After New Year, we move on and go through the Caprivi passing Grootfonein to Kamanjab, where we check in at Vital and Marianne the owners of Oppi – Koppi Restcamp.

The site is idyllic and the owners are nice people. What we do not yet know that we will spend almost a year here.

After a couple of days our friends who we were traveling with from Kenya to Uganda Stephen and Steffi arrive at Oppi Koppi. They wanted to find work in South Africa but could not find, so they started working at Oppi Koppi.

At the campsite we discover a chameleon. Suspicious, it turns its eyes in all directions. The coloring is adjusted to the background, but not only that, but the mood of the animal can be read from the color.

On Oppi – Koppi, we get acquainted with the German-Namibian Kathrin who runs the Porcupine Camp near to Kamanjab. We go to visit her.

The rest camp is situated in beautiful countryside. The lodge is simple,with tents and has a campground. The specialty here are porcupines that live in the wild, but at night if they want, go in for a snack. We want to see this, of course.

Kathrin tells us much about their socalled children, as she calls the animals. She shows us the different species of stings which these pretty animals have on their backs. We sit with her with coffee and cake, and quite forget how fast time goes by. It has become dim and Kathrin has quickly spread the food and turned on the radio, because they are used. Now we have to wait.

Once it is dark the first porcupines appear.

They look cute and are surprisingly not very shy. Kathrin must provide more food, because they have huge appetite today.

It does not take long and there are several at the feeding station. They are surprisingly large. We thought they were much smaller.

When there is food, there is ranking and they fight a bit to get the largest portion, which produces a rattling noise.

It was a nice evening, but we say goodbye to Kathrin and say goodbye to Marianne and Vital, we do not yet know that we have been back here in two weeks. We go on the “pad”, which means something like street.

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After a few kilometers we turn off in Divundu to Mahangu Lodge and see the first time the Okavango.

It calmly flows, until the Okavango Delta it is still about 200 kilometers where it stops in the Kalahari sand.

We also camp at the nearby Popa Falls. Popa Falls is a series of cascades and rapids located on the Okavango River in northeastern Namibia, near the border with Botswana. The falls are situated within the Bwabwata National Park and are a popular tourist attraction in the area.

The falls are not very high, with a total drop of only about 4 meters (13 feet), but the volume of water flowing through the channels and rapids can be quite impressive, especially during the rainy season. The falls are also surrounded by a beautiful natural environment, with lush vegetation, forests, and wetlands, making it a great spot for nature lovers and photographers.

Visitors to Popa Falls can enjoy a range of activities, including camping, hiking, birdwatching, and fishing. The area is particularly known for its excellent tiger fishing, and several lodges and campsites in the area offer guided fishing trips and boat safaris.

Overall, Popa Falls is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to northeastern Namibia, offering a unique combination of natural beauty and outdoor adventure.

We move on only a little bit because it is already two days before Christmas, and we do not want to wander around like Joseph and Mary. The Lodge is situated idyllically on the Okavango River overlooking Angola, we find this is a good place to spend Christmas and New Year too.

The Okavango River forms the boundary between Namibia and Angola for much of its length, and on the Namibian side, it is a vital source of water and life for both people and wildlife. The river flows through the Caprivi Stripe, a narrow strip of land in the far northeast of Namibia that extends between Angola to the north and Botswana to the south.

Along the Namibian side of the Okavango River, there are several towns and villages, including Rundu, Divundu, and Katima Mulilo, which serve as important centers for trade, commerce, and tourism in the region. The river also supports a diverse range of flora and fauna, including hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and a variety of fish species, making it a popular destination for wildlife viewing and fishing.

The Okavango River is also an important source of water for irrigation and agriculture in the region, and many small-scale farmers rely on the river for their livelihoods. However, the river is also subject to periodic flooding, which can cause significant damage to crops and infrastructure in the surrounding areas.

Overall, the Okavango River is a vital and dynamic natural resource on the Namibian side, supporting both human and ecological communities and playing an important role in the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of the region.

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Immediately after the border into Namibia we are in Caprivi stripe,a marvelous landscape and in Katima Mulilo, we set up our tent at the Zambezi. Everything is organized so properly, we believe we have left Africa.

Our journey continues west through the Caprivi strip on smooth tarmac. The route is over 100 kilometers straight, a few years ago, this was a dirt road, which at that time was a challenge.

But soon we turn off because we need an accommodation for the night. On the Kwando River, we find a place to stay. We are surprised by the price. Camping is not necessarily cheap.

But it’s only for one night because we want to visit a traditional village, called Lizauli. In the village we see women as they grind grain.

A young man leads us around and shows us a traditional mousetrap. We must wait now what the medicine man found out, especially waiting for the translation. We are told that this instrument is intended to attract the hippo and used for hunting.

The Zemba or Lizauli are an ethnic group in Namibia, primarily found in the Zambezi Region (formerly known as the Caprivi Strip). The Zemba people have a unique culture and language, and are known for their traditional music and dance. They rely on fishing, hunting and small-scale agriculture for their livelihoods, and their community life is based on a strong sense of family and social ties. The Zemba people have faced challenges in the past, including displacement from their ancestral lands due to colonialism and conflict, but they continue to maintain their cultural identity and traditions.

Back on the main street in the Caprivi, suddenly an elephant is on the road. Just incredible. We head for Divundu at the eastern bank of the Okavango.

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