The park was first announced as the Caprivi Game Reserve in 1966 and upgraded to the Caprivi Game Park in 1968. It was gazetted as the Bwabwata National Park in 2007 and incorporated the former Mahango Game Reserve. The park has had a chequered history as it was declared a military area by the South African Defence Force during Namibia's war of liberation. It was not until after Independence in 1990 that the park could be properly run as a conservation area.

Bwabwata has low vegetation sand cuned with old drainage lines called omurambas in between the Okavango River in the west and the Kwando River in the east. The Vegetation is Broad-Leafed Kalahari Woodland with trees such as Zambezi Teak and false Mopane on the sandy areas, and Camel-Thorn And Leadwood in the Omurambas. Reeds and papyrus occur on the Floodplains, which are lined with trees such as Jackal-Berry, Mangosteen, Knob Thorn and Makalani Palm.

Large concentrations of Elephant and Buffalo, also Sable and Roan Antelope occur in the park. Main predators include Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and Hyaena. Bwabwata is one of the last refuges of the wild dogs in Namibia. Common Reedbuck, Red lechwe, Sitatunga and Hippo occur along the rivers. Birds include Wattled Crane, African Skimmer, Western- banded Snake Eagle, Wood Owl, Pel's Fishing Owl, Narina Trogon, Cape Parrot, and both Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers.