Nkasa Lupala

Classic Namibia Self Drive

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Our classic self-drive adventure through deserts, dunes & wildlife.

13 days

from £4,875 pp

Namibia Walking Odyssey

Off-the-beaten-track Adventure + 1 more + 2 more

Hike dunes, deserts and mountains across Namibia’s wildest corners.

14 days

from £5,570 pp

Namibia's Desert & Coast

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Self-drive highlights of Southern Namibia.

12 days

from £4,975 pp

Canyons & Ghost Towns

Off-the-beaten-track Adventure + 1 more + 2 more

A road trip through Southern Namibia’s lesser-visited highlights.

13 days

from £5,145 pp

Namibia Safari Special

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

A wildlife-focused self-drive safari adventure through Namibia’s north.

13 days

from £5,785 pp

Namibia's Wildlife & Conservation

Family Classic + 2 more + 3 more

Namibia’s big skies, rare wildlife & real conservation in action.

12 days

from £5,835 pp

Quirky excursions

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Birdwatching

As with Botswana's Okavango Delta and Panhandle areas, the Caprivi Strip offers outstanding year round birdwatching. Staying at lodges such as Impalila, Nkasa Lupala and Ndhovu exposes guests to a great range of colourful birdlife, both great and small. Water birds are abundant of course, with kingfishers, storks, herons, fish eagles and bee eaters tending to catch the eye most readily. There are also rarities such as wattled crane and slaty egret. Birding excursions can be enjoyed from most of the lodges either by boat or on foot, with Impalila Island Lodge offering possibly the best dedicated birding programmes and guides. For real enthusiasts, evening boat trips are a must, with rare and less sociable species emerging to be easily picked out with a spotlight by your guide. Then there are guided walks on the islands amidst the lush waterways, which are both an effective way of finding the more timid, forest dwelling birds, and an intriguing overview of the topography of the area. A wealth of migrant birds arrive between November and April, a period that is widely regarded as the premier ornithological months of a first class birding area.

Game Drives

With so many water based Caprivi activities, game drives don't always dominate the activity list in the same way that they do in traditional safari hotspots. However, the Mamili and Mudumu National Parks really are excellent, bordering the fabled Botswana game haven of the Linyanti Wetlands and attracting most of the same species. In the Caprivi Strip, elephant, hippo and a diverse range of antelope will inevitably be spotted, while the birdlife is simply exceptional. There are also some decent predator populations, with lion, leopard, hyena and even sometimes wild dog among the potential sightings in certain areas. It's usually an early start for breakfast before setting off on a drive as the sun slowly rises: a cool but utterly enchanting time to be on the road, as the bush slowly wakes up and wildlife emerges to face the day. There are frequent stops to view animals, learn about the flora and fauna from your guide, take photographs and enjoy refreshments. Unfortunately, off-road driving and night drives are not permitted within the national parks, but the Caprivi is still relatively undiscovered so you shouldn't see too many other vehicles or people. Ndhovu, and Nkasa Lupala are among the camps offering game drives in the richest wildlife areas.

Boat Cruises

A boat cruise on the rivers, tributaries and channels of the Caprivi Strip is a highly enjoyable activity, with a more tranquil feel then game drives. Late afternoon cruises can be particularly relaxing, as you watch the sun set beautifully over the waters with a drink in hand before slowly making your way back to camp for dinner. Wildlife encounters will generally involve hippo, and you will almost certainly see crocodiles basking in the sun. From certain lodges such as Nkasa Lupala, you’re also likely to find water based antelope running through the shallower waters, and elephant and buffalo arriving to drink. The varied birdlife sightings from the water are extremely impressive, and it is not unheard of to see predators on the riverbank from a boat, although these are generally scared off by the engine noise. The exact body of water you will explore depends entirely on the location: in the western Caprivi at lodges such as Ndhovu and Nkwazi you can get onto the mighty Okavango; Mazambala is right next to the Kwando River; Nkasa Lupala allows guests to explore the channels of the Linyanti-Kwando Delta; while in the far east at areas such as Impalila Island, serene sundowner cruises on the Zambezi and game viewing boat trips on the Chobe Riverfront are possible.

Caprivi Fishing

The Caprivi is generally acknowledged as Namibia's finest destination for fishing, with lodges like Impalila Island offering top class fishing activities for all levels of experience and expertise. Fly-fishing and lure-fishing are both on offer, with specialised fishing boats and equipment provided for both disciplines, although more advanced fly-fishermen might want to bring their own gear. The prize catch to pull out from these waters is the fabled tigerfish, which can be taken from the Okavango, Chobe or Zambezi Rivers and their tributaries. At Impalila, tigerfish can be caught all year round, with the best period generally from June to November, after the annual floods have started to recede. Other specimens you can pull out of the water include olive bream, tilapia and catfish. A catch and release policy is almost always enforced, but there is still a distinct thrill to reeling in a large, impressive specimen such as a tigerfish, and when the excitement dies down you can enjoy the ambience of being out on a boat with a cold sundowner in hand.