Situation in the Okavango Delta as of August 1st
Hi everyone,
I’m just back from my first overland trip with a vehicle + tent, covering northern Namibia all the way to the Okavango Delta (18 days).
In short:
- The road between Shakawe and Sehithwa is no longer really a road—it’s more like a gravel and sand track (a very long, exhausting stretch) for over 100 km.
- Info about the planned route, i.e., from South Gate to Third Bridge campsite, is scarce and unreliable.
First Bridge is in good condition, a detour has been set up for Second Bridge, but you quickly end up facing a pretty impressive ford, especially if it’s your first time driving in the area. We found ourselves with several vehicles testing the possibilities and diving into a rather deep “pond” (around 60-70 cm).
When we arrived at Third Bridge campsite, we were strongly advised against continuing as planned to Xakanaxa to reach Khwai, where we had a reservation for several nights. Many travelers have gotten stuck—some even at night (?!)—and had to be towed out. So, we had to retrace our steps the next morning along the same sandy track, sometimes with very deep sand, and it took quite a while (about 4 hours one way, a little less on the return since we’d gotten the hang of it).
Everything went well in the end: no damage, no getting stuck, but some intense moments crossing the fords. I’ll admit I’m pretty proud of how I handled it—it’s still quite intimidating. But the cherry on top? We were greeted by lions almost every day.
Ortense