Experience Kavango West, all in one place.
Maps, places to stay, important numbers, culture and links for growth in Namibia’s youngest region, on the banks of the Kavango River. Built in Nkurenkuru to connect the world to Kavango West.
See Kavango West for yourself.
Pick a place to see it on Google Maps, get directions, or fly over it in 3D with Google Earth.
Tap below or choose a place to load the interactive map. Loading it connects you to Google Maps.
Where to go, stay and get help.
Tap “Map” to see any place on the live map above, or call directly from your phone.
Nkurenkuru Police Station
For emergencies anywhere in Namibia, call the Namibian Police on 10111, 24 hours a day.
Nkurenkuru Hospital
The town’s public hospital. Serious cases may be referred to Rundu Intermediate Hospital.
Nkurenkuru Clinic
Primary health care clinic opened in 2022: check-ups, immunisation, antenatal care, family planning and dental services.
Nkurenkuru Private Hospital
Private hospital on the Nkurenkuru main road (Erf 526).
Rundu Intermediate Hospital
The main referral hospital for the Kavango regions, about 140 km east in Rundu.
Simanya River Lodge
Riverside lodge in Nkurenkuru with rooms, a campsite, a restaurant, sunset boat cruises and tiger fishing.
Nkurenkuru Palm Guesthouse
A quiet guesthouse in town. Ask about river trips, birdwatching and village visits.
All places to stay
See every lodge, guesthouse and campsite around Nkurenkuru on the map, with reviews and directions.
Fuel stations
Find the nearest fuel station in and around Nkurenkuru. Fill up before long drives on the B10.
Shops & supermarkets
Groceries, hardware and everyday supplies in town.
Banks & ATMs
Banks and cash machines in Nkurenkuru.
Nkurenkuru Town Council
Town services, land and erven applications, and council notices.
Kavango West Regional Council
Regional development, projects and council offices in Nkurenkuru.
Katwitwi border post
About 35 km north-west of Nkurenkuru, with a road link to southern Angola.
Mbunza Living Museum
A community-run living museum about 14 km west of Rundu on the B10, showing traditional Kavango life.
Tecover & Tuvawawa
Printing, copying, passport photos and Code B driving lessons from Forest Digital Academy, with one WhatsApp number.
Save these before you travel.
Tap a number to call it from your phone.
The Namibian Police emergency line, from anywhere in Namibia. Use it for crime, accidents and any life-threatening emergency.
Call 10111- Nkurenkuru Town CouncilTown services and council offices066 258 089
- Nkurenkuru Private HospitalErf 526, Nkurenkuru main road066 270 024
- Simanya River LodgeAccommodation and river activities083 288 8352
- Nkurenkuru Palm GuesthouseAccommodation in town081 332 2017
- FDA, Tecover & TuvawawaPrinting, photos, driving lessons and this hub (WhatsApp)085 292 9195
- Kavango West Regional CouncilOffice numbers are listed on the council’s official websiteContact page
Numbers come from each organisation’s own website or public business listings and were checked in October 2026. Please confirm before you travel, and tell us on WhatsApp if something has changed.
“The old place” with a young region around it.
Nkurenkuru sits on the south-western bank of the Kavango River, about 140 km west of Rundu, with the Angolan town of Cuangar on the opposite bank. Its history stretches back more than two centuries, to the homesteads of the Kwangali kings.
It was declared a town in 2006 and became the capital of Kavango West when the former Kavango Region was divided into two regions in 2013. Since then, new shops, banks, lodges and guesthouses have grown along the river road.
Around it, Kavango West is mostly rural: villages and farms stretch along the river and inland through woodland, with Nkurenkuru as the region’s only town.
Moments that shaped Nkurenkuru.
Tap a year to read more. Dates come from published histories of the town and region.
A home of the Kwangali kings
Nkurenkuru became a homestead of the Uukwangali kings in 1880. The Kwangali kingdom’s roots in the area go back even further, and the town’s name still carries that history.
The Finnish mission arrives
The Finnish Missionary Society began its work in Nkurenkuru in 1929, starting a long link between the town, the church and education.
A secondary school for the area
In 1990, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) founded a secondary school in Nkurenkuru with support from the Finnish Missionary Society.
Nkurenkuru becomes a town
Nkurenkuru was officially declared a town in 2006. Decentralisation brought new investment and services to the riverfront.
Capital of a new region
In 2013 the former Kavango Region was divided into Kavango West and Kavango East, and Nkurenkuru became the capital of Kavango West.
River, culture and craft.
What makes Kavango West special, and what to experience when you visit.
The Kavango River
The region takes its name from the river, which forms the border with Angola. Most people live along the river strip. Visitors can enjoy sunset boat cruises, birdwatching and tiger fishing with local lodges.
Farming and forestry
Farming is the most common livelihood. Good rainfall supports crops, and local timber feeds forestry and furniture making, with agriculture and manufacturing named as priority sectors.
Kingdoms and language
The Kwangali and Mbunza peoples have long histories along this stretch of the river. Rukwangali is widely spoken, alongside English and other Namibian languages.
Woodcarving and crafts
Kavango is known for its craft traditions, including woodcarving, basket weaving and pottery, made with skills passed down through generations.
Mbunza Living Museum
On the B10 road between Rundu and Nkurenkuru, about 14 km west of Rundu, this community-run living museum shows traditional village life, crafts, pottery and blacksmithing.
A gateway to Angola
Nkurenkuru faces Cuangar across the river, and the Katwitwi border post, about 35 km to the north-west, links the region by road with southern Angola.
Skills that travel, even when people don’t have to.
Most people in Kavango West live in rural communities, far from big cities, and many young people are looking for work. Digital skills can be learned from a phone, close to home, and can open doors to jobs, freelancing and new small businesses.
That’s why Forest Digital Academy starts with free, practical courses and a Learning Hub of trusted resources, built from Nkurenkuru for learners anywhere in Namibia.
Start learning freeLinks for development and growth.
Official places to find funding, investment support, statistics, study help and local government services.
Local government
Business, investment & funding
Skills, study & everyday services
Sources: Kavango West Regional Council, the Namibia 2023 Population and Housing Census, published histories of Nkurenkuru and Kavango West, the Mbunza Living Museum listing, Namibian Police, Nkurenkuru Town Council, Simanya River Lodge, and public business listings. Spotted something we should update? Let us know.
Run a business in Kavango West? Get listed in the hub.
Lodges, shops, guides, crafters, transport and services: tell us about your business and we’ll help visitors find you.