Places · South

Karasburg

Late in the afternoon the lorries from South Africa line up along the B3, their drivers sitting in the shade of the trailers. The air smells of diesel and hot tar.

Karasburg lies on the B3 in the far south of Namibia, in the ǁKaras Region. South of Keetmanshoop it is the only town. If you are driving to Upington via Ariamsvlei, or coming from there, this is where you fill up and spend the night. The border is 110 kilometres away according to Wikipedia, 125 according to a local set of directions. At the 2023 census the town had 6,621 residents.

residents, 2023 census
6,621
to Windhoek via Keetmanshoop
708 km
to the Ariamsvlei border
110 to 125 km
of rain a year
128 mm

In Khoekhoe the town is called ǀNomsoros, and it used to bear the Afrikaans name Kalkfontein. Its railway station was once the busiest in the south of the country and the last major stop before Upington. These days it is mostly lorries from South Africa that stop.

There is not much to see. Farmers here live from sheep, and with 128 millimetres of rain a year the land is meagre. There is no industry, and unemployment is high. Seven kilometres west lies the Bondels Dam, built in 1959.

Roads out of Karasburg

Eastwards the B3 takes you to the border. On the Namibian side the post is called Ariamsvlei, on the South African side Nakop, and according to the South African Revenue Service it is open around the clock, as of October 2026. From Nakop it is about 130 kilometres on the N10 to Upington. For a rental car you need the cross-border permit from the rental company.

To the northwest it is 53 kilometres on the B3 to Grünau on the B1. From there you head north towards Keetmanshoop and the Fish River Canyon, or south to the border at Noordoewer. Westwards the C10 leads towards Ai-Ais. When the filling station at the Ai-Ais resort had no fuel in 2025, the state company NWR pointed travellers to Karasburg.

After the rain in March 2026 several minor roads around Ariamsvlei and Karasburg were closed, among them the road from Karasburg to Aroab. Ask about conditions before driving anywhere off the B3.

Today, as of Karasburg has grown, from 4,075 residents at the 2001 census to 6,621 in 2023. In 2010 the town was downgraded in local government terms.

Time needed
one night between the Fish River Canyon and Upington
From Windhoek
708 km, 520 minutes

Our tipCross the border in the morning, not late in the afternoon. One traveller in 2023 needed close to two hours for both sides together, and there are still about 130 kilometres to Upington afterwards.

AngolaZambiaBotswanaSouth AfricaAtlanticOrangeEtosha PanWindhoekOkahandjaRehobothGobabisOmaruruUsakos and ErongoSwakopmundWalvis BayHenties Bay and Cape CrossSesriem and SossusvleiSolitaireMaltahöheMariental and KalahariKeetmanshoopAusLüderitz and KolmanskopFish River CanyonAi-AisKarasburgKarasburgKarasburgEtosha South (Andersson Gate)Etosha East (Von Lindequist Gate)OutjoOtjiwarongo and WaterbergTsumebOtaviGrootfonteinOshakati and OndangwaKamanjabTwyfelfonteinKhorixasSesfonteinOpuwo and KaokoveldRunduDivundu and BwabwataKatima Mulilo and Zambezi200 km
Where Karasburg lies. Click a dot to open the place.

Places to stay in Karasburg

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Hoon's Selfcatering7.4/10

Place to staySouth★★★

Hoon's Selfcatering

no 8, 19th ave, Karasburg no 8

  • Parking
  • Air conditioning
  • Pets allowed
  • Wi-Fi

from €48per night on 23 November 2026

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Karasburg: frequently asked questions

How far is Karasburg from the South African border?

From Karasburg to the Ariamsvlei border post on the B3 is 110 kilometres according to Wikipedia, 125 according to a set of local directions. On the South African side the post is called Nakop.

What was Karasburg called before?

Karasburg used to be called Kalkfontein. Its Khoekhoe name is ǀNomsoros.

How do you get from Karasburg to Upington?

From Karasburg take the B3 to the Ariamsvlei/Nakop border and then the N10 for about 130 kilometres to Upington. For a rental car you need the cross-border permit from the rental company.