Caprivi Strip Holidays

Safari is the number one activity in the Caprivi Strip. Whether 4x4 self-drive, guided, or on the rivers, you’ll find an abundance of animal and birdlife among the forests and fauna of this lush corridor. When you’re not tracking elephants, lions, hippos, and buffalo, there’s plenty of opportunity for hiking in beauty spots such as Popa Falls on the Okavango River.

Collect souvenirs from the woodcarvers market as you pass Rundu, the entry point to Caprivi. Discover traditional crafts and hunting techniques before witnessing a song and dance show at the Living Museum of the Mafwe. See the ancient baobab of Impalila Island as you wander by tiny shops and churches in its fishing and farming villages. Browse the market and arts centre of Katima Mulilo in Namibia’s far northeastern corner. Whichever part of the Caprivi Strip you visit, you won’t be short of attractions.

From the Okavango and the Kwando to the Chobe and the Zambezi, it's rivers which mark Caprivi out from the rest of Namibia. Animals and birds are attracted to these twisting waterways creating amazing opportunities for a different sort of safari viewing. Stay in luxury lodges and let the wildlife come to you or join a cruising tour with an expert guide to explore every inch of the flowing channels.

Discover an abundance of life along their paths from submerged crocodiles and hippos to elephants, antelope, and predators looking for a drink. River safaris in Namibia can last from a few hours to several days with lodges and campsites dotted on the banks and islands. Canoeing, fishing, and even houseboat stays can also be enjoyed and sundowner drinks beside the bubbling Popa Falls are a must.

In stark contrast to the deserts beside the coast and the salt pan of Etosha, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip national parks are a world of green forests and rich vegetation filled with rivers, wetlands, and a diversity of wildlife. Visit the Bwabwata National Park on the Okavango floodplains to see elephants and lions roaming among huge baobab trees. Witness vast herds of buffalo on the savannahs of Mudumu while hippos and crocodiles swim and wade through the swamps of Nkasa Rupara.

Gaze across antelope-filled plains from the Kwando Core hills. Watch cormorants and kingfishers on the banks of Impalila Island. Wherever you choose to travel along the Caprivi Strip, whether by self-drive or safari, you’ll want to take binoculars - more than 400 bird species fill every corner of the region with colour, movement, and sound.

Like much of Namibia, the Caprivi Strip is an all-year destination but each season has different attractions.  June to October offers dryer days and milder temperatures with the best safari experiences. This is particularly true in later months when rainfall is most scarce and animals are more likely to gather around water sources.

The heat increases from September, as does the rainfall. This can make afternoons less comfortable and some wildlife harder to spot but is the best time of year for birding as food is more available and migratory species arrive for the summer. Pack layers and waterproofs if visiting at this time.