Wild Camping in Southern Africa (page 4 of 5)

Evening gathering at the Himba community camp before tackling Van Zyl's Pass (Namibia).



When we roll in quietly on wheels, there are always a few lions in the welcoming committee. When the time comes for my last campsite, I’d love it to be right here—with oysters and champagne. (In Botswana, but I’ve forgotten exactly where 😇)

Chris and HDJ, Another magical way to visit! A few questions: Who’s the rental company? Did you have a guide, navigator, or cook with you? Or were you on your own? Did you do a loop, or did you start at point A and leave the boat at point B? How did you get your car back? What did you see of life on the river during your cruise? Animals, people… How long a cruise would you recommend? More or less than 3 days? Which area is the most interesting to prioritize? How much does it cost? Essential question!!!! Thanks for introducing us to another way to explore this corner—we’re already hooked.

Hi there, Regarding our trip along the Zambezi: organized by Caprivi Houseboat Safari in Katima Mulilo, where we first spent a night at the lodge. Our cruise on the Zambezi started at 2 p.m. and ended the next day at noon back at the lodge. A lodge staff member acted as pilot, guide, and cook. We had dinner on the Namibian bank downstream from Katima (absolutely stunning).

We saw lots of birds (including terns and kingfishers) and a few fishermen, as well as women doing laundry. This 24-hour cruise felt like enough, especially since it was, if I remember correctly, quite expensive (we were the only ones on the boat). I don’t have the exact price because we were traveling for 5 months in our pickup with a camper shell, doing a big loop around Southern Africa. We hadn’t booked anything in advance except for Kruger, KTP, and Botswana. We’d entrusted our bookings in Botswana and for the Caprivi Houseboat to an agency in Kasane, Africa Coeur Safaris (highly recommendable). The quote was all-inclusive.

It’s one of our best memories from that trip.

Have a great day.

Pierre, Thanks for the info. I’ll look into it on my end. See you!

Chris and HDJ, Another magical way to visit! A few questions: Who was the rental company? Were you with a guide, navigator, cook? Or on your own? Did you do a loop, or did you start at point A and leave the boat at point B? How did you get your car back? What did you see of life on the river during your cruise? Animals, people... How long a cruise would you recommend? More or less than 3 days? Which area is the most interesting to focus on? How much does it cost? Essential question!!!! Thanks for introducing us to another way to discover this place we’re already addicted to.

Hello, A few details to answer the questions and add to Pierre’s info. But I wouldn’t want to hijack this thread about camping!

Same stop in Katima Mulilo, same lodge (Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge, www.zambezisafaris.com), so same rental company/organizer for the cruise. We contacted the lodge manager, Curt, directly. I organized the whole trip myself. The Zambezi episode came after exploring the Caprivi Strip for about a week.

There were two of us, with a young pilot/companion/guide/chef who knew the area like the back of his hand and was a bird expert.

Unlike Pierre, we didn’t return to KM, where we’d chosen to leave our car. We did a one-way boat trip from Katima Mulilo to Kasane over 4 days/3 nights. Arrived in Kasane near our accommodation with super simple and quick formalities in a tiny office by the water! We didn’t find it too long—it was a timeless moment for us, a peaceful break after two very active weeks! Stunning landscapes and birds we’d never seen before. A real treat! Fishing enthusiasts can also rent rods and have a blast.

What did we see? Life on the river (fishermen, fishing villages, "temporary" villages), loads of hippos and crocs, and thousands of birds, especially near the channel connecting the Zambezi and Chobe rivers. Classic wildlife on the Chobe River and its banks, with countless elephants. Basically: 1.5 days on the Zambezi (1 night) + 0.5 day to reach our campsite (2nd night) by the Chobe River, with a full day on the river before disembarking the next day.

How long would I recommend? Wildcard! It depends on everyone’s tastes and budget! I loved our setup, but others might’ve found it a bit long...

Finances: The trip was in late September 2016, so I organized it over 4 years ago. I’ll need to dig through my archives (on my old computer!) for the financial details, which I can share via PM. Yes, it’s expensive, I confirm. But first, we felt it was worth it—it was an exceptional experience we still talk about. "It’s not something you do every day!" Also, since we returned the car in KM, our rental was shorter, which cut costs a bit. We didn’t have a car in Kasane either, so we opted for a 3-day/2-night "camping safari" in Chobe NP with a local provider (with "classic" wild campsites), before ending our trip at Vic Falls.

It was our first time finishing a Southern Africa trip without a car, but we didn’t regret our slightly unconventional choice!

Best regards,

Hi Alain-Pierre,

Thanks for digging into your archives to share such beautiful images of a Namibian wild camp 🙂 What an incredible expanse you had in front of you 😛

Well, we can keep dreaming...

Hi Michel,

Yeah, the Tok Tokkie Trail is a magical experience. 😎 I’ll add to your photo gallery:

Hey,

Hats off to you—biking through these regions isn’t something just anyone can do!

Even Angola 😮... did you like the country? It’s on my list, but I haven’t dared yet—the borders have only been open for a short while.

Thanks for sharing 🙂

Hello Nathalie,

Thanks for sparking the discussion with your stunning photos that inspire wanderlust. "Bape Camp" ... I’m jotting that down, I’m jotting that down ... it’s true that the CKGR offers amazing campsites, 😛 😎

I’ll "reply" with a pretty special spot you also know: Bangwelu.







It’s a vast floodplain with a few groves, and each one is a campsite. People usually come here hoping to spot the shoebill—no luck for me yet, 😉

I love your first photo!

Here’s the stylized version ;)

Hi Denis,

Thanks for joining in. Still a fan of these amazing regions? 😉

Beautiful photo in the middle of nowhere 😎

Hi Mariana,

You really outdid yourself for a first trip, well done! 😛 😎

Yeah, we're talking photos here, but the sounds of animals at night are also something incredible and magical—hyenas, hippos, lions, even a leopard once in Moremi...

Hi Pierre,

Definitely a great experience—right at the top of my list now! 😛

Personally, my only overnight experience on the water was the ferry crossing Lake Kariba, but it was already magical.

When the time comes for that final campsite, I’d love it to be right here, with oysters and champagne.

... same here, I’d just swap the champagne for an old riesling 😉 .

in Botswana but I forgot where

Njuca Hills, right? 😉

That was a really beautiful trip you took there 😎

I’m jotting it down, jotting it down 😛

I suggest gaining a little perspective here,

There are few camps that offer this possibility—this one is Sinamatella in Hwange NP.

I suggest we take a step back and look at the bigger picture,

Overlooking the Runde River, in the lesser-known Gonarezhou NP (Zimbabwe):



The only neighbors, on the lower level:

Hello Jean Francois,

"Bape Camp" ... I'm jotting that down ... it's true that the CKGR offers magnificent wild camping spots, 😛 😎

Yes, the CKGR has some amazing wild camping spots like Bape Camp and Xaxa Camp, which are actually on the track between CKGR and Khutse.

Nath, A few memories from the heroic early days of traveling in Namibia in 1990 with Nouvelles Frontières (this same tour was still running in 2019!!). -dishwashing duty at the Grootfontein campsite -tents at the same campground -wild camping near the White Lady -Solitaire -camping and truck at Sesriem campsite -sleeping under the stars on an island in the Okavango Delta

Hello Jean-François,

More amazing photos! Especially numbers 3 and 4!

I’ll “reply” with a pretty special place you also know: Bangwelu.

It’s a huge floodplain with a few groves, and each one is a site. People usually go there hoping to spot the shoebill—no guarantees, though 😉

Here’s to Bangwelu and the shoebill!









And just one photo for fun: