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Caprivi
Namibia
The Caprivi is a narrow strip of land in the far northeast of Namibia, about 400 kilometres long. Germany exchanged the area - together with Helgoland - with the United Kingdom for Zanzibar in 1890. It was named after the German chancellor of the time, Graf von Caprivi, who signed the contract with the British.
The tarred Caprivi Highway was built to replace the corrugated dirt road, which was hardly passable during the rainy season. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Chobe National Park in Botswana, both popular tourist destinations in the north, are now easily accessible.
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Some 200 kilometres east of Rundu lies one of the scenic highlights of Namibia in the western part of the Caprivi, the Popa Falls. Actually, they are rapids rather than waterfalls. Here, the Okavango breaks through a four metre high rocky intrusion in its riverbed. The falls lie amidst enthrallingly beautiful nature. Here you also find the most scenic campground in the north of Namibia.
The service centre of the Caprivi is the small town of Katima Mulilo at the eastern tip. Katima lies directly on the banks of the Zambesi River and offers some attractive lodges at the river. It also has an airport, a hospital, some petrol stations, grocery stores and a streetmarket with arts&crafts, traditional baskets woven from grass, wood carvings, jewellery and clothes.
There is a border post to Zambia in Katima nowadays, which, due to the new Zambezi bridge at Wanella, has become more and more attractive for tourists. If you are heading for Botswana or Zimbabwe, follow the B8 to Ngoma Bridge.
Further information, travel advice and accommodation in the Caprivi to be found on the INFO page. |
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The Caprivi belongs to the tropical climate zone and receives high rainfalls during the rainy season (December to March). This, together with the high temperatures, results in a high humidity factor. Malaria prophylactic is strongly recommended for the Caprivi.
The Caprivi is the wettest region in Namibia with its high rainfall and a number of major rivers like the Okavango, Kwando and Zambesi; all of them originating from Angola and draining an enormous area. There are also some smaller rivers like the Linyanti and the Chobe.
The abundance of water in the Caprivi sustains a large variety of animal and bird species. Especially numerous are the elephants, though not easily spotted through the dense vegetation. The wildlife is being protected in a couple of reserves (Bwabwata, Mudumu, Lizauli, Mamili). There are no fences, so the animals can roam freely across the borders of the neighbouring countries of Botswana and Zambia. The Chobe National Park in Botswana, bordering the Caprivi in the south, is especially excellent for game viewing.
Top right: Sunset at the Zambesi River near Katima Mulilo. Below: Canoes at the Linyanti River.
Left: Small settlement in the Caprivi region.
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