Nambwe Camp | Established Campground

Namibia

Details

Verified:
18 days ago
Altitude:
976.8 masl
Phone:
None

Amenities

Electricity:
Yes - Not at Sites
Wifi:
No
Kitchen:
No
Restaurant:
No
Showers:
Hot
Water:
Non-Potable
Toilets:
Running Water
Big Rig Friendly:
No
Tent Friendly:
Yes
Pet Friendly:
No
Sanitation Dump Station:
Unknown

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Description

One reaches Nambwe after a 15km, challenging 4X4 drive through high elephant grass and sandy tracks. It lies close to a bend in the Kwando River called The Horseshoe, which is home to many elephant and a beautiful area.

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Renewed and relocated Camp Site. Very expensive, but nice Spot. No Food, Drinks available.

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This place is in wrong location - it is located at -17.88124, 23.30648

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This place is in wrong location - it is located at -17.88124, 23.30647

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They have moved to the new spot since 28th April which is close to the Kwando River's Long Lagoon. There are 4 campsites - two private ones that are closer to the floodplain. But for us only CS 1 is private. It has a good view and a lot of shade. CS 2 has a nicer view and a huge tree for shade but it is not as secluded as CS1 as you can still see CS 3 and 4.
CS 3 and 4 are quite big and facing each other. CS 4 has still a nice view of the floodplains.
All campsites are equipped with:
Large camping areas with ample shade;

Kitchen with a Lapa offering extra shade or serves as a rain cover during our wetter months, double wash basins, hot water;

Bathroom with double basin, vanity, shower, toilet, hot water fueled through a donkey boiler using 70% recycled carton fire bricks made at The Sijwa Project;

Individual Solar Powered lights, a plug point for a car fridge and 2 USB charge points;

Fire pit with concrete benches surrounded with soft white sand in which to sink your feet into around the fire. Ample space to add camping chairs around the fire.
Price:
CS 1 & 2 is 550N$ pppn plus a 100N$ levy per campsite per day
CS 3 & 4 is 350N$ pppn plus the 100N$ levy

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Nice campsite but a bit run down now because they are closing the camping and moving to a site closer to the horseshoe.

A resident hippo and an elephant passed by in the night.

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lovely camping site right on the river, ablution facilities great, very sandy entrance, but worth the while.

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Agree with previous comments about this place, but a few added points…
We actually thought the ablutions were very good. Rustic in style, but stylish and provide everything you need (flush toilets, nice hot showers, vanity basins, washing up sink). And there was no rubbish around - all very well tended.
We didn’t see much/any wildlife at the Horseshoe (it’s wet season) and the track from the camp to the horseshoe was seriously deep sand - you should let the air out of your tyres first. We did come across a hippo grazing next to the campsite ablutions at dusk.
As mentioned below the camp manager is rather unwelcoming and he also tried to charge us full price for our young kids but after some sweet talking he radioed the lodge who confirmed that it should be half price for under 12s. He became much more friendly after some effort on our part - I guess he is tired of campers turning up and complaining to him about the price / lack of access to the lodge.

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We absolutely loved this place! Setup camp on campsite #1 underneath a huge tree (Sausage and Wild Fig combined) that provides shade all day. All stands have a small wooden deck that suspend towards the water edge and hippo float up/down all day. We had a stunning sighting of a female leopard and her cub close to horseshoe. Stunning birdlife! Ablutions primitive, but clean and hot water and electricity provided. Watch out for naughty monkeys. We do agree that the price is relatively high, but we will pay it any-day again for a setting like this.

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Agree with previous comment about this campsite in terms of animal encounters. The campsite is expensive though and once you add in the daily park and conservation fees, the total bill you're looking at is around N$720 a day for 2 people, this does make this the most expensive campsite we have ever stayed in. When we first arrived we were told that the lodge was off limits, the camp manager didn't even want us to go up to reception to pay and complete the paperwork.

Campsites are at a lovely location but not well kept, rubbish was strewn around and in the bushes, the braaiplace still from the previous occupant - not what you expect for this kind of money.
Communal alutions and showers are okay but nothing special. Showers are blocked so water runs out where others have to walk through. Bafflingly, no soap provided even during covid times...

Unfortunately this lodge suffers like most business that are in the heart of touristy place with little to no competition. They rely on their location to charge higher rates for inferior service.

I would say if you're going to go to Botswana or Zambia at some point on your trip, I would avoid this place. You'll get same if not better wildlife experience for a lot less money (obviously not everywhere) and without feeling like you're an inconvenience to the lodge. If you're only on holiday in Namibia this campsite is fine, but there are others on the other side of the river which are more welcoming and much better value for money.

Be aware if you wish to have a meal at the lodge this needs to be booked through head office a week in advance as they only go shopping for food once a week.

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Everything as described before. Beautiful!
We saw elephants between lodge and campsites, Hyena directly in front of our table and hippos in the water nearby and in the evening/night around the car.
The lawn is not green :-(
Everything clean and the shower was hot.
We stayed 1 night directly on the river (No 4)
and 1 night on a pitch in the middle.
We had a relaxing trip to the Horseshoe during the day, saw elephants, crocodiles and so many antelopes and birds :-)
NAD250 ppn
+264 81 1252122

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One of the few places left camping in a national park with a real bush experience as in Botswana or Zambia.

Expensive at NAD 250 pppn. Firewood at NAD 20 per bundle.

We shared our campsite with elephants, hippo’s and impala. 4 campsites on the river with a nice woodendeck at the river edge and 3 “overflow” sites in the middle. Each site has a water tap (non potable) and braaisite.

Electricity only a few sockets at the ablution for phones etc. Donkey boiler for hot water.

The park has very narrow and sandy tracks (real nice 4x4 driving). Therefore not accesible for big rigs as bush is too narrow and too close to the road. Limited slow 3G MTC signal on the riversites, but better to enjoy the park and leave your phone off...

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4 beautiful riverside camps with a couple more set behind. A truly magical place with a small private deck on the river for you to nervously wait for the noisy hippos.

Location requires a 4x4 but if you can access it, it is perfect.

Lovely lodge with bar, restaurant, views etc.

Ablutions neglected as were parts of the campsite and high price of 250pppn.

Would still absolutely recommend.

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I am a bit surprised by the previous positive reviews as we were not impressed with this campsite. It was the most expensive campsite of our whole trip and the facilities were not great. They told us the water was not drinkable and they only had drinkable water at the lodge. We were however told that as only campers we are not welcome at the lodge, except for two hours between 4pm and 6pm when their lodge guests are out on safari. Very slow internet was also only available at the lodge, so not for use by the campers. There was no electricity at the campsites and it is very dusty. Our site had almost no shade. It was 250 Namibian Dollars per person per night. The road to the campsite is very bad and sandy.

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We came from Botswana and the road is not very challenging for 4x4 cars.
The campground is not that bad how some people describe it. Maybe if you don’t know how was it in the past it’s definitely ok. And usually we‘re more on Game Drives than staying at the campsite. The liked the park amd saw a lot of elephants at the horseshoe in the late afternoon.
Four spots are at the river and three not. N$ 250.- pppn.

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After coming here in 2014 and deciding it might possibly be our favourite place on Earth, we were worried about returning now that it has been taken over by the new lodge. The place still retains some of its magic though. A beautiful camp on the river bank with braai pit, bin and shade. Simple but lovely ablutions with hot water and now a few electric points for charging. The construction of the nearby lodge and various viewing platforms in the park does mean that it has lost some of the remoteness/ solitude that we previously enjoyed, but it still feels wild. Campers are welcome to book meals at the lodge or use the bar. The lodge does seem to have been tastefully done with low impact on the surrounds, but of course it does mean there are now more people visiting the park, and you might not have wildlife sightings completely to yourself anymore.
Expensive now too at N$250pppn + park fees ($40pppn + $10 vehicle).
Still worth a visit for a couple of days, but sadly no longer top of the list.

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Lovely rustic bush camp well off the beaten track next to the Kwando River. As the track to the camp from the B8 main road is 13 kms of sand, some of it deep and soft in hot weather, this camp can only be accessed with a 4x4 vehicle and is not suitable for big rigs due to restricted width in places between trees. The bush showers are hot and the ablutions clean, there is limited electrical power only for charging phones etc, and minimal lighting at light. The camp sites are spread along the west bank of the river and are regularly visited by wildlife including elephant and hippo. Lion, kudu, impala, zebra, leopard and crocodile and lots of birds can also be found in the park which has kms of sandy tracks to explore. 250 N# pppn camping.

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Reserve ahead in high season! Nambwa is beautiful & peaceful - deep in the park full of elephants and other wildlife. There are 6 large sites: four on the river and two behind. There are no overflow sites. Nambwa is no longer a community campsite. Now owned by African Monarch which runs an all-inclusive lodge on site. (Campers do not have access to lodge facilities.) Price is N$250 pppn. Expensive for Namibia but worth it! Telephone is 081 125 2122. The lodge website also has a link to reserve camping online: https://www.africanmonarchlodges.com/nambwa-luxury-tented-lodge/

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Really peaceful place to be.
Paid 195 pula, though we had to bargain him down from 250.
Saw plenty of hippos and you hear them in the evenings.

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Lovely spot to camp. Ablutions pretty basic but hot water and electricity on hand. Expensive 195N$ ppn

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Not stayed at the camp but just want to comment that the 4x4 road is not so challenging as some comments say. We drove to horseshoe and back passed the camp with a heavy load car and did not even have to deflate our tires despite of the sandy tracks. Some basic experience about how to drive in sand is enough, or just watch some YouTube videos on this and you'll be fine. So don't let this hamper you of visiting the camp because it is definitely a very nice area!

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Great location in a part of the Bwabwata NP with many animals, short drive to the horse shoe bend, really nice ablutions, electricity and dish area at ablutions, braai stands and water at pitches, a lodge is being added at the moment so some construction noise during the day, booking ahead advised if you want to camp directly at the river, 4x4 recommended
175N$pp (12€) for river site, 150N$pp (10€) for overflow site

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On Kwando river, excellent facilities, great overnight stop & you are supporting the community which are doing a fantastic job here

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Community run, one reaches Namwa after a 15km, challenging 4X4 drive through high elephant grass and sandy tracks. It lies close to a bend in the Kwando River called The Horseshoe, which is home to many elephant and a beautiful area.

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