Nkasa Rupara (Mamili) National Park

Pros & Cons

• Excellent bush vibe
• Buffalo, which is uncommon in Namibia, present
• Little visited and adventurous destination
• Fantastic bird-watching destination
• Accommodation options limited
• No facilities inside the park
• Tracks are often in bad condition, making driving difficult
• Vehicles must travel in pairs at all times
• The park becomes totally inaccessible when it floods

Wildlife

This is a park in which you need to work for your sightings, but there is a good variety of wildlife. It’s one of the few places in Namibia to see buffalo and elephants regularly pass through. The wet habitat is great for antelope such as red lechwe and sitatunga. Wild dogs roam the area and lions are quite common. Many hippos and Nile crocodiles live in the water channels.

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Scenery

The park is primarily a swamp between the Kwando and Linyanti rivers. There are several overgrown channels crisscrossing the marshland. It becomes Namibia's version of Botswana's Okavango Delta when flooded – an inaccessible paradise of islands and reed-lined waterways.

Weather & Climate

Nkasa Rupara has a hot climate but in mid-winter (June to August), early mornings tend to be chilly and you’ll need warm clothing for game drives. November to April is the Wet season. It usually doesn’t rain all day, but afternoon thunderstorm can be expected.

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Best Time to Visit

Although precipitation at Nkasa Rupara is not that high, during the Wet season (November to April) it can be enough to close the wetland’s roads. The heat tends to be oppressive at this time. The drier months of May to October are a better time to visit, particularly as this is the peak time for wildlife watching.

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Want to Visit Nkasa Rupara NP?

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