Caprivi Trip Report September 2022
We could not help ourselves; we had to do the boat trip for a 3rd time!!
Trips have been a bit scarce during covid and our long time travelling companions (78 year young) were determined to repeat our wonderful river trip from Katima to Kasane, after a detour through the Caprivi.
We would go via Ellisras to Senyati up to Livingstones then onto Mudumu. From there we would go back to Katima and take the riverboat from Katima to Chobe camping on the river bank for 4 nights.
Arriving at Senyanti in good time we relaxed and went to the underground hide after dinner, the elephants put on a grand display for just the 2 of us. A big bull cruelly attacking a youngster and rolling it twice while it screamed, put paid to our notion of universal elephant love!
The next morning we filled up in Kasane and crossed the border at Ngoma, total time taken was not even an hour. Due to the foot and mouth outbreak we bought our meat in Katima. We also found Tafel beer and their lemon flavoured Radler which is excellent and unavailable at home.
Livingstones is an easy drive from Katima and is situated outside the park on a beautiful wetland with excellent facilities under thatch. There is a kitchen area with solar lights and a wash up sink with hot water. The bathroom facilities are great with gas fed hot showers. The afternoon nap was interrupted by an elephant family coming to inspect the braai facility 3m away.
We visited the Nakasa Rupara Park the following day, after another morning elephant visit, and were a little disappointed by the lack of birds and game there, however the scenery was breath taking and entrance gate well kept.
We drove around the GMA area and saw Wattled Cranes, carmine and white fronted bee-eaters and white back vultures. The area is adjacent to a hunting concession and animals presented fleeing backsides when we approached. That afternoon we had booked a mokoro trip which was not up to standard as the seats virtually had no back rest, making it difficult to photograph whist exercising tummy muscles. Ronan the new manager said they are sorting them out as other guests had also complained. We had a large buffalo herd and birds on the trip.
After a leisurely start we left for Mudumu going through a fancy entrance with no one in attendance, we took the gravel road turn off to the camp, only to be told that we had to check in at the westerly gate. The gentleman there was extremely helpful and gave us campsite No 3 as well as a map and good advice regarding the soft sand. We entered the park on the westerly side and drove next to the river, large herds of were buffalo present. The photo shot of the trip was a fish eagle with a baby crocodile in its talons; we missed the catch but got some good in flight and eating it alive pics.
On our way past the old office we passed a grumpy man on a tractor which was strange. The reason became apparent as the thick sand appeared which was about 2kms long. The tractor had made large holes trying get another vehicle out, Derryn was driving and with tyres too hard and in high range we had to slow for the holes which resulted in the vehicle running out of steam. Down with the pressures and low range and out we came, so please be warned there is a very soft sand section after campsite No2 to No3. It was all worth it when we arrived at paradise on the river bank and a cold Tafel was on found in the fridge.
We spent 3 glorious days here and after finding a lookout near camp under a large tree over looking an inlet where the animals came down to drink we never moved. Roan, elephant, wildebeest and impala roamed freely through our camp, sometimes a bit bewildered at the naked humans having a shower. We will definitely be coming back here.
Arriving at Caprivi Houseboat safaris we were greeted by Curt and enjoyed a few cold ones on his deck. We met an Irishman, Declan who had arrived from Lusaka after a23 hour delay at the border due to the fact he had left his motorcycle in Zambia for over a year. He was continuing his journey though Angola to Senegal. He has travelled the world on his second hand motorbike he bought in Poland for E1000 many years ago. He has crossed the whole of Russia to Alaska in freezing weather, has been down South America and is now going up Africa, an amazing, brave man.
The next morning after a cooked breakfast we got onto our home for the next 4 days and drifted quietly down the Zambezi towards our first night stop at Skelm Island. What a start to the trip - two, rare birds, the African finfoot (twice!) and half collared kingfisher! Later that day we sat on the banks of the Zambezi with a fire going watching the setting sun, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Our next stop was called golden pond, on the way we stopped on the Zambian side and watched the local fishermen pulling in their nets. What a catch! Twenty eight large Tiger fish and 12 huge Barbel were in their net. They were smiling huge smiles. We came across numerous colonies of nesting Carmine Bee-eaters and white fronted bee-eaters. The most encouraging sight was the prolific number of breeding African skimmers compared to when we were here in 2018. Unfortunately, because of the wind ruffling the water, none were skimming.
We watched the sky changing colour as the sun rose drinking coffee- with bush milk (Amarula) and rusks . We walked along the river filming African Skimmers and got some special in flight shots. Chobe was calling and we set off down the river. One does not realise the size of the Zambezi, it is more than 200m wide in certain place. Ivan our driver and guide told us that they have had to move the Chobe campsite because the local headman no longer allowed them to camp on his land. They have found a far better spot, if that is possible. If any reader knows Chobe, we were camped on the Namibian side opposite the middle of Watercart loop (the river road in Chobe). We were greeted as we got off the boat by a herd of elephant on their way to the river. Our exploration away from the river bank came to an abrupt halt as we happened upon a herd of buffalo. A beautiful little inlet at camp allowed water birds free rein to entrance us.
We spent the next day cruising the Chobe River up to Serondela finding night herons, bee eater colonies and locals butchering a buffalo that had “drowned” in the river. Crocs were chased with stones and we were discouraged from taking photos! A wonderful afternoon with the elephants was marred by the most disgusting river boat driving we have ever seen. A huge river boat, a double story (The Chobe Explorer) approached a pod of hippos far too fast. The hippo were driven out of the water the drinking elephants turned tail and fled. We have never seen such awful river etiquette before. The encounter for us and the boat next to us was ruined. Leaving them behind we found another herd on the banks above us which made for some beautiful photographs.
Our last evening on the river was a braai to the sounds of lions on the opposite bank.
The following day we packed up and did the border crossing which took 10 minutes on the Namibian side and 15 minutes on the Botswana side. Curt had arranged to bring our vehicles through the border to the immigration post in Kasane,
We loaded up and made our way home, with a full card of photos, some cases of Tafel beer and wonderful memories. Will we do it again? Yes in 2024 for my sister- in-laws 60th!!!
