The north-west corner of Namibia has fewer than two people per square kilometre. There is almost no tarred road, no fence and very little water. It is also home to the Himba, a semi-nomadic people of about 50,000 who have maintained their pastoral life more completely than almost any other group in southern Africa.
The Himba
Himba women cover their skin and braided hair with otjize, a paste of butterfat and red ochre that protects against sun and insects and gives the characteristic colour. Wealth is measured in cattle, and homesteads move with the grazing. The community is not a museum: people carry phones, children attend mobile schools, and some households live between town and cattle post.
Visiting well
Village visits are a significant income source and are welcomed when done properly. Go with a guide from the community rather than an unknown intermediary, agree the contribution in advance, and bring useful goods such as maize meal, sugar or cooking oil rather than sweets. Always ask before photographing anyone, and accept a refusal. Do not photograph inside the sacred fire area between the headman house and the cattle enclosure, and never walk between the fire and the entrance.
Opuwo
The regional capital and the last place with fuel, an ATM and a supermarket. It is a genuine frontier town where Himba, Herero and Zemba people shop side by side. Stock up here for everything beyond.
Epupa Falls
The Kunene River drops about 60 m in a series of cascades across a width of half a kilometre, framed by baobabs and makalani palms, with Angola on the far bank. Campsites sit at the water edge under palm shade. Crocodiles are present and swimming is unwise; the pools above the falls are used but locals will tell you which. The drive from Opuwo takes three to four hours on rough gravel.
The far routes
The Van Zyl Pass is a one-way descent into the Marienfluss valley that is among the most demanding four-wheel drive routes in southern Africa, requiring at least two vehicles, recovery gear and experience. Beyond it the Marienfluss and Hartmann valleys run north to the river in absolute emptiness. This is not a place to improvise.
Practicalities
Carry extra fuel, water for several days, two spare tyres and a satellite communicator. Distances between fuel stops exceed 300 km. Travel in the dry season; the rivers here become impassable after summer rain. Guided trips are the sensible option for anyone without desert driving experience.