Destinations · Simanya Journal Things to Do in Nkurenkuru and Kavango West

Nkurenkuru is one of the oldest settlements on the Kavango River and, since 2013, the capital of the Kavango West region. It is not a place of big-ticket attractions. It is a place of river life, deep history and genuine village hospitality, and that is exactly its appeal.

Here are the best things to do in and around Nkurenkuru, from the river itself to mission stations, village visits and some of the best birding in northern Namibia.

• RegionKavango West, Namibia
• PopulationAbout 10,500 (2023 census)
• Across the riverCuangar, Angola
• From RunduAbout 140 km west

A short history of Nkurenkuru

According to Wikipedia, Nkurenkuru was established around 1820 and became the royal homestead of the Kwangali kingdom under King Mpande from 1880. Finnish missionaries arrived in 1929.

The town also played a part in colonial history. Germany opened a police station here on 17 June 1910, and on 31 October 1914, in the first months of the First World War, German forces attacked the Portuguese fort at Cuangar on the opposite bank. The seat of the regional administration later moved to Rundu in 1936. Nkurenkuru regained its importance in 2013, when the old Kavango Region was divided and the town became the capital of the new Kavango West region. The 2023 census counted 10,463 residents.

Things to do in Nkurenkuru

1. Go tiger fishing

The Kavango is famous for tigerfish, and Nkurenkuru sits on one of the river’s quieter stretches. Guided excursions leave straight from Simanya’s riverbank. Read our complete guide to tiger fishing on the Kavango River for seasons, tackle and licence tips.

2. Take a sunset cruise

A slow boat trip in the late afternoon is the best way to see the river. Expect reed beds and sandbanks, fishermen in dugout canoes, kingfishers and bee-eaters, and the lights of Angola coming on across the water.

3. Glide along the river in a makoro

The makoro, a traditional dugout canoe poled by a standing guide, has been used on the Kavango for generations. It is quiet, low to the water and the most intimate way to explore the river’s edges and backwaters.

4. Visit Tondoro Mission

Tondoro, south-east of Nkurenkuru, is home to the St. Laurence Mission. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 1927 by Father Weilhöfer of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Benedictine sisters from Tutzing run a girls’ hostel and a clinic there, and the mission serves 35 communities along the river. Its church is one of the most striking historical buildings in the region.

5. Join a village tour

A guided visit to a nearby village is a chance to see daily life along the Kavango: homesteads of thatch and reed, fields of mahangu (pearl millet), and crafts such as basketry and woodcarving. Go with a local guide, ask before taking photographs, and buy crafts directly from the people who make them. Our guide to Kavango culture explains more.

6. Watch a traditional dance performance

Music and dance are central to Kavango culture. Performances can often be arranged for groups, and they are a highlight of any visit.

7. Go birding on the river

The mix of river, floodplain, reed beds and Kalahari woodland makes western Kavango rewarding for birders. The Rundu area special birds list on Exotic Birding includes species such as the Red-necked Spurfowl, Burchell’s Coucal, Brown-backed Honeybird, Spectacled Weaver and White-winged Widowbird, as well as raptors such as the Bateleur, Martial Eagle and Tawny Eagle. Patient birders may even find the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl along well-wooded stretches of the river. Read our full birding guide to the Kavango River.

8. Take a donkey cart ride

Donkey carts are still everyday transport in rural Kavango. A ride along the sandy village tracks is a gentle, fun outing for families.

9. Walk the floodplain

A guided walk along the floodplain shows you the river from a different angle, with grazing cattle, birdlife and wide views across to Angola.

10. Slow down at the lodge

Some of the best moments come from doing very little: an afternoon at the infinity pool, a long lunch on the deck, a drink at the Fancy Fisherman Pub as the sun sets. Simanya’s own vegetable garden supplies fresh produce to the kitchen.

Getting to Nkurenkuru

Nkurenkuru lies on the south-western bank of the Kavango, about 140 km west of Rundu and around 670 km from Windhoek by tarred road. There is a border post here to Cuangar in Angola. See our Windhoek to Nkurenkuru road trip guide for the route and the best stops along the way, and our month-by-month guide to choose when to come.