BOTSWANA / NAMIBIA MAY 2014
Part 3 – Caprivi
Being a road trip that lasted 30 nights and 31 days in the remote
wildness of this continent of Africa that we love so dearly.
……….So the Elephant's Child went home across Africa frisking and whisking his trunk. When he
wanted fruit to eat he pulled fruit down from a tree, instead of waiting for it to fall as he used to do.
When he wanted grass he plucked grass up from the ground, instead of going on his knees as he used
to do. When the flies bit him he broke off the branch of a tree and used it as fly-whisk; and he made
himself a new, cool, slushy-squshy mud-cap whenever the sun was hot. When he felt lonely walking
through Africa he sang to himself down his trunk, and the noise was louder than several brass bands.
Rudyard Kipling: THE ELEPHANT'S CHILD
11 May 2014: Ngepi to Mavunje Camp in Kongola
Distance Covered: 237 km. 6.5 Hours
Ngepi
Arrived late afternoon (10 May), checked in and set up basic camp. I was a bit wary about all the Hippo warnings that we saw at reception, but we only heard them a few times during early evening. We lit the braai fire and was soon joined by the owner’s dog that casually walked into camp and parked next to the fire.
Next morning we packed up and went for a mother’s day breakfast at the restaurant. Peaceful on the deck overlooking the river. Plenty of birdlife around. Given a long lens and a few days to get into the rhythm of the place, I think you will get quite a few keepers just by staking out the river front.
Ngepi is probably a bit commercial, but it was a welcome break after a few long days on the road.
Riverside Camp
Braai Time!
Perfect Toilet!
Bee Eater
Mavunje Camp – Kwando River 11 to 14 May
Mavunje Campsite - bathroom and shower to the right (behind the Bush Lapa)
After breakfast we were on the road to Kongola. 200 km due east down the Caprivi panhandle. There are plenty of elephant and wild dog warning signs on the road, but we had no sightings whatsoever.
At Kongola I filled up with diesel, the traveling companions had a quick look at the kaggel stuffies in the community curio shop and now we turned south on the newly built C49. This road will eventually also take you to Katima Mulilo.
The turnoff to Mavunje Camp is only 12 km down this road. We were lucky to secure the only open campsite that they had left. I later realized just how lucky – there are only two campsites available next to the river and it seems that they are quite popular.
The campsite consists of a built structure for kitchen and “dining” room with a river view, a Boma with a low reed fence and cement fireplace. The traveling companions were very happy with the huge rondawel for a shower and that ultimate of African Safari luxuries – a white porcelain flushing toilet!!
I had requested to stay for three nights – we needed a break from the constant travel of the last few days – and that afternoon we did nothing more than settle the camp to our satisfaction.
Sunset over the Kwando was stunning and that night we fell asleep to the sound of Hippo in the river. At some stage during the night there was a lot of elephant activity somewhere close by but we could not see anything.
The next afternoon we had an opportunity to meet Dan Stevens, the co-owner of the camp. He has a proper British accent and has basically built up the camp from nothing in co-operation with the local chiefs in the area. One tends to think that running a bush camp or lodge must be the ultimate in life, but if you listen to the trials and tribulations the he has to face, it becomes almost a “normal” job – certainly in a stunning environment!
Mavunje River Trip
We had booked a river trip for that evening and although we had heard lots of elephant activity the previous night, we did not find a single one during the trip. There are plenty of birds on the river though and we also had the opportunity to park quite close to a herd of hippos.
Clearing the way Lending a hand
Our boat driver (I think his name is William) had quite a hard time to get the boat out into the river proper. The have a channel through the swamps that has mostly been dug by hand and this had been trashed quite seriously by the elephant the previous night. On two occasions he had to get out of the boat to free some reeds and grass from the rudder and once when the water was a bit shallow, he had to push the boat through this bit.
On the return leg of the outing he was going at speed when we ran into what we assumed must have been a submerged hippo with the left side of the boat! The Swede sitting on the left front chair on the boat almost lost his seat due to shock of the impact. William immediately slowed right down, but whatever it was in the river just stayed submerged. The boat did not seem damaged at the time, but when they made a closer inspection the next day, it apparently had a nice big dent in the fibre glass. William then told us about an incident about two years ago when he and Dan had actually been attacked by a Hippo that had put a hole in the boat!
More Boat Trip
Water Lilly
12 May 2014: Day Trip to Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park
Distance Covered: 173 km, 7.5 hours
The problem with Mamili or Nkasa Lupala as it is now called, is that the C49 that makes a big loop down to Nkasa Lupala and back up to Katima, is in the process of being rebuilt and tarred. I do not have a problem with driving on gravel roads, but the temporary road that you have to use, is full of potholes, dusty or muddy depending on where the water bowser is at the moment and is also used by the construction trucks that are building the road. It took us 90 minutes to drive the 60 km’s to the turnoff for the Park.
In reality, it should have been an overnight stay in the area to do justice to this lovely area. The lady at reception was very friendly and advised that we could drive any of the twee spoor tracks that was not flooded or obviously inaccessible. Mamili will stay on my to do list as I definitely want to spend more time in this area sometime in the future.
Steel bridge on the access road to the park
The herd
13 May 2014: Day trip to Nambwa
Distance Covered: 98 km, 9.5 hours
On returning from Mamili, Dan had advised us that a trip to the western side of the Kwando River would be time well spent. Early the morning of the thirteenth we were on our way and found the entrance to the Susuwe Station without any problems. Once again met by a friendly employee who issued the day permits and showed us the lion tracks from a day or two ago in front of the reception building.
This area is strictly 4x4 and has no graded roads. In some places the deep sand required low range to get through. The bush is very dense in some areas and a few scratches on the paintwork will be noticed.
This is also the former home to Fort Doppies – training area of the famous South African reconnaissance troops. Very little of the old military base is left and one can only wonder about all the old memories that must be floating around the place. We drove all the way down to the horse shoe bend before time caught up with us and required that we make a u turn. On the way we visited the Nambwa Community camp and found that the area had been pretty well worked over by a lot of elephant the previous evening.
The camp is located in a very beautiful area right next to the river and has also earned a place on the next Namibia trip to do list!
Martial Eagle (Breëkop Arend)
Remains of Fort Doppies
Blacksmith Lapwing
Young Impala
African Fish Eagle
Nambwa Camp Ablution Blocks
To be continued………
Next up: 1200 kilometres due west – Kunene River Lodge and Epupa Falls.
