Ruacana Falls

Ruacana Falls

Makalani Palms

Dry Season

In flood March 2002

I camped at Ruacana last year in June on my way to do some photography in Kunene Region. I met some tourists who had driven all the way to Ruacana to see the falls, and it being the dry season, above left is what they saw. They were mightily disappointed, as every publication on Namibia that they had seen showed a similar photo to the above right, which by-the-way, was taken by my good friend Sakkie Rothmann who publishes some excellent tourism guides on Namibia.

 

OK, so now you know that for most of the year, (April thru December) a dry Ruacana Falls is what you will be seeing. The Kunene River begins its journey high up in Huambo Province, Angola and runs in a southerly direction through Calueque, where the river meets its first hydro-electrical-scheme-dam, a further 20km south it is again dammed at the Ruacana-Falls. The massive hydro-scheme here is operated by the Namibia Electricity authority NAMPOWER.  Part of the dam-wall can be seen in the above photo on the upper right-hand side, and so the once mighty Kunene River is reduced to a trickle for most of the year.

 

The gorge is about 85m deep and if your visit is during the dry months and you're into hopping about on smooth rocks you will be treated to some views of polished rock shapes that have been formed by the waters over the millions of years. Take a drive a couple of kilometers west and just where the tarred road ends, on your right hand side is a camp site operated by the local community called the Hippo Pool. The site which has no power, but does have solar heated shower facilities and modern dry field-toilets. There is no shop on site, and no fire wood, so you must take all of your supplies with you. The locals offer guided hikes to the Ruacana Falls and to a Himba/ Zemba cattle post. Prepare for plenty of mosquitoes here.

 

The gravel road running alongside the river bank some 145km to the Epupa-Falls is best negotiated by 4 x 4 or a sturdy pick-up-truck. The tarred road to the Ruacana Falls will also lead you to one of Namibia's border posts with Angola. And to finish on a cautionary note. When driving in the far-north.. beware of livestock wandering on the roads.

 

The town of Ruacana is 17km East of the Falls area. Once a bustling South African Defense Force base, the abandoned town now has little to offer in the way of facilities.  There is a fuel station in Ruacana and a couple of guest houses, but further to that you had best stock up with your supplies before going north of Oshakati.

 

Corn-Pantry for sale

The Hippo Pool

Shaded Camp Site

Donkeys... everywhere .. beware

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By Road - Self Drive: (There is no scheduled bus service to Ruacana)

From Khorixas: Drive the C35 for 105km to Kamajab then further 187km

From Tsumeb: Drive the B1 175km to Ondangwa. Then take the C46 187km

  Distances from Ruacana   ( km / miles )

Gobabis	Katima	Noordowever	Swakopmund	Tsumeb	Windhoek
1065 / 662	1253 / 777	1646 / 1023	684 / 425	434 / 270	860 / 534

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Ruacana Falls

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