. The region offers excellent safari opportunities and you will find wildlife here that is not seen in other parts of Namibia. For example water animals like hippo’s and crocodiles, but also antelope species like lechwe, reed buck and sitatunga. Other species are also found in great numbers here: Some 60% of all elephants and buffalo live in the Caprivi strip.
It is also the only regions that borders 4 other countries: Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. When you pass through here, note the designs of the villages and the rondavels. Some are identical to the ones in the east of Zimbabwe, while others are similar to the so called ‘kraals’ (enclosed area for livestock within a homestead) in Botswana. Even the language used in the schools, the Caprivi lingua franca, is the Lozi language as used in by the Lozi peoples in Zambia.
The capital of the Caprivi is Katima Mulilo, which is located in the far eastern part on the Zambezi River. It’s a lively and pleasant town and offers most of the facilities travellers are likely to require. There are no other major towns in the area, although it is fairly densely populated and travellers will encounter numerous villages.
When you enter the Caprivi, you will most likely drive the B8, also called the Golden Highway. The road is now completely tarred but still you should not underestimate the distances in the Caprivi and take more than 2 days to travel the whole strip. When travelling in or after the rainy season (approximately December to March) always make sure you check the road conditions and water levels before travelling. It regularly happens that some of the lodges cannot be reached due to high water levels.
The location of the Caprivi makes it also a great starting point for a visit to some of the well known tourist attractions in Botswana, like Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta – and also not too far from here are the famous Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe.
Interesting stops on the Caprivi Strip
To visit the Popa falls you leave the golden highway at Divundu, about 200 km past Rundu, and take the road in the direction of Mohembo. The falls actually consist of a series of rapids around some islands in the Okavango river. The river banks are dominated by acacia’s and the islands are a birders paradise.
In the area you will find a wide variety of wildlife, including elephant, hippo, buffalo, Nile Crocodile, red lechwe, reedbuck, roan and sable antelope, and the elusive Sitatunga antelope. In addition to self-drive safaris, the area is also very well suited for fishing (you will need a permit for this), canoeing, boat trips, scenery drives and there are several walking trails.
Mahango National Park is nowadays part of the new Bwabwata National Park (the former Caprivi Game Park). It’s located some 40 km further in the direction of Mohembo, is an absolute favourite with bird lovers; you can spot more species here than in any other park in Namibia. The great variety in birds here is not completely surprising as this reserve is one of the few water habitats of Namibia. Many ducks, goose, kingfisher and several stilt walkers and even eagles call this area home. The best period for bird lovers is the rainy season between November and March. Over 400 bird species have been recorded in the Mahango Reserve.
The permanent water sources guarantee year round game opportunities, but still the best period is the dry period between April and November, when game seeks out the river and waterholes. With some luck you can spot many antelope species, but also elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, crocodile, warthog, baboon and velvet monkey.
There are 2 routes through the park; the Eastern route follows the river and is approximately 15 km long. You can drive here with a normal 2x4 car. The Western route is about 31 km long and follows the two fossil rivers in the park, the Mahango and Thinderevu. Although this is a spectacular route through unspoilt bush, it is only accessible with a 4x4 vehicle. Be aware that the roads are very sandy in the dry season and slippery and wet in the rainy season.
Unguided walking is permitted but not completely without danger. Consider using the services of a local guide, who are generally very knowledgeable and familiar with the region.
South of Kongola you will find Mudumu National Park. This park is only accessible per 4x4 and there is only a campsite within the park. Alternatively you can opt to stay in one of the nearby lodges, most of which offer organised game drives in het park. Mudumu largely consists of forest which is replaced by wetlands along the rivers.
Because Mudumu is bordered in the south by the Kwando River, there is plenty of running water, with tranquil lagoons, flowing channels and tremendous riverine forests. The remainder of the park consist of dense savannah and mopane woodland. The water ensures a variety of game and it’s therefore also a place of preditors. Lion, leopard and hyena hunt at night and there are now also packs of African wild dogs living in het park. In addition there are well over 430 species of bird to be found.
The Mamili Nature Reserve is an untouched wilderness area that is also only accessible with a 4x4 vehicle. Mamili mainly consists of swamps, with a network of canals and 2 big islands in the Kwando/Linyanthi rivers: Nkasa and Lupala. Located in the Southernmost part of Eastern Caprivi, it borders the Okavango Delta in Botswana. There are no facilities within the park and camping is not recommended. Visitors have to be completely self-sufficient in terms of water, fuel and food. Fishing and collecting firewood are not allowed and in the rainy period up to 80% of the park can be flooded. In the dry period the water retreats again and you can see large herds of elephant, sitatunga, lechwe and reedbuch. Even lions and hyena are seen more and more and there’s also an enormous herd of buffalo, estimated up to some 1000 animals.
Entry permits for the park are obtainable at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism offices in Katima Mulilo and Windhoek or from the field offices at Susuwe, Nakatwa and Shisinze, the northern gate of Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park, where reference maps are also available.
Lianshulu Lodge, Camp Kwando, Susuwe Island Lodge, Hakusembe River, Ndhovu Safari Lodge, Nunda River Lodge and Ntwala Island Lodge
