Khorixas lies on the C39 in the south of the Kunene Region. Before independence it was the capital of the Damaraland homeland, and most residents are still Damara. Opuwo is now the regional capital, but the regional hospital is here. For travellers, Khorixas is where the tar from Outjo ends and the gravel roads into Damaraland begin.
- residents, 2023 census
- 9,371
- to Windhoek, all on tar
- 448 km
- of gravel to Twyfelfontein
- about 100 km
- average annual rainfall
- 220 mm
From Windhoek you drive via Otjiwarongo and Outjo, then 131 kilometres on the C39. It is tarred all the way, a good five and a half hours. Heading west, Twyfelfontein is almost 100 kilometres away at gravel speeds. Eleven kilometres east of town the C35 branches off north. As far as Kamanjab it is 105 kilometres of gravel, and the upgrade to tar is due to finish in December 2027.
There is an Engen fuel station on the main road, listed in planning documents from December 2024. Fill up here before you head west. In the Twyfelfontein valley there is just one pump at a lodge, open during the day and cash only.
Petrified Forest and the rocks to the west
Not far from Khorixas is the Petrified Forest, a field of fossilised wood and one of the best-known sights in Damaraland. Further west come the Organ Pipes, Burnt Mountain and the Twyfelfontein valley with its rock engravings. Leave Khorixas early and you can see the Petrified Forest in the morning and be in the valley by midday.
For an overnight stay, the state-run NWR has its own camp in Khorixas, which you book directly with NWR. There is also Damara Mopane Lodge. Most travellers, though, sleep closer to the rocks and use Khorixas only for fuel and shopping.
A town with little work
Khorixas has grown, from 5,890 residents in 2001 to 9,371 in 2023. Jobs are still scarce. Unemployment is estimated at around 70 per cent, and many young people move away. On the edge of town, the Donkerhoek settlement has neither water nor electricity.
It is dry here. Average rainfall is 220 millimetres a year, and during the 2018/19 drought only 106 fell.
- Time needed
- a stop for fuel and supplies on the way into Damaraland
- From Windhoek
- 448 km, 335 minutes
Our tipIf you are coming from Outjo, aim to stop in Khorixas in the late morning. That way you drive the almost 100 kilometres of gravel to Twyfelfontein in good light and reach the pump in the valley before it closes for lunch.
Places to stay in Khorixas
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Damara Mopana Lodge
23 km from the town centre
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €226per night on 22 February 2027
Check prices on trivago
Damara Mopane Lodge
Farm 68 Witklip
- Breakfast
from €186per night on 22 February 2027
Check prices on trivagoKhorixas: frequently asked questions
Is Khorixas the capital of the Kunene Region?
No, the capital of the Kunene Region is Opuwo. Before independence Khorixas was the capital of the Damaraland homeland, and the regional hospital is still there.
How far is Khorixas from Twyfelfontein?
Khorixas to Twyfelfontein is almost 100 kilometres to the west, which you should plan at gravel speeds. Fill up in Khorixas first, as the valley has only one pump, at a lodge.
Is the road from Outjo to Khorixas tarred?
The C39 from Outjo to Khorixas is tarred for its full 131 kilometres. That means you can reach Khorixas from Windhoek entirely on tar, a distance of 448 kilometres.