Otjiwarongo lies 247 kilometres north of Windhoek on the B1 and is the capital of the Otjozondjupa Region. Here the C38 branches off to Outjo and Etosha, and the C33 runs southwest towards Karibib and the coast. If you drive north from Windhoek, you will almost certainly pass through Otjiwarongo. The name comes from Otjiherero and means beautiful place.
- residents, 2023 census
- 49,022
- to Windhoek on the A1 and B1
- 247 km
- to the Cheetah Conservation Fund
- 44 km
- to the Waterberg Rest Camp
- 89 km
The town has supermarkets, banks, filling stations and a private hospital, Mediclinic, which also treats travellers. On the way to Etosha it is the usual lunch stop. Fill up here: a trip report from August 2026 names Otjiwarongo as a fuel stop before the park.
Outside the station stands Locomotive No. 41. It came from Germany and once hauled ore from Tsumeb to the coast at Swakopmund. The railway is why the place became a town: the first German settlers arrived around 1900, and the narrow-gauge line to the Otavi mine turned Otjiwarongo into a trading centre for the surrounding farms.
Cheetahs and crocodiles
About 44 kilometres east of town is the research and education centre of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). Biologist Laurie Marker founded it in 1990. It works mainly with farmers, on whose land most of Namibia's wild cheetahs live. It is known for its livestock guarding dogs, which protect the herds so that farmers no longer shoot cheetahs. You can also stay on site at Babson House. Check visiting times in advance.
Around 80 kilometres from Otjiwarongo is Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation and its rehabilitation centre for cheetahs and leopards. On the edge of Otjiwarongo itself, the Crocodile Ranch breeds Nile crocodiles as one of the few breeding programmes registered with CITES.
To the Waterberg
The Waterberg is the obvious excursion from here. Drive 28 kilometres back south on the B1, then take the C22 and finally the gravel D2512 to the Waterberg Rest Camp. That is 89 kilometres, an hour to an hour and a half. Since 1 April 2026 the park has cost foreign adults N$ 280 a day (as of October 2026).
Many guest farms and lodges lie well outside town, between Otjiwarongo, the Waterberg and Okonjima, among them Otjiwa Safari Lodge and Aloegrove Safari Lodge. In town there are guesthouses and small hotels for a night on the B1.
Today, as of Otjiwarongo is growing fast: 19,614 residents at the 2001 census, 49,022 in 2023. The B1 and C38 are due to be resurfaced where they run through town, so expect roadworks.
- Time needed
- a lunch stop on the way to Etosha, or one night with the cheetah centre or the Waterberg
- From Windhoek
- 247 km, 185 minutes
Our tipIf you are coming from Windhoek and heading for the Waterberg first, fill up beforehand. The turn-off onto the C22 is 28 kilometres before Otjiwarongo, so you do not need to drive into town.
Places to stay in Otjiwarongo and Waterberg
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Aloegrove Safari Lodge
29 km from the town centre
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €213per night on 23 November 2026
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Hadassa Guest House
36 Lang Street
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €78per night on 23 November 2026
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Lion's Den Guesthouse Otjiwarongo
C38, 5km outside Otjiwarongo
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €59per night on 15 November 2026
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Otjiwa Safari Lodge
"Off the B1, 35km South of Otjiwarongo "
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €219per night on 17 December 2026
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Kamaku Guesthouse
11, Anderson St.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €56per night on 23 November 2026
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Out of Africa Town Lodge
Longstreet
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €68per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoOtjiwarongo and Waterberg: frequently asked questions
Can you visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund near Otjiwarongo?
The Cheetah Conservation Fund centre is about 44 kilometres east of Otjiwarongo. You can stay there at Babson House; day visitors should check visiting times in advance.
How far is Otjiwarongo from Etosha?
From Otjiwarongo you take the tarred C38 via Outjo to Etosha's Andersson Gate, a distance of 163 kilometres. You can refuel again in Outjo.
Where is the turn-off from Otjiwarongo to the Waterberg?
For the Waterberg, drive 28 kilometres south from Otjiwarongo on the B1 and turn onto the C22. The Waterberg Rest Camp is 89 kilometres away in total, the last stretch on gravel.