Discover Khorixas

Khorixas combines a local connection to woodcarving with a practical role in travel planning: the town is a supply stop for independent travellers before they continue into the more remote northern parts of this region. The surrounding area also has a landscape history waiting to be discovered. This lets you distinguish, when planning, what makes Khorixas itself distinctive and which experiences belong to the wider Kunene destination.

Woodcarving and seasonal workshops

Stephen Mufunda is a woodcarver based in Khorixas. He offers seasonal woodcarving workshops under his guidance. For travellers interested in craftwork, this is a distinctive cultural feature of the town. The workshops run seasonally, so check availability for your preferred dates before making them a firm part of your plans.

This connection between woodcarving and workshops is a distinct reason to consider Khorixas when choosing a destination. It differs from the landscape and cultural sites elsewhere in Kunene, each of which has its own focus. The supply stop, in turn, is relevant to independent travellers planning a stop before continuing into more remote northern parts of the region.

Petrified tree trunks nearby

The Petrified Forest is near Khorixas, in a dry riverbed between Khorixas and Twyfelfontein. The large concentration of petrified tree trunks provides a contrast with today’s woodcarving: here, the focus is not on working wood but on its petrification. The Petrified Forest was declared a national monument on 1 March 1950 and is currently operated as a tourist site under the supervision of the National Heritage Council of Namibia. Check the latest access arrangements before visiting.

Kunene: rock engravings and guided experiences

Within the wider Kunene destination, Twyfelfontein offers a different focus. The core area of Twyfelfontein, or /Ui-//aes, was declared a national monument in 1948 and is protected by Namibia’s National Heritage Act of 2004. Twyfelfontein has a visitor centre that welcomes guests. An estimated 2,500 different depictions are found among the rock engravings; most are estimated to be more than 6,000 years old. These approximate figures and estimated dates convey two different aspects: the variety of the engravings and their great age.

Guided activities can also be distinguished by their focus. Travellers who want to see Twyfelfontein’s rock engravings can take a guided tour into the Huab River Valley, where they may have a chance to see desert-adapted elephants. Another option in Kunene is guided hikes onto the Grootberg Plateau. Lodge guides can explain the local flora, the rock formations of the Etendeka Mountains and the wildlife. The possibility of seeing elephants on the tour and the explanations offered during a hike are different reasons to consider a guided experience.

Choose accommodation to suit your destination

When looking for a holiday rental in Khorixas, consider whether the town itself, with its woodcarving and role as a supply stop, fits your travel plans. The Petrified Forest is another nearby point of interest. The experiences mentioned in Kunene, by contrast, are regional options at their respective locations; plan around their individual focuses rather than viewing them as activities in the town.

This keeps the choice clear: Khorixas is known for its local craft connection and its role before a journey onward into the more remote northern parts of the region; the Petrified Forest is nearby. Twyfelfontein and Grootberg round out the picture of Kunene with rock engravings and guided nature experiences. Which of these aspects matters most for your trip can help you choose the right place for your holiday rental.

Discover more destinations: Konob Pos, Ozongaka, Ehomba, Kalkbron, Opuwo, Kamanjab, Otjivakuanda, Purros.

For the wider travel overview: Kunene.