Kaokoland

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Anthony is the author of the ‘Botswana & Namibia’ Lonely Planet guide.

Remote Kaokoland is not primarily a wildlife destination and doesn’t support large populations of animals. But you’ll likely see gemsbok, springbok and Hartmann's mountain zebra scattered throughout the area. The Kunene River, which forms the border between Namibia and Angola, harbors many Nile crocodiles as well as a few hippos.

ElephantVery Rare

GiraffeRare

HippoVery Rare

BuffaloNone

ZebraRare

WildebeestNone

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoVery Rare

LionVery Rare

LeopardVery Rare

CheetahVery Rare

HyenaVery Rare

Wild DogNone

Wildlife Highlights

Although most visitors don’t come to Kaokoland to see wildlife, everybody hopes to catch a glimpse of the sought-after desert elephants. They are, however, easier to track farther south in the more accessible Damaraland region. Lions are also present in and around some of the river valleys, but they’re difficult to see. The area is home to a wide variety of small reptiles, including the endemic desert chameleon.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing is hit-and-miss throughout the year. However, the best time overall is during the Dry season (May to October), especially in the cooler, temperate months from May to September. If you’re here for the birding, visit during the Wet season (November and April), when migrant species are present.