Khaudum National Park is a national park located in the Kalahari Desert in northeastern Namibia, west of the Caprivi Strip. The park is hard to reach and is home to lions and hyenas.

Geography

Khaudum National Park is situated in the Kalahari Desert. Three large dry rivers, called Omuramba-Nhoma, Cwiba, and Khaudum River, flow through the park. These rivers are important for the environment when they flood during the rainy season.

Climate

During the dry winter season, the humidity is about 30%, and daytime temperatures often reach above 25 °C (77 °F). On cold nights, temperatures may drop below 5 °C (41 °F), but are typically around 12 °C (54 °F). In the summer rainy season, humidity increases to 60%, and daily high temperatures usually range between 30–40 °C (86–104 °F). Nighttime temperatures remain above 15 °C (59 °F). The region receives an average of 550 mm (22 in) of rain annually, with 80% falling between December and March. The Kavango East Region experiences a long dry period from April to November, followed by a wet season from December to March. Its climate is classified as BSh on the Köppen climate classification scale.

Vegetation

The main types of plants in the park are tall and shorter dry forests, as well as dry acacia forests. Trees in these areas can grow up to 10 meters (33 feet) tall and have a thick layer of plants growing beneath them. Some of the tree species found here include Pterocarpus angolensis, Baikiaea plurijuga, Burkea africana, and Guibourtia coleosperma. In contrast, the lower dry forest has trees that are shorter than 5 meters tall. These areas include species such as Lonchocarpus neisii and Terminalia sericea, along with Faidherbia albida and Grewia. Along the Omuramba, the forest is denser and includes large groups of thorny bushes, such as Acacia erioloba, Acacia fleckii, Acacia hebeclada, and Acacia tortilis. Occasionally, Combretum imberbe and Combretum hereroense are also present. The bottom of the Omuramba is wet and muddy, covered with thick reeds like Phragmites and, less commonly, water lilies. Terminalia prunioides, also known as blood fruit trees, are also common in this area.

Fauna

Since 2005, the protected area has been recognized as a Lion Conservation Unit along with the Caprivi Game Park. The untouched environment of the reserve supports a diverse range of wildlife in the dry forest. The best time to observe wildlife is between June and October. From November to March, over 320 bird species live in the area, including parrots and more than 50 types of birds of prey.

Large animals are sometimes seen in the park, such as more than 500 African bush elephants, many Angolan giraffes, and numerous antelope, including roan antelope, kudu, lyre antelope, common eland, and reedbuck. There are also many prey animals. In addition to smaller cats, the area has a larger number of lions, as well as African leopards, spotted hyenas, jackals, occasional cheetahs, and even African wild dogs.

Tourism

Khaudum is a very isolated area. However, it attracts many tourists each year. At first, only two camps were available for visitors. However, in May 2013, both camps and the entire park were closed. In 2015, the Khaudum campsite became private and was completely fixed up. It now offers six shaded camping areas near the Xaudum Lodge.