Safari to Popa Falls

the river that feeds the Okavango Delta in Botswana

Set in the extreme northeast of Namibia, Popa Falls is an extremely modest cascade created at the point where the Kavango River crosses a small fault line.

The area is of peripheral interest to most visitors, but can serve as a place to break the long drive along the Caprivi Strip.

The Kavango River is a pleasant location for a boat ride, flanked on either side by small-scale agriculture and villages.

The Popa Falls themselves are an unspectacular set of rapids, where the Kavango River tumbles around 2.5m over a fault line.

The timing of your visit will most likely be defined by the seasonality in the safari areas with which you combine it.

Getting there

Access is by self-drive vehicle on the long traverse between Etosha and the Victoria Falls, or vice versa.

Where to stay

There is a reasonable choice of lodges in the area, most of which are aimed at budget self-drivers.

When we put together self-drive trips up the Caprivi Strip, we usually skip this area and instead stop at Rundu and Mudumu on either side.

rarely used as an overnight stop