Mudumu National Park
Mudumu National Park is in Caprivi in Namibia. It is a very under-rated park with easy access and beautiful scenery.
Understand
The park's western boundary is on the Kwando river. It covers an area of 737 square kilometres (285 sq mi).
The area is an important migration route from Botswana to Angola for large game species such as African elephant. There is no boundary fences, and Mudumu forms a crucial trans-boundary link for wildlife migration between Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. It is in the centre of Africa’s largest conservation area, the Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KaZa TFCA).
Landscape
Mudumu National Park is situated in the tree and shrub savannah biome. Vegetation types are north-eastern Kalahari woodlands, riverine woodlands and islands, Caprivi mopane woodland and Caprivi floodplains. The Kwando River floodplain, grasslands, riparian woodlands and dense mopane woodland shelter woodland fauna and flora.
Flora
Mopane (Colophospermum mopane), wild syringa (Burkea africana), leadwood (Combretum imberbe) and mangosteen (Garcinia livingstonii) are common trees.
Fauna
Mudumu has a large African elephant population. Other animals include African buffalo, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, cheetah, African wild dog, hippopotamus, Nile crocodile, sitatunga, meerkat, red lechwe, sable antelope, Common eland, giraffe, impala, plains zebra, blue wildebeest and spotted-necked otter. Sable antelope, giraffe and eland were re-introduced into the area.
Tiger fish and tilapia are common fish species. 430 bird species have been recorded, including African fish eagle, African skimmer and western-banded snake eagle.
Get in
Mudumu National Park is around 30 km (19 mi) south of the main B8 tar road that runs through the strip.
Fees and permits
No permits are needed for travelling on the C49 road that connects the villages of Kongola and Lizauli. Permits are required on all other roads and tracks within the park. Foreigners from outside the region pay N$60 per person plus N$50 per vehicle.
Get around
The C49 is a tarred road. Most other roads inside the park require four-wheel drive vehicles. During the rainy season from November to April it is recommended to drive in a convoy of at least two vehicles.
See
To the east of the transit route through the park, there is a huge area of beautiful mopane forest which the game moves into during the rainy season.
To the east of the road, mixed mopane scrub/riverine forest is the place to be during the dry season.
Do
Popular tourist activities include walking, bird watching, and game viewing. The park has been divided by the Namibian Government into some sections that are called concessions; the concessions form zones for various activities.
Sleep
Lodging
- 🌍 Camp Kwando, ☏ +264 81 149 1435.
- 🌍 Lianshulu Lodge, ☏ +264 64 403 523.
- 🌍 Lianshulu Bush Lodge, ☏ +264 61 224 420.
Camping
- 🌍 Malyo Wilderness Camp, ☏ +264 81 124 1436.
- 🌍 Nakatwa Camp 3, ☏ +264 61 284 2111.
Stay safe
Mudumu is in a high-risk malaria area.