ǁKaras

ǁKaras is a region in southern Namibia. This area is rich in gem quality diamonds and has restricted access, so you can only enter the area as part of an organized tour. There are several ghost towns to explore.

Cities

 * — a town on the national road B3
 * — a town on the national road B3
 * — a town on the national road B3
 * — a town on the national road B3
 * — a town on the national road B3

Other destinations

 * The southern part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park
 * The southern part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park
 * The southern part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park

Understand
ǁKaras (the consonant at the beginning is a lateral click, comparable to the sound used by a rider to urge on a horse) is the southernmost and least populated region of Namibia. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean and borders to South Africa in the South and in the East and to the Hardap region in the North.

A large 26 000km2 area known as the Sperrgebiet (Forbidden Territory) in the west of ǁKaras stretches long the coast of the Atlantic Ocean between Lüderitz and Oranjemund.

Three main biomes cover the region; their tripoint is approximately at Aus: The Southern Namib desert, the Nama Karoo, and the Succulent Karoo. If the area gets winter rain then the wildflower bloom is a spectacle that warrants a visit: just like in the Karoo in South Africa, barren lands suddenly come alive for a few weeks in August and the landscape is covered with blooming wild flowers.

By car
Due to the scarcity of other options, most travellers will arrive by car, either from South Africa or from the north of the country. The major highways in the region are the B1 that crosses Namibia from North to South and passes Keetmanshoop and Noordoewer, the B3 from Keetmanshoop to Ariamsvlei, and the B4 from Keetmanshoop to Lüderitz.

By plane
The vast area is covered with small airstrips, suitable for 2 and 4 seaters. However, only Oranjemund and Lüderitz  can be reached by scheduled flights, departing from Cape Town and Windhoek.

By train
There is a train service from Windhoek to Keetmanshoop a few times a week. As the train is predominantly for freight with only one or two passenger cars, it will stop at every tree to load and unload goods. The 500 km journey from Windhoek takes almost a day. The rails from Keetmanshoop to Lüderitz are intact but there is no passenger service on this line.

By public transport
Between towns you can catch a minibus, and Keetmanshoop is on the route of the big coaches that travel to Windhoek, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Get around
There is no public transport to tourist destinations, you have to get around by car or private airplane. You can book private tours (a 4x4 and a driver) in the bigger towns of Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz.

The highways (B-roads) are tarred and in very good condition. Most C-roads are gravel roads and in fair condition, easily passable with an ordinary sedan. All other roads (D-roads, F-roads, and those without letters or numbers) tend to be rough, rarely graded, and will require a sturdy vehicle. Expect to be able to drive 120 km/h on tar, 60-80 km/h on good gravel, and about 30 km/h on minor roads. Many of the small access roads to farms require good ground clearance and considerable driving skill. Phone the host whether you need a 4x4 or not.

Farms are private properties. Don't drive onto a farm road, even if the gate is open, unless your destination is signposted there, or you intend to visit that farm. If you open a farm gate to drive through, close it again.

See

 * -- A ghost town just outside Lüderitz
 * Wildflower bloom around Aus in the early weeks of August, only if there was some rain in June or July
 * The west of the B1. A collapsed caldera, rising 650m over the surrounding environment.

Do

 * Canoe on the Orange River: The Orange River is the only permanently flowing river in southern Namibia, and it has no large animals like crocodiles or hippos. Virtually every lodge and campsite on the river has canoes for hire, and many establishments offer guided canoe tours, from multiple hours to several days. Suitable for beginners.
 * Explore the ghost towns of the diamond rush around Lüderitz. Kolmanskop you can visit on your own while for Pomona and Elisabeth Bay you have to book a tour; they are still in the forbidden zone.
 * Naute Kristall Cellar and Distillery at the Naute Dam and reservoir near Keetmanshoop. The distillery produces white wine and spirits like gin, rum, grappa with a Namibian twist: Devil’s Claw flavor. They offer tastings and a restaurant that serves light lunches, coffee, cake and juices.

Sleep
There is accommodation in all towns and villages, the smaller the place the more basic the facilities. However, not every name on the map is indeed a settlement. This particularly applies to place names along the railway, many of which are today at best an abandoned station building, and at worst only a sign next to the rails.

Between the major tourist destinations there occasionally are additional options:

Buy
There is a petrol station and a supermarket or at least a general dealer in all settlements listed as cities above. Additionally, you can re-stock food and petrol at:

Specific items for sale are:


 * Diamonds: If you have the means and the ambition, there is a large variety of local diamonds for sale at the old casino in Kolmanskop, 10 km outside Lüderitz. Namibian diamonds are among the best in the world for jewelry, and prices at Kolmanskop are reportedly very competitive.
 * Table grapes: When you pass the settlement of Aussenkehr at the Orange River in summer, try the grapes that are grown in the Orange River valley. The biggest, sweetest, and cheapest you have had in a long time, you can buy them from mobile vendors or at the Aussenkehr Spar supermarket.

Go next
ǁKaras shares borders with the:
 * Northern Cape province of South Africa to the south and east. Visit the Big Hole at Kimberley, or the August/September Namaqua Wildflower bloom at Namaqua National Park.
 * Hardap region to the north. Visit the Namib-Naukluft National Park with its tourist attractions Sossusvlei and Sesriem.