Khaudum National Park is located in the North Eastern part of Namibia offering tourists a peaceful place away from the noisy towns. It is at the border of Botswana and Namibia and a home to various wild animals and birds that habitate within the Park and its location near the Namib Desert makes it experience some semi-Desert conditions and therefore before you head out there, you should be ready for the harsh weather conditions that are experienced within the area.
Khaudum National Park was declared a reserve in the year 1989 and besides the wild life that habitates within the National park, it is the only Park in the next to the Namib Desert that acts a home to the unique vegetation that comprises of the savannah woodland which is found in the Kalahari Sandveld biome. The Khaudum National park has a lot of wild life that habitates within it but there are about two rules that all tourists should follow and these are:
- You are not allowed to feed the animals and once you are caught, you will either be kicked out of the Park and your permit revoked or charged with breaking the law.
- There are specific places that were put up so that tourists enjoy their camping and you are not allowed to camp anywhere outside the specified places for camping because you might get attacked by the different animals that roam freely around the Park.
- If you are planning on taking a drive through the park or hike, it is better if you pre pack both the food and water because there are no nearby shops and therefore it will be very hard for you to get food while on a drive.
How to get to Khaudum National Park
There are many routes that can help you get into the Khaudum National Park and although some of these are accessible, others are not which makes it hard for one to drive through especially during the rainy season. There is a route that is located in the Northern part of the Park and this is filled with sand and can only be accessed during the dry season because it is filled with sand. The northern route during the wet season is not accessible in any way and you should be vigilant while using it because you might get stuck along the way and you will need a 4×4 car to help you get through the road during the dry season.
The Eastern route that leads into the Park can also be used and this runs from Sikereti but in order for you to be able to use this route, you should first inquire from the authorities whether you can actually use the route because due to its poor nature, you will need a 4×4 car during the dry season and it is very inaccessible if the rains come in heavy that is it floods out and is cut off. The eastern route however is the best to use as it has a lot of water holes lined up and it makes animal viewing easy especially during the dry season when the drought set in.
A caution to all those that are planning to drive through the National park, you should have a 4×4 car because of the bad condition of the roads that are filled with sand and you will also need to be careful and carry an extra tire or two because of the sharp rocks that are sometimes lying around and make sure that you also have a tour guide or driver who knows all the routes within the national park because the Park routes sometimes have animals crossing and walking within them and you will not want to knock down any of them. You should also make sure that the car has enough fuel and also carry some emergency fuel because you do not want to be stuck in the Park because it has run out.
There are several activities that are carried out while on a safari to the Khaudum National Park and some of these include the following:
Camping in the Park,
there are about two camps that have been designated for tourists to use especially those that want to experience the wild side of Namibia and these are the Sikereti camp which is located in the southern part of the Park and the Khaudum camp which is located in the Northern part of the Park. These camps are not self-contained and they are just basic that is why for all tourists that want to go camping within the Park should carry all their own essential things. Some of the rules that come with camping in the Khaudum park are you are not supposed to leave the fire burning after cooking, everything should be kept inside the tent, make sure all your body parts are inside the tents and stick to the specifies areas of camping. And note that you will not be allowed to go for camping within the Khaudum National park if you do not have a tour guide with you.
Birding in Khaudum,
birding in Khaudum is done during the wet season and it has about 300 bird species that have been recorded within Namibia. During the wet season the migratory birds fly into the country and can be seen at the different habitats with the local bird species and some of the commonest bird species that can be seen in Khaudum National Park include the Abdim’s stork, yellow billed stork, the African openbill, Bradfield’s hornbill, the southern ground hornbill, the pallid harrier, western banded snake eagle, Meyer’s parrot, lesser spotted eagle and the Dwarf bittern and all these are best seen between the months of November and April.
Wild life viewing in Khaudum National Park,
there are several animals that can be seen loitering around the National Park and since it is an open area without fencing, you can easily see these especially during the rainy season and some of the animals that can be seen here include elephants, kudus, the roan antelope, Oryx, the African wild dogs, the side striped jackal, leopards, the blue wildebeest, giraffes, lions, hyenas, warthogs and many more other species. The animals can easily be seen when you go for a drive through the Park or while trekking but with all these you will still need a tour guide to take you through the Park.
Photo safari to Khaudum National park,
a photo safari in the national park can be taken at any time of the day for as long as the park is accessible and it will give you a chance to keep your memories intact with your camera and it is one of the best ways that you can explore the wild nature of the National Park.
Trekking through Khaudum,
trekking through the Khaudum National park is always done during the dry season because during the rainy season it is extremely hard for you to access the trek routes as they are always flooded. Trekking is an adventure that you should take as it will bring you closer to the animals especially the small ones and you will also get to admire the landscape that is located within the National park. Before you head out for trekking you should make sure that you have on good hiking boots due to the sandy nature of the roads and routes that are found within the National park.
Before visiting the Khaudum National Park, you will need to find out the best time for you to go and visit so that you do not blunder and go there when the park is not accessible in any way and the activities that you want to do will determine time of your visit.