The north-east is Namibia with water. Rundu sits on the Okavango, Katima Mulilo on the Zambezi, and in between the B8 crosses the Kwando at Kongola. Here you travel from river to river rather than from waterhole to waterhole. The Caprivi Strip reaches east like a narrow arm between Angola and Botswana, all the way to the Zambian border. Nothing like the rest of the country.
- on the B8 from Rundu to Katima Mulilo
- 517 km
- from Namutoni in Etosha to Rundu
- 432 km
- from Katima Mulilo to Kasane in Botswana
- 125 km
- malaria cases in the Zambezi Region by the end of March 2026
- 10,000+
It is a long way out, though. Windhoek to Rundu is 685 kilometres, Katima Mulilo about 1,200. So almost everyone arrives via Etosha: from Namutoni it is 432 kilometres through Tsumeb and Grootfontein, five to six hours of actual driving. From Namutoni it is tar all the way, right across the border to Kasane. Gravel hardly matters here. Potholes, cattle and goats on the road and driving after dark matter all the more.
Rundu is the night after Etosha, and one is enough. Split the next 517 kilometres to Katima Mulilo at Divundu and Popa Falls: a little over 200 kilometres on the first day, about 315 on the second. If you want a day in Bwabwata National Park, stay two nights. Add one or two nights on the Zambezi and you have three to five nights between Etosha and the border. Our Caprivi and Victoria Falls route allows two nights in Rundu and three in Katima Mulilo, and suggests swapping one of the Rundu nights for Divundu.
The B8 from the Okavango to the Zambezi
The first 200 or so kilometres beyond Rundu are the toughest. In April 2025 the regional governor counted more than 100 potholes between Rundu and Divundu, and a contractor for the last 27 kilometres of the rehabilitation was only appointed later that year. Expect potholes and roadworks as far as Divundu, as of October 2026. There is fuel in Rundu, Divundu and Kongola. Leave each of them with a full tank.
Beyond Divundu the B8 runs straight through Bwabwata National Park as far as Kongola on the Kwando. Wikipedia gives the park's area as 6,274 square kilometres, Travel News Namibia as 6,100. Elephants move back and forth here between Namibia, Angola, Botswana and Zambia. Travellers in 2011 reported warning signs and an 80 km/h limit. Stick to it.
At Kongola the tarred C49 branches off to Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara national parks. Parks in Kavango East and the Zambezi Region have charged foreign adults N$ 200 a day since April 2026, as of October 2026. From Kongola the B8 gets narrow. You share it with lorries running between Zambia's Copperbelt and Walvis Bay, and in November 2025 the regional council called for an upgrade because of accidents.
The German Foreign Office advises against driving between towns after dark, and some rental contracts exclude it. Plan every driving day so you arrive before sunset.
Three neighbours, three borders
For Botswana you drive 71 kilometres from Katima Mulilo to the Ngoma border, then about 60 kilometres on the transit road through Chobe National Park to Kasane. Botswana's immigration department and a Namibian tourism site give Ngoma's hours as 7 am to 6 pm, while the broadcaster NBC says the post opens at six. NBC also reports delays caused by staff shortages. Aim to be there by early afternoon.
For Zambia you cross the bridge at Katima Mulilo to Sesheke. The border post goes by two names, Wenela and Katima Mulilo. It has been open around the clock since August 2023, the news agency NAMPA reported, though older listings still say 6 am to 6 pm. Angola lies just across the river at Rundu and Divundu. You cannot take a rental car over; Britz, for example, rules the country out in its 2026 terms.
From Kasane it is another 95 kilometres to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Livingstone in Zambia? Since May 2021 you get there over the Kazungula Bridge rather than by ferry. Every crossing needs your rental company's approval and a cross-border permit arranged days in advance, or the trip ends at the boom. A one-way rental finishing in Kasane or at Victoria Falls carries a fee that the company quotes on request.
Malaria and the rainy season
The German Foreign Office rates the malaria risk in the north and north-east as high all year, and cases rose sharply in 2025 and 2026. The Zambezi Region was the hotspot: the German travel medicine centre CRM counted more than 10,000 cases there by the end of March 2026. See a doctor about prophylaxis or standby treatment before you travel. On the river in the evening, long sleeves and repellent help.
Most rain falls from November to March, and the dry season runs from April to October. How much rain? The figures differ. For Katima Mulilo both 654 and 682 millimetres a year are quoted, while one climate site gives up to 800 for the Caprivi. In south-western Namibia it is 10 to 50 millimetres.
Our tipTop up in Rundu, Divundu and Kongola every time, even with half a tank left. And set off early so you see the potholes before Divundu in good light.
- Windhoek and centre6 places
- Coast3 places
- Namib3 places
- South7 places
- Etosha and north8 places
- Damaraland and Kaokoveld5 places
- Kavango and Zambezi3 places
- Sight
Places in the region
- Kavango and ZambeziRundu
The town on the Okavango with Angola on the far bank, the last big stop before the Caprivi.
- Kavango and ZambeziDivundu and Bwabwata
The village on the Okavango with Popa Falls, base for Bwabwata and halfway point across the Caprivi.
- Kavango and ZambeziKatima Mulilo and Zambezi
The town on the Zambezi at the end of the Caprivi, with borders to Zambia and Botswana.
Worth seeing: Nkasa Rupara and Mudumu
Stages in and through the region
| Stage | km | of which gravel | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etosha (Von Lindequist Gate) to Rundu | 432 | 0 | 5 to 6 hours |
| Rundu to Katima Mulilo | 517 | 0 | 6.5 to 7.5 hours |
| Katima Mulilo to Kasane | 125 | 0 | 1.5 to 2 hours |
Kavango and Zambezi: frequently asked questions
How many nights should I plan for the Caprivi?
Between Etosha and the Botswana border, plan three to five nights in the Caprivi: one in Rundu, one or two near Divundu at Popa Falls and one or two in Katima Mulilo. Namutoni to Katima Mulilo is about 950 kilometres.
Is the road through the Caprivi tarred?
The route from Namutoni via Rundu, Divundu and Katima Mulilo to the Ngoma border is tarred all the way; only the access track to Popa Falls is four kilometres of gravel. Between Rundu and Divundu the B8 had more than 100 potholes in 2025, so expect roadworks there, as of October 2026.
Which borders can you cross from the Caprivi?
From the Caprivi the Ngoma border leads into Botswana and on to Kasane, and the bridge at Katima Mulilo leads to Sesheke in Zambia. Angola lies across the river from Rundu, but rental cars are usually barred from it. Every crossing needs your rental company's approval.
When is the rainy season in the Caprivi?
In the Caprivi most rain falls from November to March, and the dry season runs from April to October. Katima Mulilo gets 654 to 682 millimetres a year by the figures quoted, compared with 10 to 50 in south-western Namibia.