Bwabwata National Park.

Bwabwata National Park is a protected that established in 2007 and covers 6274 square miles. It was created by Merging Caprovi Game Park and Mahogo Game Reserve. Its situated in the Zambezi and Kavango East regions., extending along the Caprivi strip. Its bounded by the Okavango River to the west and the Kwando River to the east Angola lies to the north and Botswana to the South.

This area is an important migration from Botswana to Angola for African Elephant and some other game species. It is a usual protected area as about 5500 people live in the park. The Namibian government involves park residents and neighbors in planning and managing the park.

What you have to know about this national park

The area was first proclaimed as Caprivi Nature Park in 1963. It because the Caprivi Game Reserve in 1966 and upgraded to the Caprivi Game Park in 1968. The South African Defense Force occupied it during Namibia’s War of Liberation. Conservation officials were not permitted to enter or manage the park due to military operations. The defense Force left the area shortly before Namibia obtained independence from South Africa in 1990. The Namibia Government commissioned a study to assess the fauna and flora and development plans to accommodate both biodiversity protection and the 55000 park residents. Mahango Game Reserve, to the west of the park was proclaimed in 1989. The caprivi Game Park, Mahango Game Reserve and a proclaimed area along the Cuando River were united to become Bwabwata National Park in 2007. The wreckage of LAM Mozambique Airlines Flight was found in the park in November 2013.

Fauna

Several rare large mammal and bird species are found in Bwabwata. Elephant regularly move between Namibia, Angola, Botswana and Zambia. Other species found are Cape Buffalo, hippos, roan antelopes, sable antelopes, tesssebe, zebras, wildebeest, common reedbuck, red lechwe, Sitatunga and crocodiles. The main predators are lions, leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas.

The Mahango Area and Kavango River in Western Bwabwata are listed as an internationally Important Bird Area supporting globally threatened species and is an avian diversity hotspot. Species include, black-winged pratincole, slaty egret, wattled crane, African skimmer, African pygmy-goose, coppery-tailed Coucal, white backed night heron, rufous-bellied heron, Allen’s gallinule, collared palm thrush, black-faced babbler, swamp boubou, woodpecker, wood owl, various warblers and Citi colas, southern ground hornbill bared owlet.

Activities taking place in Bwabwata National Park

 

Birding

This activity is always   done in the wet season and it is done at the different bird breeding places that are located within the park and some of these include the Mahango area and Kavango River, some of the bird species that you will get to see include, African Skimmer, the salty egret, rufous Dickson’s kestrel, white backed night heron, Allen’s gallinule, black faced babbler, swamp boubou, wood owl and many others

Game viewing

The Bwabwata National Park is home to numerous wild animals which can be been in different areas of the park and mostly many are seen during the dry season where animal concentrate at a remained water source to take water some of the animals which can be spotted at Bwabwata National Park include crocodiles, African buffalos, zebras, wild dogs, the red lechwe, elephants, zebras, lion, leopards, hippos, reedbucks, Sitatunga, white Rhinos and many more

Flora viewing

The park has a wide range of flora that can give you or anyone interested in plants a field trip as they all belong to different classes. The vegetation that exist, majority are here some species include, makalani palm, Zambezi teak, African teak false mopane, Kalahari woodland, riverine woodland and many

 

When can this national park be visited.

This national park is ever opened throughout the year though sometimes visitors are advised to visit the park depending on the activity going to be carried out. The dry season at Bwabwata national park is experienced in the month of June to September and this best time for animal viewing because during the dry season, there are droughts that re-experienced and animal have to concentrate only in one place in search for water

In the rainy season of which is experienced in the months of November to April and it is considered as the low season as many of the roads in the National park are always flooded and hard to access during this time. But it’s the perfect time for birding although you will need extremely ready for the changes in weather

 

ACCOMMODATION

This national park has a variety of accommodation facilities of which include, NWR popa Falls Resort, Namibia wildlife Resort, Bum Hill resort and many others