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Botswana

Namibia

South Africa

Nkasa Linyanti

LOCATION:

Nkasa Rupara National Park

NUMBER OF ROOMS:

6

PRICE RANGE:

NAD 7,000 — NAD 10,000

DATES OPEN:

Year round

LOCATION:

Nkasa Rupara National Park

NUMBER OF ROOMS:

6

PRICE RANGE:

NAD 7,000 — NAD 10,000

DATES OPEN:

Year round

Where the rivers meet

Exciting, rich and diverse, yet virtually undiscovered, Nkasa Rupara National Park in the Zambezi region is a hidden gem. This wild and remote area is part of Namibia, but not as you know it. There are no silken sand dunes or deserts that merge with the horizon in a glistening haze. This is Namibia in a new light, and it’s time to look again.

Nkasa Rupara is a wetland that forms part of the greater Linyanti ecosystem and abuts Botswana on three sides, linking Namibia to Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park. Despite its enviable position, the rugged and beautiful terrain is largely untouched, allowing animals to roam undisturbed and guests to enjoy the endless luxury of space.

The lodge itself opens in mid-2022, and is the only camp on Nkasa Island. The intimate camp is shaded by a canopy of trees, beneath which six canvas tents provide atmospheric accommodation.

Why You’ll Love Nkasa Linyanti:

  • An escape in the truest sense of the word - Nkasa Rupara National Park is an area as wild and remote as you could hope to find, with 35,000 hectares to explore.
  • Being a private concession, guests here are alone in the wilderness, with only flora and fauna to discover instead of vehicles full of other tourists.
  • The vast wilds of Nkasa Rupara are a paradise for twitchers, boasting Namibia’s richest birdlife. More than 430 avian species have been recorded here – that’s more than anywhere else in Namibia.
  • This sprawling concession boasts the unique distinction of being the largest wetland area with conservation status in Namibia.
  • Nkasa Linyant lodge is positioned at the heart of a great interlinked wetland system at the centre of KAZA, the world’s largest conservation area.

We recommend booking Nkasa Linyanti as part of a complete Natural Selection safari, but if you want to book it separately or just check availability, click here to select dates and book.

Interested in learning more about the prices? View Rates

Explore Nkasa Linyanti

Nkasa Linyanti Gallery

Nkasa Linyanti

Nkasa Linyanti Accommodations

The main areas are beneath canvas, and comprise a capacious, open-sided lounge, and a chic dining tent. Both sit in an opening on the tree fringed island, with commanding views across the Linyanti flood plain so you won’t skip a beat of the bush.

Days can be spent relaxing in the many comfortable sofas and armchairs in the lounge area with a book from the small library or binoculars in hand. A well-stocked bar in the lounge and a pool close by are some of the amenities that can be enjoyed at leisure. Meals can be served beneath the stars or in the shade of a tree to keep guests immersed in nature.

Shadows dance across the crisp canvas of the six classic tents. The movement of the trees over the camp is mirrored by the abundant wildlife roaming the floodplains to the front of the lodge. A handily positioned verandah provides a shaded spot from which to absorb the interactions in the landscape.

Home comforts abound within the serene and spacious tents, with elegant four poster beds and campaign style furniture adorned with canvas, leather and brass accents, whisking guests away to a cinematic safari experience.

Each of the rooms boasts an en suite bathroom, replete with both indoor and outdoor showers, ensuring that occupants don’t miss a moment of the action around camp.

As with all our camps, we tread lightly here. The camp is entirely solar powered with lighting and charging points in all the rooms and common areas. Nkasa Linyanti also makes use of the latest clean and green technology, ensuring maximum respect and minimal impact on this fragile and pristine environment.

Nkasa Linyanti When to visit

The animals roam the area throughout the year, it’s only their backdrop that changes with the seasons.

Floods wash over the landscape from May onwards, carving seasonal channels though the park that serve as mokoro routes for guests and their polers. Water levels begin to rise from June to September, with only the giveaway ears of hippos to break the sparkling surface of the waterways.

The summer rains breathe new life into the park between December and March, springing emerald grass towards blue skies, that conceal lions as they pace softly behind unsuspecting prey. The bursts of rain though are short and refreshing, painting a safariscape full of fresh tone, texture and promise.

Nkasa Linyanti Activities

Game drives offer the best way to get out and explore the watery terrain and discover the many species within it.  Observe and learn about every aspect of life in the reserve, from the tiniest details to the overwhelming beauty of it all from your highly qualified guide.

Those eager to make the most of the camp’s position at the heart of an expansive wetland though, could take a seat in a boat for a bit of water based game watching or a quiet sundowner. Floating through the wetlands allows you to observe the landscape from a unique perspective.

 

Nkasa Linyanti Landscape and Wildlife

The national park borders three of Botswana’s best-loved reserves: Linyanti, Kwando and Selinda. Since there are no fences between them, the wildlife wanders freely across the rivers, resulting in bountiful and diverse wildlife populations in Nkasa Rupara – one of Africa’s most beautiful national parks.

Extending to around 70,000 acres, the national park is positioned at the core of the KAZA (Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area), and is one of southern Africa’s most significant protected areas and a crucial trans-boundary link for wildlife migrations between Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. 

Flashes of gold give away the many predators who stalk the region, enticing guides to venture closer and allow guests to observe animals such as lions and leopards who are particularly abundant here. The big cats themselves prowl the trails of huge herds of mega herbivores. Impala, reedbuck, warthog, kudu, zebra, wildebeest and even sitatunga punctuate the reserve, while massive herds of elephant parade through the wetlands and buffalo ruminate in huge gatherings. Splashes herald the movements of red lechwe in the watery expanse, watched by the hippos who congregate in large pods. Spotted hyenas fill the shadows, their calls haunting most nights.

The skies meanwhile are a kaleidoscope of feathered hues, with more than 430 species of birds having been recorded here.

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