Kunene River Safaris

This is the land of the Himba. Theirs is one of the few remaining semi-nomadic tribes still in existence. Cultural interactions are truly unique and authentic. Few people visit this part of the world, fewer live here. You can learn about the tribe’s culture, history, and way of life.

Overall, this is a respectful glimpse of how a nomadic people function, from their diet to their mud-and-dung homesteads and methods of cattle farming despite the harsh conditions.

The Himba women have famous skin routines using red ochre, arrange their hair in intricate styles, and make jewellery by hand. You can purchase their handicrafts on a trip to see them. Of all the cultural experiences you can have in Africa, this is among the most profound and authentic.

There are many different ways to get around while staying in Kunene. There’s the classic 4×4 vehicle, quad bikes (at certain lodges), by boat, or on foot. To best understand and see the minutiae of desert life, a guided walk is often the best way to travel! Your guide will explain rudimentary tracking, pointing out plants, insects, and lizards that are often missed from a vehicle. Your guide will use their tracking skills to try to locate wildlife, as well as teach you about the geological history of the area. Photographic opportunities are excellent in this part of Namibia, with light playing off the region’s incredible, natural, stony architecture.

River cruises are a lovely calm way to watch wildlife come to drink at the riverbanks. Alternatively, some areas of the Kunene River are perfect for the more intrepid, offering white water rafting over rapids. Boating here is mainly a gentle affair, and allows you to get closer to the wildlife that comes to the river.

Never has the impact of a river been more obvious to see. The banks of the Kunene are green with plant life, and an amazing contrast to the parched wasteland just metres away! Boating is a great way to see birdlife, and with over 300 species recorded in the area, there’s plenty happening. Riverine species include the giant kingfisher, herons and egrets, the African darter, and the formidable African fish eagle.

With zero light pollution, the night sky is at its most impressive in the desert. Here you can experience stargazing like never before, with some lodges offering stargazing tuition. You can visit Epupa Falls, where the Kunene River cascades over a series of rocky ledges. Go to Twyfelfontein, where there is a large collection of ancient rock artworks. Enjoy hiking trips to Epupa Falls and along the Kunene River, where the birdlife is particularly good. And aboard a 4×4 you can go farther afield, exploring remote and more rugged locations such as the stunning valleys of Hartmann and Marienfluss.