Mahango Game Park

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The Mahango Game Park is a small park, a short drive south of Popa Falls, on the border with Botswana. As Popa Falls is a natural point to break the long journey between Rundu and Katima Mulilo, Mahango Game Park should be considered for inclusion in the itinerary. Driving the route through the park will take approximately half a day. In order to drive the full circular route, a 4x4 vehicle will be needed. There is a shorter route which can be driven by a sedan in the dry season. The effort of visiting the park will be rewarding in terms of wildlife and bird watching.

The Mahango Game Park has a high number of elephants, as well as fair numbers of antelopes which are scarce or not seen in other parts of Namibia. These include the roan and sable antelope antelope, tsessebe and the red lechwe. The park is also home to a number of sitatunga, however these antelopes are very scarce, and sightings will be excellent luck. The best time to see elephants and antelope will be during the dry season. Part of the park borders on the Kavango river, so the possibility of seeing crocodiles exists. In order to see hippos, the traveller should book a nocturnal game viewing trip, as hippos are nocturnal creatures. The best time for game viewing is in the dry months between March and October.

The Mahango Game Park is an excellent destination for bird watching. It has three different habitats: the Kavango River, the flood plains, known as omurambas and woodlands, so a wide spread of species can be seen. The best time of year for bird watching is in the rainy months from November to February.

Note the following important points:

A short drive can be done in a small sedan during the dry season. In the rainy season, or to drive the entire circular route, a 4X4 vehicle must be used. Mahango Game Park is in the malaria area, and travellers must consult with their doctors on malaria precautions before entering the area.