Start: Ngepi Camp
Destination: White Sands Lode and Camping
Region: Kavango East
Date: 05.09.2022
Distance: 33 km (total driven today: 81 km)
Duration: 30 min
Route Profile: Paved road
Accommodation: White Sands Lodge and Camping, Divundu
Our Rating: 7/10
Wildlife: Numerous kudus, antelopes, bucks, monkeys, elephants, warthogs, water buffalo, various birds, a turtle, tigerfish
Shopping: -
Food: Muesli, bread, peanut butter, banana, snacks, rice with vegetables

Route from Ngepi Camp to White Sands Lodge and Camping

At 6:30 AM, I wake up, thanks to the loud birds surrounding our camper. I throw on some clothes and head out in search of hippos around the camp. At the Hippo Pool, I spot three of them already in the water. The sun is still hidden behind the horizon, casting everything in a magical pink light. From somewhere nearby, I hear a loud munching sound. I step forward, and sure enough, just a few meters away, a hippo is enjoying the lush grass by the riverbank. How beautiful! In awe of this magnificent creature, I watch it eat breakfast. After a few minutes, I head back to the camper to grab my camera and tell Christian about it. Together, we continue our morning safari through the camp. The hippo has since retreated a bit further into the river. On the other side, we spot warthogs, bucks, and more hippos, all peacefully having their breakfast. What a beautiful morning!

Back at the camper, we prepare coffee and breakfast. Surrounded by many birds, we enjoy the first rays of sunshine and savor this wonderful start to the day.

Afterward, we pack up and head out. We decide to stay in the area and try another campsite. On the way, we drive through the national park again, but this time we officially enter it (entrance fee: N$250). This part of the park is also beautiful, with well-maintained roads. The lady at the entrance tells us that a lion took down a water buffalo yesterday. Eager to spot the lion, we drive through the park, but unfortunately, we have no luck spotting any predators. However, we are thrilled to see elephants, bucks, antelopes, a turtle, live water buffalo, warthogs, plenty of kudus, and hundreds of birds. In four hours, we encounter only two other vehicles.

Tired from our little safari, we drive to White Sands Lodge, which is only about 25 minutes away. We are warmly and professionally welcomed there. A staff member shows us to our campsite, gives us a tour of the facilities, and proudly talks about the area. The White Sands Lodge is situated right on the Popa Falls and, at five hectares, is the smallest nature reserve in Namibia. Some parts of the lodge, like the pool, are still under construction—we're a few months too early for that. But it doesn’t matter; we enjoy our stay nonetheless. At the bar by the river, we order a small snack and take in the view and the sound of the rushing water.

We book a fishing tour for tomorrow morning. The rest of the day is spent relaxing by our camper in the sun, doing some exercise, reading, washing clothes, playing cards, and cooking. There’s a brief moment of panic while showering: two spiders cling to the wall. These are the first we’ve seen here. Once again, I’m grateful that I took an arachnophobia course a few years ago and didn’t faint on the spot.

During dinner, two small deer-like animals visit us. We watch the sunset with the soothing sound of the Popa Falls in the background and a good glass of red wine. A dream come true.

The White Sands Lodge had a bar and restaurant located right by the Popa Falls.

In Bwabwata National Park, the ranger informed us that a lion had taken down a water buffalo at the riverbank the day before. Our excitement grew. Would we see lions today? We hoped so. We drove eagerly through the park, focusing on spotting the lions rather than taking many photos. We encountered very few other visitors, and it was said that the animals up here tend to be a bit more elusive. Nonetheless, we saw elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, turtles, and much more. Unfortunately, lions and leopards remained hidden from us that day—we were simply unlucky. After several hours, we left the park, disappointed about missing the lions but happy with the many other animals we had seen. We spent the rest of the day at the waterfalls, taking time to relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun.