Kamanjab is a village in the Kunene Region, right where the C35 and the C40 meet. The name comes from Otjiherero: Okamanja means place of big stones. For self-drivers Kamanjab is above all a junction: north to Etosha's Galton Gate and on towards Ruacana, west over the Grootberg Pass to Palmwag, south on gravel to Khorixas. At the 2023 census 3,915 people lived here, up from 1,323 in 2011.
- residents, 2023 census
- 3,915
- to Windhoek, all on tar
- 472 km
- to Etosha's Galton Gate
- just over 80 km
- of gravel to Khorixas, tarring planned by end of 2027
- 105 km
From Windhoek you drive via Otjiwarongo and Outjo, then a little over 150 kilometres on the C40 from Outjo. It is tarred all the way, about six hours. The C35 north is tarred too, to Galton Gate and on to Ruacana on the Angolan border.
Kamanjab has a fuel station that is open around the clock, and travellers filled up there in August 2026. Enter Etosha with a full tank: according to the same report, none of the park's camps had fuel that month.
Into western Etosha through Galton Gate
Galton Gate is Etosha's western entrance. Until February 2014 this part of the park was closed to self-drivers; then the gate opened, together with the small Olifantsrus camp. Olifantsrus lies 70 kilometres beyond the gate and has just ten campsites and a hide at the waterhole. It is one of the state-run camps that you book directly with NWR. From Olifantsrus it is another 130 kilometres to Okaukuejo.
In January 2026 a traveller described the park road from Galton Gate to Okaukuejo as very good, with only short stretches of corrugation. Since 1 April 2026 foreign adults pay N$ 280 per day in Etosha (as of October 2026).
West and north: Palmwag and Opuwo
To the west the C40 runs about 120 kilometres to Palmwag, on gravel and over the Grootberg Pass at 1,629 metres. Its condition is often described as poor, and a trip report from August 2026 did not count it among the better roads. Allow gravel speeds and daylight for this stretch. Near Palmwag there is a veterinary fence checkpoint.
You can reach Opuwo in the Kaokoveld entirely on tar: north on the C35 to Omakange, then west on the C41. A route planner puts this at about 270 kilometres. It also suggests a shorter route via the D3709, about 236 kilometres, a little over 70 of them on a district road where you should plan for gravel speeds.
The gravel road to Khorixas
The C35 south to Khorixas is 105 kilometres of gravel. It is due to be tarred: work was scheduled to start at Kamanjab on 15 May 2025 and finish in December 2027. Ask at the fuel station or your lodge how far the works have got, and whether there are diversions, before you set off.
In the village you can stay at Oppi-Koppi Rest Camp or at Ann's Lodge & Camping on the C40. Kaoko Bush Lodge is on a farm about five kilometres to the north.
Today, as of In 2005, anyone driving from Kamanjab into Etosha had to make the detour to Andersson Gate. Galton Gate only opened in February 2014. And the village has grown, from 1,323 residents in 2011 to 3,915 at the 2023 census.
- Time needed
- one night before Galton Gate or before driving into the Kaokoveld
- From Windhoek
- 472 km, 355 minutes
Our tipFill the tank and the water containers in Kamanjab before you drive through Galton Gate. From the gate to Okaukuejo via Olifantsrus is 200 kilometres of park road, and in August 2026 none of the Etosha camps had fuel.
Places to stay in Kamanjab
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Huab Lodge
Farm Monte Carlo
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €433per night on 23 November 2026
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Ann's Lodge & Camping
c40 road
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
from €22per night on 23 November 2026
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Oppi-Koppi Rest Camp
29 Gemsbok Street
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €139per night on 23 November 2026
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Kaoko Bush Lodge
Farm Vaalberg 190
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €83per night on 23 November 2026
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Ohorongo Safaris Lodge
C40
- Pool
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €405per night on 9 December 2026
Check prices on trivagoKamanjab: frequently asked questions
How far is Kamanjab from Etosha's Galton Gate?
Kamanjab to Galton Gate in western Etosha is just over 80 kilometres on the tarred C35. The gate has been open to self-drivers since February 2014.
Is there 24-hour fuel in Kamanjab?
Kamanjab has a fuel station that is open around the clock, where travellers last filled up in August 2026. It is the last reliable fuel stop before western Etosha, where the camps have recently had no fuel.
Is the road from Kamanjab to Khorixas tarred?
The C35 between Kamanjab and Khorixas is 105 kilometres of gravel. Work to tar it was due to start in May 2025 and finish in December 2027.