Kaokoland
Expert Reviews (8)
Namibia Parks
Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia.
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Kaokoland
Namibia’s northwestern corner is one of the country’s gems. It’s a familiar Namibian story here of barren and beautiful rocky mountains, sweeping sand valleys and some iconic local inhabitants. The Himba, one of Africa’s most soulful people, inhabit the Kaokoveld, and an encounter with the Himba is many visitors’ favorite memory of a visit to the country. The desert elephants here also add much soul to this special landscape, and the ghostly presence of lions in remote mountain valleys in the south adds a sense of mystery to any visit. Natural wonders include the pretty Epupa Falls and the beguiling Otjinjange and Hartmann’s valleys – both worth the long-haul journey to reach. And the sand dunes and empty beaches of the coast are extraordinary. It should already be clear from the above, however, that this is not your typical safari built around wildlife abundance – that being the case, it’s probably not for first-timers. And the going is pretty tough out here – you’ll need a 4WD, plenty of patience and a passion for adventure. But the rewards are significant, not least among them a safari experience of considerable depth and variety.
Christopher is a British travel writer and has contributed to various Fodor's guidebooks and a range of travel magazines.
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Black Rhinos, Desert Elephants and Time Travel in Kaokoland
Namibia’s entire population is less than 3 million, dispersed across an area roughly four times the size of the UK, which has a population of more than 60 million. Nowhere are these statistics given more grounding than in the wild, remote and ruggedly beautiful northern region of Kaokoland.
The unforgiving terrain means you won’t find great densities of game here, but the diversity of species is actually quite astounding considering the environment. For me, when you do spot big game here it makes it well worth the detour from Namibia’s more beaten paths.
The region, also known as Kunene, is said to be home to one of Africa’s largest populations of free-roaming black rhino; I’ve also seen desert-dwelling elephants and lions. Easier to spot are oryx, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, giraffe and other plains game.
Another fascinating aspect of this region is the iconic Himba people, whose red ochre-covered skin and distinctive copper jewelry have made them a favorite with photographers. The Himba’s traditional pastoral culture remains largely uninfluenced by Western civilization and adds another layer of intrigue to a Namibian safari.
Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
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The harsh home of the enigmatic Himba
Remote and arid even by Namibian standards, the part of the far northern interior dubbed the Kaokoveld supports one person every 2 sq km, making it one of the most thinly inhabited places anywhere in Africa. There is some good wildlife viewing here, though the only large mammals we saw regularly are the handsome oryx and endemic Hartmann’s mountain zebra. An odd sight running through the heart of these arid region is the wide Cunene River, which forms the border with Angola, and attracts keen birdwatchers for the opportunity to see rarities such as Dickinson’s kestrel and Cinderella waxbill. But my overwhelming memory of the area is our encounters with the charismatic Himba, a staunchly pastoral people whose ochre-red braided hair, costumes of hides and beads, makeshift huts, and dedicated love of cattle reminds me greatly of the desert dwelling pastoralists of the Ethiopia-Kenya border area.
Dale is a multi-award-winning writer and photographer with more than 500 published magazine articles featured in magazines such as National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Travel Africa, and CNN Travel.
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Scenery To Die For
Having a sleepless night next to my campfire in the middle of an ostensibly lifeless desert because I’m afraid of a freshwater crocodile sneaking up on me may seem a little hysterical, but Namibia’s Kaokoland region, despite generally being as dry as a fossil, is full of surprises, not least of which is the raging Kunene River, which marks the border between Namibia and Angola.
On either side of this powerful torrent (the north bank lies in Angola), you will find countless miles of empty deserts, bare rock mountains, and vast gravel planes. But despite the aridity and an overall lack of standing water, Kaokoland still manages to support a large contingent of wildlife, crocodiles included.
The Kunene, with its beautiful Epupa Falls, is, however, an anomaly in what is otherwise a seriously parched-out wilderness.
Kaokoland is an adventurer’s paradise, and, in my opinion, there is no better place for a serious self-drive 4x4 road trip. I have used dried-out riverbeds as roads where I have encountered desert-adapted elephants, digging for water with their tusks and trunks. There’s also a chance to see desert-adapted black rhinos, as well as arid-tolerant lions. The beautiful Himba people, with their ochre-colored skin and ornate hairstyles, also call this region home.
Temperatures in summer are silly, enough to melt tempers, whilst rain can be as rare as carnivorous cows. But no matter the discomforts, the magnificent scenery, beautiful people, and specialized wildlife of Kaokoland make this place a must-see destination.
Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.
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Life in the Desert
Kaokoland, also called the Kunene Region, feels spectacularly remote – it’s an expanse of rugged semi-desert, tucked away in Namibia’s far northwest, between the empty, windblown Skeleton Coast and the little-explored wilderness of southwest Angola. Some find this raw isolation stimulating – I certainly do. The climate is uncompromisingly hot and dry, so you won’t encounter animals in large numbers here. However, those that do manage to survive these tough conditions are fascinating. They include springboks, oryx, ostriches and geckoes, plus desert-adapted elephants, giraffes and lions. The best place to see desert-adapted big game is in the region’s dry, sandy river gorges, where walls of textured rock make a striking backdrop.
The Kunene region is also rich in cultural interest. It’s home to the Himba and Herero people, whose traditional customs, developed in response to the demands of the desert, continue largely intact. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a little time with community members, finding out about their distinctive way of life first-hand. For this, it’s crucial to find the right guide, with personal connections and a sensitive approach.