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Cuvelai , Atlas of Namibia

The enigmas of the Cuvelai

By Terttu Newaka
June 12, 2025

When people speak about Namibia’s most spectacular natural wonders, names like the Fish River Canyon and the Namib Desert tend to steal the spotlight. Often overlooked is the Cuvelai: a vast, seasonal wetland with all the hallmarks of a unique global marvel.

Stretching across northern Namibia and Angola, it spans more than 160,000 square kilometres of mostly over dry land... until the rain comes and the Cuvelai awakens.

 

From Angolan highlands, floodwater snakes its way south through a complex system of shallow channels known locally as iishana. There are nearly 100 of these ephemeral (temporary) channels. Typically dry, they come alive during the rainy season, spreading into a vast inland delta and transforming the region into wetlands that replenish groundwater and sustain diverse ecosystems.

 

The Cuvelai is one of only two major inland delta systems in southern Africa, alongside the Okavango.

 

Ekuma mouth_Cuvelai Basin_Namibia

Photo credits: John Mendelsohn

 

With the water comes abundance 

 

This remarkable system supports an incredible diversity of life, from waterbirds and reptiles to livestock and wildlife. Fish species such as the African catfish migrate through the channels, providing a crucial food source for local communities. Birdlife flourishes, with species like flamingos and pelicans flocking to Etosha National Park to feed and breed at.

 

In wet years, the Cuvelai is a lush paradise. In drier years, however, it undergoes a profound transformation. The interconnected channels that define this unique wetland dry up, and only the deepest iishana  retain small, vital pools of water, leaving behind a landscape of cracked mud pans, scattered pools, and golden grasslands, while seeds and fish eggs lie dormant beneath the surface, waiting for the next rains.

 

The Cuvelai is part of the lager Cuvelai Basin, a critical water source for over one million people in northern Namibia. Despite covering only about 5% of Namibia's land area, it is home to approximately 40% of the country's population.

 

The region’s fertile soils and relatively accessible groundwater made it an ideal location for agriculture and settlement. Today, most people derive their livelihoods from a combination of subsistence farming, retail enterprises, social grants and remittances.

 

Very few ecosystems on Earth change so dramatically from feast to famine, and even fewer do so while sustaining so many livelihoods.

 

Iishana_Cuvelai Basin_Namibia

Photo credits: John Mendelsohn

 

A cultural anchor 

 

The Cuvelai holds deep cultural significance, embedded in the identity of the region. Its seasonal Cuvelai’s rhythms sets the pace for farming, fishing, traditions, and even folklore across surrounding communities. Farmers shift to drought-resistant crops or livestock herding in drier years, while traditional fishing slows until the waters return.

 

Despite being a lifeline for northern Namibia, the Cuvelai faces growing challenges. Climate change, upstream developments in Angola, and increasing demand for water are placing pressure on this fragile ecosystem.

 

What has survived for centuries through natural cycles is now threatened by disruptions that could upset its intricate balance. 

 

1.12 Cuvelai P1020314 RAISON COPY

Photo credits: John Mendelsohn

 

At Gondwana Collection Namibia, we celebrate the places that make our country extraordinary. Not just the icons you know, but the unsung wonders like the Cuvelai, which breathe life into landscapes and communities alike.

 

Intrigued by the Cuvelai’s mysteries? Don’t just read about it — come feel it. Stay at Etosha King Nehale and experience this wonder for yourself.

 

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Terttu Newaka

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