On the outskirts of Opuwo is the Scents of Namibia Visitor’s Centre. It is designed in the style of a traditional Himba homestead. The daily tours explain and demonstrate how essential oils are made at the Opuwo Processing Facility. The architecture and tours therefore offer two distinct points of connection: traditional design and the oil production process.
Tours and cosmetics in Opuwo
The centre also offers a range of finished cosmetic products for sale. This is a different way to engage than taking a tour: the tour focuses on how essential oils are made, while the products are ready-made. If you are visiting the centre for a particular cosmetic product, check in advance whether it will be available on the day of your visit. This helps you distinguish between an interest in the production process and the purchase of finished cosmetics, without treating them as the same thing.
Cultural fair at the Opuwo Annual Trade Fair
The Opuwo Annual Trade Fair also offers a point of connection for culture and tourism. A cultural and tourism fair was part of the programme at both the 10th and 11th editions. These two editions show which topics were represented there; programme items may vary from one edition to another. If you want to plan your trip around a particular edition of the fair, check its dates and programme in advance.
Kunene as a broader travel horizon
Kunene is the wider travel destination and offers a broader setting for other cultural and landscape themes. These include historic sites, rock art and guided activities. They differ from the offerings of the Scents of Namibia Visitor’s Centre in Opuwo and help put the themes of the Kunene destination into perspective.
The Petrified Forest was declared a National Monument on 1 March 1950 and is operated as a tourist site under the supervision of the National Heritage Council of Namibia. If you are planning a visit, check current operating and access details in advance. At Twyfelfontein, or /Ui-//aes, the core area was declared a National Monument in 1948; it is also protected under Namibia’s National Heritage Act of 2004.
Twyfelfontein combines this heritage protection history with an extensive collection of rock art: there are an estimated 2,500 different rock engravings there. Most are believed to be more than 6,000 years old. A visitor centre welcomes guests. Together, the protected status, visitor centre and rock engravings offer different points of reference for anyone interested in Kunene’s cultural heritage.
Guided hikes and tours in Kunene
Guided activities in Kunene include hikes onto the Grootberg Plateau. Lodge guides can explain the local flora, the rock formations of the Etendeka Mountains and the wildlife. The focus is therefore on landscape and nature, unlike the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein. Visitors who want to see these engravings can also take a guided tour into the Huab River Valley. Travellers may see desert-adapted elephants, but sightings are not guaranteed.
Discover more destinations: Konob Pos, Kamanjab, Khorixas, Ehomba, Otjivakuanda, Kalkbron, Ozongaka, Purros
For the broader travel overview: Kunene.
