Rundu lies on the Okavango (Kavango), which forms the border with Angola here. It is the capital of the Kavango East Region and the biggest town for a long way around. If you are driving from Etosha to the Caprivi, you will almost certainly spend a night here. At the 2023 census Rundu had 118,632 residents.
- residents, 2023 census
- 118,632
- to Windhoek on tar
- 685 km
- to Namutoni in Etosha
- 432 km
- to Katima Mulilo on the B8
- 517 km
From Windhoek it is 685 kilometres via Otjiwarongo, Otavi and Grootfontein, about eight and a half hours of actual driving by the planning rule. Hardly anyone does that in one day. Most people come from Namutoni in Etosha, 432 kilometres via Tsumeb and Grootfontein in five to six hours. Katima Mulilo is another 517 kilometres along the B8.
Most of the lodges are on the river, such as Hakusembe River Lodge, Sarasungu River Lodge and Camp Hogo Kavango. In town there are simpler options like Tambuti Lodge and the Ngandu Hotel. On the river you spend the evening looking across to Angola; in town you pay less and are closer to the supermarket and the fuel station.
The town on the river
In 1936 Rundu became the seat of the district administrator, taking over from Nkurenkuru as the main town of Kavango. St Mary's Cathedral has been the seat of a bishop since 1993. Rundu Open Market, founded in 1996, is the largest market in town. Woodcarvers work here, as they do across the region.
The small airport is 5 kilometres southwest of town and serves mainly tourism and cargo.
Angola across the water
On the far bank lies the Angolan settlement of Calai, linked to Rundu by the Sarusungu border post. One traveller describes a footbridge across the Okavango. You cannot take a rental car into Angola; Britz, for example, explicitly excludes the country in its 2026 terms. Check Angola's entry rules with its embassy before you go.
Fuel and malaria
Fill up in Rundu. It is just over 200 kilometres to Divundu, and in April 2025 the regional governor counted more than 100 potholes on that stretch of the B8. Travellers reported card-friendly fuel stations in Rundu as far back as 2014.
According to the German Foreign Office, the malaria risk in the north and northeast is high all year, and cases rose sharply in 2025 and 2026. See a doctor before you travel about prophylaxis or emergency treatment. Insect repellent by the river in the evening is part of the deal.
Today, as of Rundu has grown fast: from 36,964 residents at the 2001 census to 63,431 in 2011 and 118,632 in 2023, more than three times the 2001 figure.
- Time needed
- one night on the river between Etosha and the Caprivi
- From Windhoek
- 685 km, 515 minutes
Our tipChoose a lodge on the river over a guesthouse in town. And set off early the next morning so you see the potholes before Divundu in good light.
Places to stay in Rundu
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Hakusembe River Campsite
16 km West of Rundu on the B10, P O Box
- Pool
- Parking
from €39per night on 27 June 2027
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Camp Hogo Kavango
Sarasungu Road East
- Pool
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
from €42per night on 23 November 2026
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Hakusembe River Lodge
Samsity Conserancy
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €100per night on 23 November 2026
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Tambuti Lodge
1 km from the town centre
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €52per night on 23 November 2026
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Taranga Safari Lodge
Halali Village, 35km West of Rundu on the Okavango
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €274per night on 1 January 2027
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Guest House Bavaria
D3446 Tutungeni
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
from €57per night on 23 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoRundu: frequently asked questions
Can you drive from Rundu into Angola?
Rundu faces the Angolan settlement of Calai across the Okavango, and the Sarusungu border post links the two. Rental cars are usually barred from Angola; Britz, for example, rules it out in its 2026 terms.
Where is the best place to stay in Rundu?
Most of Rundu's lodges are on the Okavango outside town, for example Hakusembe River Lodge or Sarasungu River Lodge. From there you look across the river to Angola.
How far is Rundu from Windhoek?
Windhoek to Rundu is 685 kilometres of tar via Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein, about eight and a half hours of actual driving. Most travellers split the journey and come via Etosha.