Caprivi Strip (Zambezi Region)

With a landscape unlike anywhere else in Namibia and with a great diversity of wildlife, the former Caprivi Strip can induce any intrepid traveller to explore its wildlife areas. But it doesn’t come without its own set of challenges. The fact that only a relative few dare to seek its rewards makes this destination one of the true pristine marvels of southern Africa.

To describe the former Caprivi Strip as the result of bizarre colonial map drawing would by no means be a stretch of the imagination. It does not take long to recognise that the straight lines were clearly drawn by hand, on a map, with the aid of a ruler. As the result of a trade agreement between colonial Germany and Great Britain, the island of Zanzibar was traded to Britain in exchange for the island of Helgoland in the North Sea and, to sweeten the deal, the strip of land north of Bechuanaland was also included in the agreement. This land corridor was subsequently named after the German Chancellor at the time and the one who signed the deal, Leo von Caprivi. The Germans were at first quite pleased with themselves, as they were eager to use the Zambezi River to access the Indian Ocean to the east. However, they forgot to factor in one major obstacle in their path: the Victoria Falls. There simply was no way around this rather large problem.

As time passed, the region gained strategic military importance to the then South African occupiers of Namibia and the second half of the 20^th Century saw the Caprivi Strip at the forefront of numerous armed conflicts which were ranging in southern Africa at the time. These included the Rhodesian Bush War, the Namibian armed struggle for Independence and the Angolan Civil War, these conflicts often overlapping with one another. Signs of various military installations from these conflicts can still be seen in the region today.

When Namibia finally gained its independence in 1990, the Caprivi Strip was also incorporated into the new republic. Then in 2013, the Caprivi was split into three separate administrative regions and renamed. It now comprises of the Kavango East, Kavango West and the Zambezi Region. Despite the renaming, many of the locals in the area still prefer to use the term Caprivi, when referring to their home.

The two main rivers which shape the region are the Kavango and the Kwando. Both rivers flow from the Angolan highlands, supplying the Caprivi with water and thus, making the region greener and more fertile than the rest of the country. Interestingly, both rivers change their names when they enter Botswana. The Kavango becomes the Okavango River, which then goes on to feed the Okavango Delta and the Kwando becomes the Linyati River and further to the east, the Chobe River, which eventually merges with the mighty Zambezi River.

The former Caprivi Region is home to several national parks that you can explore:

The Khaudum National Park is a 3,842 km² conservation area which stretches from the woodlands of the Northern Kalahari to the Caprivi Strip. While Khaudum offers a wide range of animals, the game viewing here can be seasonal and challenging. Off the beaten track, the campsites offer few facilities and a minimum of two 4×4 vehicles are required to explore this raw and untouched wilderness. The elephant population far outnumbers the human one here and rare species like the roan antelope or the African wild dog provides an undeniable allure.

Bordered by the Kavango and Kwando Rivers, the Bwabwata National Park is home to 35 species of big game including lions and leopards, great herds of elephants and other rarer species including African wild dog. Within the Bwabwata National Park you find the Mahango Game Park, the Buffalo Game Park, and the Kwando Game Park. The collective Bwabwata National Park might be one of the most beautiful parks in Namibia, with stunning landscapes in part comprised of giant baobabs and flooded plains. But it also has fantastic wildlife, particularly large elephant herds and rare antelope species such as sable, roan, and tssessebe, as well as predators such as lion, leopard, and hyena.

The Nkasa Rupara (Mamili) and Mudumu are the two most eastern national parks found in the Zambezi Region. Their landscapes consist of flood plains, riverine forests, swamps, and woodlands. Buffalo can be commonly seen here as well as the red lechwe and sitatunga antelopes. Both parks can be a challenge to navigate due to bad roads. But this also makes them perfect for those who seek to go on an adventure in an area that is not visited by many travellers. Birders will be in paradise in either of these national parks as they can be home to over 400 different species, depending on the time of year.

There are several fantastic accommodations and campsites in the former Caprivi Strip. Most of them are eco-friendly and strive to conserve the environment in which they are home. Often, lodges and campsites in the Caprivi will be beautifully located on the water’s edge, be it on the shores of the Kavango (Okavango) or the Kwando rivers or on the edge of a marsh or floodplain. You will find the lodges, tented camps and campsites all offering you fantastic views and a real “in the bush feeling” in a pristine wilderness setting.

The former Caprivi (Zambezi Region) is an adventurous destination that isn’t always easy to navigate. But for those who do, it offers plenty in return. Wonderful game viewing, both on land and on water is combined with stunning landscapes. After having seen the arid open spaces of Namibia, it is always a delight to step into the lush and green Kavango and Zambezi Regions. Sometimes, you have to remind yourself, that you are still in the same country.