Bwabwata National Park

You could easily drive straight through Bwabwata National Park without realising it. The B8 towards Windhoek cuts right through this narrow strip of wilderness that is squeezed between Angola and Botswana. The Kwando and Kavango rivers shape its western and eastern edges, while the landscape is a far cry from Namibia’s classic desert scenery: think green floodplains, wetlands, woodland and plenty of water-loving wildlife. It’s also one of the country’s most interesting examples of people and wildlife sharing the same space, with local communities living and working alongside the animals. And what animals! Elephants use the park as a vital migration corridor between Angola and Botswana, while buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, lions, leopards, zebras and an impressive selection of antelope can all turn up. Of the Big Five, only rhino is missing from the line-up.