A River on the Rise: Experience the Zambezi in an Extraordinary Season

Some experiences cannot be scheduled neatly into a travel itinerary. They happen when nature decides the moment is right. Right now, along the banks of the mighty Zambezi River near Katima Mulilo, that moment is unfolding.

Image: Gondwana Collection Namibia

Those who know this river understand that it carries stories from far beyond Namibia’s borders. Rain falling thousands of kilometres upstream begins a slow journey south, gathering strength as it moves through wetlands and tributaries until, weeks later, the Zambezi begins to rise here in Namibia. At first the change is subtle – a slightly wider channel, water creeping higher against the banks. But then something shifts.

This year, the river did not simply rise. It surged.

The monitoring station at Katima Mulilo tells a remarkable story. By March, the water level had already climbed past six metres – steep rise that on the graph appears almost like a red brushstroke cutting sharply upward. When placed alongside historic flood seasons, the patterns become striking. The current season is tracking closely with some of the wettest years ever recorded on the Zambezi, including the remarkable floods of 1968/69 and 1977/78, as well as more recent high-water years such as 2008/09 and 2019/20.

 Visual showing Zambezi River flooding trends in Namibia, 2026 levels approaching historic highs

Moments like this are extraordinary – not something you see every year, or even every decade. To witness the Zambezi rising so powerfully is to see nature’s rhythm in motion, a rare spectacle that leaves a lasting impression on anyone lucky enough to be here.

And as you watch, the landscape itself begins to transform.

Places along the riverbank that were dry not long ago now sit close to the water’s edge. Channels widen, and the floodplains begin to fill as the river slowly spreads outward. It’s not dramatic in a single moment – it happens gradually, day by day. But if you return to the same spot a week later, you notice the difference. The river has moved further into the land, and the entire area begins to feel shaped by water.

It is a side of Namibia that surprises many people. The country is often associated with deserts and vast dry spaces, yet here in the northeast the presence of the Zambezi River creates something completely different. When the water rises toward historic levels, the region feels fuller, greener and alive with activity along the river.

Image: Gondwana Collection Namibia

To spend time here during a season like this is simply special. The river moves steadily, carrying water from far upstream, slowly reshaping the floodplains as it has done for generations. The river never rises in quite the same way twice, making this a moment few get to experience.

For travellers wanting to experience this rare moment reaching – Fly-in Zambezi is a scenic air connection operating from Katima Mulilo that links key lodges within the area, including Namushasha River Villa and Zambezi Mubale Lodge. From the air, the scale of the river and its surrounding floodplains becomes clearer – network of waterways stretching across the landscape.

But the real experience is much simpler than that. It’s standing quietly beside the river, noticing how much it has risen since yesterday, and realising that you are witnessing a moment in the life of one of Africa's great rivers.

Seasons like this do not come around often. And for those who find themselves in the Zambezi Region right now, it is a chance to see Namibia from a completely different perspective – shaped not by sand and drought, but by water.