A Giant Welcome and a Sad Goodbye

It was with a fair bit of trepidation that we braved that sandy river road to Nambwa again, but once again our efforts were rewarded. We had scarcely hammered in the last peg when the welcoming party arrived: a herd of about 7 elephants with two adorable little calves. When they arrived, I was standing on a little wooden deck at the water’s edge. Ahead of me and on both sides were elephants; behind me the crocodile and hippo filled Kwando River…To say that I was nervous is an understatement. I felt very small and vulnerable. I stood perfectly still and watched as they slurped up water and broke branches as they ate. The curious little ones explored the new terrain with their feet and trunks. They were completely unperturbed by our presence. Once they had eaten their fill, they moved on.

Set right on the banks of the river with its own little wooden deck, Nambwa takes top spot in our campsite rankings. It is covered in enormous sausage, camel thorn, knob thorn and jackalberry trees, which not only provide shade but also attract a multitude of birds. Some special sightings for me were: Hartlaub’s babblers, a rufous-bellied heron, a purple heron and exquisite white-fronted bee-eaters.

The hippos came to say goodbye on our last night, chomping and grunting loudly outside our caravan. It was a wrench to leave this little piece of paradise, but the journey continues.

Nambwa Campsite:

Setting and Ambience: 10/10

Amenities: 7/10

• Shared ablutions with hot showers

• Plugs available to charge appliances

• Pool

Hakusembe Campsite:

We stopped at Hakusembe Lodge, 15 km from Rundu, on our way to Nambwa. It has beautifully appointed campsites with great amenities.

Setting: 8/10

Amenities: 9/10

Highlights:

• Beautiful view of the Kavango River

• Amazing birdwatching

• Grass! What a pleasure to be able to get into bed without sandy feet!

• Clean, private ablutions.