Stage · Damaraland, Etosha and north

Otjiwarongo to Waterberg

Traffic on the B1 one moment, then the indicator and quiet. At some point the long ridge of the plateau rises ahead of you, a little higher with every kilometre.

From Otjiwarongo you drive 28 kilometres on the B1 towards Windhoek, then turn left onto the C22. After just over 40 kilometres the D2512 branches off to the plateau. A route planner puts the camp 17 kilometres along it; a guidebook gives about 24 to the turn-off for the park entrance. The camp is now called Waterberg Rest Camp, formerly Bernabé de la Bat. The D2512 is gravel, so plan on gravel speeds.

Sources disagree on the C22. One says it is tarred as far as Okakarara, while a safari company describes all 68 kilometres from Otjiwarongo as gravel. Depending on which is right, allow one to one and a half hours for the roughly 90 kilometres. In July 2025 the forum warned of conflict on the C22 near Otjinene. That concerns the eastern part of the road, not the Waterberg access.

Refuel in Otjiwarongo. The fuel station at the state-run Waterberg camp had supply failures in 2025, as did those in Etosha and Sesriem. Since 1 April 2026 the Waterberg has been a premium park, where foreign adults pay N$ 280 a day, up from N$ 150 (as of October 2026).

Our tipComing from Windhoek, you do not need to drive into Otjiwarongo: the C22 turn-off comes first on the B1. You will miss the fuel stop that way, so fill up earlier.

The route at a glance

Roads
B1, C22, D2512
Distance
89 km
Surface
about 69 km tar, 17 km gravel
Driving time
1 to 1.5 hours
Fuel on the way
Otjiwarongo

Distances and times as of October 2026, driving time without stops or detours.

AngolaZambiaBotswanaSouth AfricaAtlanticOrangeEtosha PanWindhoekOkahandjaRehobothGobabisOmaruruUsakos and ErongoSwakopmundWalvis BayHenties Bay and Cape CrossSesriem and SossusvleiSolitaireMaltahöheMariental and KalahariKeetmanshoopAusLüderitz and KolmanskopFish River CanyonAi-AisKarasburgEtosha South (Andersson Gate)Etosha East (Von Lindequist Gate)OutjoOtjiwarongo and WaterbergOtjiwarongoOtjiwarongoTsumebOtaviGrootfonteinOshakati and OndangwaKamanjabTwyfelfonteinKhorixasSesfonteinOpuwo and KaokoveldRunduDivundu and BwabwataKatima Mulilo and ZambeziWaterberg200 km
Start and end of the stage, joined as the crow flies. The road runs differently.
Otjiwarongo and Waterberg

Otjiwarongo to Waterberg: frequently asked questions

How far is the Waterberg Plateau from Otjiwarongo?

Otjiwarongo to Waterberg Rest Camp is just under 90 kilometres via the B1, the C22 and the gravel D2512. Allow one to one and a half hours of driving.

Is the road to the Waterberg Plateau tarred?

The last kilometres to the Waterberg on the D2512 are gravel. Sources disagree about the C22 before it: one describes it as tarred, another as gravel.

Can I buy fuel at the Waterberg?

The fuel station at the state-run Waterberg camp had supply failures in 2025. Fill up beforehand in Otjiwarongo.