Sioma-Ngwezi is ....

 Sioma-Ngwezi is a pre-park and is not truly accessible.   We failed to track down the park rangers since they leave for the weekend to their homes.  The main tracks surround the park and appear very slow due to sand/trees etc. We stayed at the wonderful and highly recommended new lodge being built by Hans Aaskov, Sioma Camp.

Sioma camp is wonderfully situated. We stayed at the tented sites since the camping area was under construction and we very highly recommend the place. The design and facilities are first class at a bargain price. While there is potential for fishing in the area, we used our stay to visit Sioma Falls (can be arranged at the lodge), this is a few hour walking+canoe crossing. We also drove into areas bordering Sioma-Ngwezi park to assess the wildlife, topography and the brand new Sioma Bush camp built by Hans. The area has much potential as there are water sources and wildlife to explore. Being a woodland, with no visitors other than the native villagers it is not surprising that wildlife is skittish and require patience and luck to observe.

Park accessibility is quite challenging and requires more of an expedition. Since the tracks we drove on were newly cut, with trees, deadwood, and thorns all over and beside the narrow track. The major problem is punctured tires. We took two punctures in the span of 45 minutes and had to pray for safety since the closest place to fix them was in Katima Mulilo in Namibia (around 150KM and 6-8 hours drive).  The good news is that given the lack of infrastructure, this area will remain remote for a decade of more to come.

In summary, while Sioma has much potential, it will likely develop gradually in the next decade, but once the tar road is completed from the south (Katima Mulilo) it is going to become much more crowded.