Once again we wake up before sunrise and, from our sleeping bags, watch as the rays slowly bring the whole surroundings to life. So peaceful. Today is the first day we leave our camper behind. We meet at the small restaurant at 8:00 AM and set off for a 3-hour boat ride with Manfred. Our tour on the Okavango starts right next to the Popa Falls. It’s incredible—we’re the only two passengers, so we unexpectedly get a private tour. Manfred skillfully navigates through some rapids at the beginning and maneuvers us safely around the rocks. Then we continue downstream. It’s going to be a long ride because we plan to fish from the bottom to the top. The journey to the first fishing spot is an exciting adventure in itself. Life in and around the river comes to life in all its glory. Children play on the shore, farmers drive their cows along, and wild animals bask in the warmth of the sun. Manfred tells us about life here and gives us an in-depth look at the local happenings. Nature reveals itself in its most beautiful form—untouched and pristinely clean in parts.

When we arrive at the first fishing spot, Manfred signals it’s time to fish. Tigerfish are abundant here, so we use spinners as bait since they are hunters. After a while without any bites, we move on to the next spot. The fact that we don’t catch anything doesn’t bother us at all—the area is breathtaking, and I prefer to observe the surroundings rather than just focusing on the rod. Hippos keep poking their heads out of the water, crocodiles bask on rocks just a few meters away, and countless birds flutter through the air. The area is alive with activity!

After two hours without a single bite, it seemed like fishing luck wasn’t on our side today. But just at that moment, there’s a jerk on my fishing rod, and I pull a tigerfish aboard! Manfred helps me bring the fish safely to the boat and expertly removes the spinner. The fish shines beautifully, and with its red fin, it looks majestic. Its sharp teeth, however, are impressively fearsome. We admire the fish, take a quick photo, and then gently release it back into the river. Tourists must release the fish after catching them to ensure that the locals are not deprived of their food source. We fully support this principle, of course. After this little adrenaline rush, we head to the next fishing spot. Here, too, we’re lucky and catch a really big tigerfish. It fights vigorously on the line, but after a few minutes, we manage to get it aboard. Its teeth are truly imposing. Now we understand why the fishing lines are equipped with steel leaders.

Since we’re enjoying the ride so much, we book a sundowner boat trip for the same evening. After returning to the mainland, we enjoy a refreshing drink at the bar and plan the upcoming days of our trip. Unfortunately, our Namibia journey is slowly coming to an end. After a relaxed afternoon of playing cards and reading, our sundowner boat trip starts at 4:30 PM.

Once again, we are the only passengers on the spacious boat. We take seats at the front, enjoy a beer, and let ourselves be enchanted by the surroundings and the warm breeze. On a sandbank, we spot two hippos just waking up from their afternoon nap. We climb up to the deck and can observe them up close. Incredible! By now, hippos have become one of my favorite animals. We even spot an otter along the riverbank! How amazing—I've never seen one in the wild before.

When we ask Manfred why large branches are placed at most river access points, he explains that the locals do this to keep the crocodiles away when they’re near the shore (for example, while washing clothes). Unfortunately, people die here every year, either from crocodile or hippo attacks. Especially now in the evening, many people are by the river. Children are playing, women are washing clothes, fishing with nets or by hand, and cows are grazing at the edge. We head over to a fisherwoman who shows us her catch of the day.

Finally, the red twilight sets in, and the evening becomes simply perfect, almost magical. With these two boat trips, we’ve truly hit the jackpot and can’t get enough of the views. The sun glows a fiery red over the Okavango. With countless impressions from the day, we start a fire back at our camper, cook potatoes, rice, and tomato sauce, and wind down the evening with a card game. How magnificent nature is!