Mahango National Park lies 25km south of Divundu. It was first declared a conservation area in 1983 and opened to the public in 1986. In 2007 the Mahango National Park and the former Caprivi Game Reserve were combined, and it now forms part of the protected area between the Kavango and Kwando Rivers.

The Kavango river has floating mats of hippo grasses, and is flanked here and there by wetlands of papyrus swamps, horse-shoe lakes, and flooded grassland. The terrain in the park varies from riverine forest to dry woodland. Mahangu is listed, with good reason, by Birdlife International as part of the Zambezi Important Bird Area (IBA). The park is home to around two thirds of Namibia’s bird species. The floodplain is vital to rare species like the African Skimmer and Pel’s Fishing Owl. Grassland areas can yield sightings of Palearctic migrants, including Black-winged Pratincole. Summer is the best time for birding as many of the migratory birds have arrived for the breeding season.

Although the Mahangu area is not that large, it has a wealth of wildlife including roan, kudu, red lechwe, reedbuck, waterbuck, bushbuck, duiker, steenbok and sitatunga. The river teems with hippo and crocodile, and you might catch sight of a clawless or spotted-necked otter. A fair number of elephants pass through this area and predators include lion, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog.

The park is divided by a good road that runs north/south to and from Mohembo Border Post with Botswana. Leading off this road on the eastern (river side) is a meandering track of about 15km. The western side is a 4x4-only route. All the lodges in the area conduct guided trips to Mahangu and the Buffalo Core area of Bwabwata National Parkwhich lies across the river.

The summer rain is usually between November and April, with an annual average of between 550-600mm. The winter is from April to September.