9 September 2025
Great excitement this morning as I spot a hippo from my bedroom! It is in the river just out from my deck. It shows us a great view of its open mouth. Later just before we get on the bus we see it head over to the other side of the river and stands up giving us a better view of its body but it then just goes under again without doing anything more interesting.
Today we drive deeper into the Kavango region to Mahango National Park, an area home to diverse wildlife. Mahango is located in the Caprivi Strip, affectionately known as Namibia’s panhandle. German chancellor, Leo von Caprivi, negotiated the acquisition of the land in 1890. It is said that he believed it would provide access to the Indian Ocean for trade via the Zambezi River, however, the small matter of the Victoria Falls is blocking the route.
As we drive we see a lot more of the traditional villages with stick and thatch family compounds. But we also see some large agricultural operations complete with mobile pivot irrigation systems – a scheme funded by the government. Many more vegetable and fruit crops being grown as well – mango, papaya. People selling river fish on side of road. Each village has a bore where people can come and get their water.
For a while we are driving right alongside the Kavango River – it is a bit strange looking at a different country on the other side.
There is a huge outdoor market in one of the villages we pass. It is he most people we’ve seen in one place for a while.
As we get closer to the town of Rundu, we start to see a lot more traffic. There is a lot of crazy driving. There is also a lot more rubbish strewn around than we have seen anywhere else. Vast housing estates being built – all very crowded and dirty. However we did stop at the first green service station in Namibia with solar panels, batteries, solar tube lighting for inside, recycled water etc.
As you would expect, closer to the river and in an area with more rainfall, there are a lot of horticultural enterprises in the region. We pass Namibia Blueberries, a massive operation all under nets. Even the prison is renown for its horticultural activities. Shametu River Lodge (our home for the next couple of days) has large vegetable, herb and fruit gardens providing for the lodges meals.
Just before we reach our lodge, we stop at the Khwe Living Museum for the San Bushmen (made famous in the 1980 comedy movie The Gods Must Be Crazy). They are no longer nomadic but this allows them to retain their language (complete with clicking sounds) and culture. We hear about some of their traditions including basket weaving, fire making, dance (and can those men get a shimmy on!) and even how they use the shaman for bad illness. Our guide’s son is around 3 years old and watches everything intently, joining in where he can – it is very cute to see but also an important part of passing on those traditions.
This evening we have another sundowner cruise – this time with plenty of wildlife sightings. We see hippos, Nile crocodile (only small ones), many different birds including Egyptian geese, spoonbills, even the first flamingo of the season. We watch carmine bee eaters noisily flocking in the trees – it is mating season and soon they will start making their nests in holes in the river bank. I spot a large brown blob in a tree and take a photo to ask about later – turns out that it was a rare sighting of a fish owl.
Then we head upstream to where there are some rapids/falls and stop at an island for our drinks. And back for our dinner at the restaurant.
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