Nkasa Rupara (Mamili) National Park

A secluded swampland detour in the Zambezi Region (Caprivi Strip)

Nkasa Rupara National Park is found deep in the Zambezi Region, and is characterized by its floodplains, intricate river channels and riverine islands.

It’s not the easiest place to get to, but worth the effort if you’ve got time to really get to know this region, and especially if you want to experience some of Namibia’s best and most secluded eco lodges and camps, including Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge and Jackalberry Camp, which is built into a giant jackalberry tree.

I didn’t see a lot of big game here, with elephants the most notable absentee considering their prevalence in the wider region. Having said that, there were lots of lechwe, sitatunga and other antelope species around, not to mention a veritable carnival of birdlife.

Like so many other parts of the Zambezi Region, for me a large part of the appeal of Nkasa Rupara is the distinct lack of tourists compared to the likes of Chobe just across the border into Botswana.