The area north of Etosha running up to the Angolan border, known as Kaokoland, is a harsh and arid landscape, home to around 16,000 Himba, semi-nomadic cattle herders who have adapted to life in this remote region. Remarkably, the Himba culture and way of life remains largely intact.
This is a true wilderness; 40,000 sq kms, bordered by the Skeleton Coast to the west, Owamboland to the east, the Kunene River to the north and Damaraland to the south. There are no tarred roads, and you would need a fully equipped vehicle to self-drive in this region.
It is best visited on a mobile safari (ask for details) or by flying in to Serra Cafema Camp.
Owamboland
This is the area due north of Etosha and east of Kaokoland. It is very different in nature. Because this area has water it is heavily populated, intensively farmed and grazed. Overgrazing and deforestation has taken its toll in this region and everything depends on there being good rains to replenish the watercourses. This is not an area that is much visited by tourists.
Caprivi Strip
Caprivi is a 500 km long finger of land between Zambia and Botswana that extends as far as the Zambezi in the east where it meets the boundary of Zimbabwe. It is a legacy of colonialism, when Germany sought a trade route to the Zambezi and the Indian Ocean. It was ‘given’ to German South-West Africa (Namibia) by Britain in exchange for Zanzibar!
The Caprivi Strip has a riverine landscape of lush vegetation, which supports many small villages.