Kunene

Kunene is a vast, sparsely populated region in northwestern Namibia, running from the Atlantic's Skeleton Coast to the Kunene River border with Angola. Its capital and main gateway, Opuwo, lies about 720 kilometres north-northwest of Windhoek and serves as the region's administrative, supply and travel hub.

The region is best known for the Ovahimba, semi-nomadic pastoralists who maintain distinctive dress and customs, and for landmarks such as Epupa Falls on the Kunene River, the UNESCO-listed rock engravings at Twyfelfontein and the Petrified Forest near Khorixas. The rugged valleys, mountains and dry riverbeds of Kaokoland give Kunene a remote, elemental character.

Settlements such as Opuwo, Khorixas, Kamanjab, Outjo and Sesfontein act as bases for exploring the region. Travellers can visit Himba communities, view ancient rock art, look for desert-adapted wildlife and tackle scenic routes such as Van Zyl's Pass, usually with a guide and a capable 4x4.

Kunene's economy centres on communal livestock farming, tourism and small-scale trade, supported by a growing network of lodges and community-based tourism projects. Mining interest, government services and development work also bring business and project travellers to the region.

For leisure visitors, Kunene offers some of Namibia's most remote and photogenic landscapes, while business and project travellers come for development, conservation, mining and tourism-related work. Most journeys begin with a flight into Windhoek, followed by a long overland drive or a charter flight into Opuwo.