Khaudum National Park

camping safari with 4X4 cars, nights in the desert or local camps

Khaudum is pure Africa, great wildlife, especially elephants, but giraffes, roans, kudus, duckers and other antelopes too; lions are rare and shy, we only saw their footprints. There are only 2 very simple camps, we were in Sikeretti, only cold water, no fence. No food available, you need a 4x4, or better 2 4x4 in convoy. Very sandy roads, i dont know how it may be when it rains, maybe even more difficult. You need an experienced guide, because the signs are rare and often destroyed. No gas station available, even Tsumkwe, outside, often is without gas.

vast and remote

4.000 km² and just a few guests... this is Khaudum NP. More or less impossible to travel in rainy season because of water and mud, deep sand in dry season and a mixture of both in between (March to May and October to November).

You will find 2 camps - Sikereti in the south, about 40 or 50 KM north of the southern entrance. Some shady places, 2 showers with cold water, 2 toilets - thats it. No electrical power, no comfort. It's for people who enjoy bush camping. Khaudum camp in the north, what means 100 KM south of the tar road will offer more - there is some building-work at the moment and in December 2014 travellers should find a new lodge and 6 or 8 campsites - offering some amenities.

Between these camps you drive some nasty tracks, deep sand, sometimes mud. Some of the tracks are overgrown with plants and bushes - so take care about the cooler of your car and clean it - the seeds will clog your Radiator!

Bring everything with you - if you have a problem with your car or if you get stucked there is nobody - think about water, food, recovery gear, GPS, maybe a Sat-phone to call help if you are in deep trouble. Fill up Diesel - you should be able to drive 500 KM on tar-roads to get through the deep sand of the park. Consumtion of the car at least doubles!

Best time to visit the park is the European summer - you might see Elephants Giraffe, Lions. Game leaves the park and trek to Botswana in the rainy season. To be able to travel the park you should have 4x4-experience and a reliable car - if you have the chance travel together to be able to help each other!

Until building-work is done the pad north of the Khaudum camp ist nasty to drive - the building trucks (huge and 6x6) make the sand deaper as it is normally. 3 days for the park are ok - first day to Sikereti camp and some game drive, second day from Sikereti to Khaudum camp, third day from Khaudum to Caprivi-camps. Ask the wardens at Sikereti - they might have some Information what tracks you can use and tracks that are not existing anymore. Try to find the water-holes and use the stands for game-viewing!

Khaudum is nothing for faint-hearted people but an adventure in a vast land!

An awesome 3 days in isolation

As a group of friends in December 2006 we decided to make Khaudum Game Reserve one of our destinations while on a 4x4 self drive trip through Namibia.

We had read a fair amount about the park during our preparations but the main attraction for us was that it was a destination where not many people tend to travel at that time of the year, mainly due to the heat and because it's the beginning of the rainy season so there is less game to be seen. Now because we live in South Africa it's not all about the Big 5 for us, sometimes the smaller things have far more appeal!

We entered the park from the North and had read all about the thick sand on the way in. Shortly after we turned off the tar we decided to let some air out of our tyres to make the sand driving easier. We immediately felt the immense heat both from the sun as well as the sand! It was very slow going due to the hot sand but we slowly made our way South. Along the way we stopped to help another group of vehicles the were headed North but were stuck and had been for a few hours. They were towing large off-road trailers which obviously made the going more difficult. We managed to help them and then headed off again.

We reached Khaudum camp and were the only vehicles there, just as we'd hoped. We setup camp and head off for an afternoon drive. We didn't see too much but the scenery was magnificent to say the least. We arrived at a watering hole to the East of the camp and had a few sun downers and chatted amongst ourselves, what more could one ask for.

Early that evening while were were headed back to camp there was large thunderstorm that had been building up in the distance, little did we know that it had come straight though camp and simply tossed our tents into the trees some 50m away from where they had been erected, tent pegs and all! Let's just say that we didn't have a good nights sleep at all due to all our bedding being wet!

The facilities at Khaudum camp weren't very good but that isn't of much importance to us. It's about being out in nature.

The following morning was another glorious morning in Africa, we were now headed for Sikereti but had decided to make a full day of it and travel most of the parks roads. We went East via Leeupan and zig zigged our way towards camp. At Leeupan we decided to break for breakfast, while we were eating we had a very large bull elephant come to visit. He was extremely inquisitive and kept coming closer and closer till we eventually decided it was time to move away quietly in our vehicles and let him be.

Along the way we saw a brilliant herd of Roan Antelope, this for us was one of the highlights of the trip purely because there are very few natural breeding herds left in Southern Africa and this is the one area that can still boast this!

The birding was good in the park and the scenery magic.

In Sikereti camp the facilities were better than Khaudum camp and we had a lot more nocturnal animals visiting us in the evening. The Hyena's can be a pest but that comes with the turf I guess.

The road from Sikereti South was very wet with lots of black cotton soil, in total contrast to the North in terms of terrain and scenery.

All in all Khaudum in an wonderful park to visit and we'll most certainly be back there again. September / October are the best times for game viewing but will also be the busiest in terms of visitors. I know which time of the year I will go back though ... December / January.

Cheers
Mike

lost in africa's wilderness

No accommodations what so ever (must be self sufficient (water!)). Only/mostly (very) deep/heavy sand tracks which are difficult to navigated. Recommended to drive in a party of at least 2 vehicles.
Grumpy elephants, which are not accustomed to people. Not much wildlife, but we saw honey badgers!

Khaudum is a difficult safari destination. Deep sand is tricky driving, and the thick bush keeps the wildlife hidden. That said, you will have the park mostly to yourself! But do keep an eye on your shoes. Hyena love them.