Popa Falls

Popa is called a waterfall and is not one: the Okavango crosses a quartzite bar at Divundu and drops around four metres over a stretch of a kilometre, breaking into channels and rapids among reed islands. The setting is the point rather than the drop, with papyrus, palms and riverine forest, and the river splitting into a maze of channels that can be walked across on boardwalks when the water is low. Crocodile and hippo are present and birdlife along the reeds is good.

What you actually see

• The rapids - the river dropping around four metres over a quartzite bar.
• The channels - water splitting through reed islands across the river's width.
• The boardwalks - walkways over the channels, usable when the water is low.
• The birdlife - kingfishers, bee-eaters and herons along the reeds.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and when the rocks are most exposed. High water from March to May submerges much of the rapids and the walkways. Early morning is best for birds.

Honest expectations

It is not a waterfall and visitors expecting one are routinely disappointed. High water hides most of the rock and the boardwalks close. Crocodile and hippo make the water dangerous.

Nearby

Bwabwata National Park is east, and Rundu is west along the river.