It takes 3 days to drive to the Caprivi Strip from Gauteng. We stayed the first night at Matamba Bush Campsite outside Ellisras on the way to the Stockpoort border and the next night at Elephant Sands Lodge near Nata in Botswana. We arrived in Katima Molilo on 24th May and spent 3 nights at Namwi Island campsite just outside town. The garden is full of birds including the rare Schalow's Turaco and a trip down to Kaliso Lodge is worth it for the birding, even if like us, you don't get all the way through because the water levels were still too high. High water levels also meant the conditions were not yet right for tiger fishing.
Our next stop was at Namushasha River Lodge in the Bwakwatwa Reserve for 2 nights. We also did a day drive to Mudumo and Nkasa Lupala game reserves. The next night we stayed at the Nambwe 4x4 bush camp, also in Bwakwatwa, with a very access sandy track and a worthwhile river setting. Further east we spent 2 nights at Ngepi Lodge. It's a friendly spot. From here you can access Mahango Game Reserve and you MUST do a morning bird walk with local expert, Cristof. As with all the other lodges,sunset boat trips are also on offer. In the Caprivi, the game viewing is more sparse than some might like, but the bird watching is just amazing! Lesser Jacana, Rufous Bellied Heron, Bradfield's Hornbill, Zambezi Indigobird, Blackfaced Waxbill, Grey Rumped Swallow, to name just a few of the newbies for us. Next we stopped over at Shamvura Lodge near Popo Falls, where an old pet horse visits your camp, a goat roams in and out of the house and a hen is sitting in a basket on the sideboard in the owner's dining room laying eggs! Of course, Neil loved that there was an unlimited supply of free firewood and I liked the fact that a lady was on hand to wash the dishes.
Our next stop was at Namushasha River Lodge in the Bwakwatwa Reserve for 2 nights. We also did a day drive to Mudumo and Nkasa Lupala game reserves. The next night we stayed at the Nambwe 4x4 bush camp, also in Bwakwatwa, with a very access sandy track and a worthwhile river setting. Further east we spent 2 nights at Ngepi Lodge. It's a friendly spot. From here you can access Mahango Game Reserve and you MUST do a morning bird walk with local expert, Cristof. As with all the other lodges,sunset boat trips are also on offer. In the Caprivi, the game viewing is more sparse than some might like, but the bird watching is just amazing! Lesser Jacana, Rufous Bellied Heron, Bradfield's Hornbill, Zambezi Indigobird, Blackfaced Waxbill, Grey Rumped Swallow, to name just a few of the newbies for us. Next we stopped over at Shamvura Lodge near Popo Falls, where an old pet horse visits your camp, a goat roams in and out of the house and a hen is sitting in a basket on the sideboard in the owner's dining room laying eggs! Of course, Neil loved that there was an unlimited supply of free firewood and I liked the fact that a lady was on hand to wash the dishes.
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