Epupa Falls

Epupa Falls is in Kaokoland in the remote north of the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia. Most inhabitants are Ovahimba (singular: Omuhimba).

Get in
The small settlement of Epupa is situated on the Namibian side of the Kunene River directly at the Epupa Falls. There is no ship travel on the Kunene River. There is a gravel air strip about 8km south-west of the settlement but there are no scheduled flights that go there. Thus, apart from fly-in safaris the only access is by road. The regional road C43 leads directly to Epupa. There is also the district road D3700 from Ruacana but you need a 4x4 to use it.

See

 * The Epupa Falls, of course.

Do

 * River rafting on the Kavango, N$680 per person (Feb 2021), book at Kapika Waterfall Lodge
 * Guided nature walk, N$285 per person (Feb 2021), book at Kapika Waterfall Lodge

Buy

 * There is a small curio market right next to the community camp site. This is one of the few places where authentic Ovahimba goods and jewellery is sold: items that an Omuhimba would wear as part of their traditional attire, or use in everyday life. In larger places with Ovahimba market stalls (in Windhoek, Opuwo, Okahandja) you'll only get items made by Ovahimba but not worn by them. If you intend to buy something more than a souvenir then first ask around for a guide, and take him along. The major items are somewhat pricey, and fakes are not easy to identify.

Eat
There are two options to get lunch or dinner in Epupa: Visit one of the informal meat stalls in the settlement, or go to the upmarket camps that have a restaurant. These camps serve food also to day visitors but require prior booking, several hours in advance.

Drink
All tap water comes from the Kunene River. Apply your own judgment whether you are robust enough to drink it. The bars stock bottled water; expect to pay around N$50 per litre for it.

Connect
Cell phone connection is very patchy in this remote spot. Some phones might be able to connect to the Namibian network, but without advanced services like data or MMS.

Stay safe
The Kunene River has crocodiles and hippos. It is not safe to swim there. Directly at the Falls you will see people swimming or washing, as neither crocs nor hippos come close enough to risk dropping down the Falls. Just how close is close enough, nobody can tell. Outside the settlement it is not safe to even go near the river, as hippos are both aggressive and territorial and can easily outrun a human on land.

Go next
Go for an adventure off the beaten track in Kaokoland.