Caprivi Strip Travel Guide
Namibia offers far more than the desert, as you’ll discover in the watery wonderland of the Caprivi Strip.
In a land renowned for its deserts, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip appears as a lush green jewel, a tapestry threaded with the shimmering waters of the perennial Chobe, Kwando, Linyanti and Zambezi rivers.
With wild open spaces and pristine waters to explore, it’s an ideal counterpoint to the sand seas of the Namib. And, bordered by four countries (Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola), this 280-mile-long panhandle is an ideal inclusion on an extended safari taking in the highlights of southern Africa.
The narrow Caprivi Strip – at times no more than 20 miles across – offers a taste of the Okavango Delta in neighbouring Botswana, with boat trips on wide rivers and watery channels offering impressive wildlife sightings. The birding is equally spectacular, particularly in the steamy summer months with the arrival of migrant species from the northern hemisphere.
The Caprivi Strip is home to a handful of national parks, delivering memorable safari experiences, while in the eastern reaches of the Caprivi Strip travellers can access the impressive Chobe River and overlook Botswana’s Chobe National Park, home to Africa’s largest concentrations of elephant. Catch-and-release angling for the hard-fighting tiger fish is a popular activity in-between twice-daily game excursions.
The Caprivi Strip has a rich cultural heritage, and a chequered political history, both of which can be discovered on immersive and informative cultural tours.
Leave the Zagat guide at home! There are few formal restaurants in this corner of Namibia, and you’ll enjoy all of your meals in your chosen safari lodge. Happily, lodges here are all about generous hospitality, and the talented local chefs will ensure you never go hungry.
From picnics in the bush to romantic dinners by the fireside, look forward to a mouth-watering menu of memorable culinary experiences. A highlight is the outdoor ‘boma’ dinner, with a barbecue feast prepared over open coals beneath shimmering southern skies.
The Caprivi Strip is all about outdoor discovery and adventure, so pack everything you’ll need for spending plenty of time in the sun. A wide-brimmed hat and plenty of sunscreen are a good place to start. Loose cotton clothing in neutral colours is recommended for game activities, while sandals or aqua-shoes are useful for water-based excursions such as motorboat safaris and fishing. There is no formal dress code at any of the Caprivi lodges.
Lodges in the region typically offer a small on-site boutique stocking personal hygiene basics, branded clothing and souvenirs, but be sure to take along your camera, binoculars, spare memory cards and specific charging cables.
Due to the remote location of these lodges, ensure you have sufficient supplies of any required medication before arrival.
The Caprivi Strip can be visited throughout the year, but winter and spring (May-September) offer the best combination of blue-sky days and mild-to-warm temperatures. Game viewing is best at this time, with less vegetation and the wildlife drawn to permanent waterholes.
Summer days bring a spike in temperatures, cooled by dramatic afternoon thundershowers that transform the landscape into a sea of green.
The Caprivi Strip is one of the few regions of Namibia in which malaria is present. The risk is higher in the wetter summer months (November-April), but anti-malaria medication is recommended year-round. Consult your travel doctor at least three weeks before departure.
Put the panhandle of the Caprivi Strip into context with our safari maps.
Private air charters are the best way to access the Caprivi Strip. Whether you’re travelling from the safari camps of Etosha or the mighty Victoria Falls in Zambia, light aircraft charters offer a fast, convenient – and scenic – way to access the region. Road transfers and self-drive options are available on request.
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