Oncocua

Oncocua sits in the dry southwest of Cunene province and is the meeting point for several herding peoples of the region, including Himba, Mucubal, Hakaona and Mucawana, who come in to trade and who each keep distinct dress, hair and ornament. The settlement itself is small, a few buildings and a market. The country around is arid, broken by rocky hills, and the journey out is a substantial undertaking in its own right.

What you actually see

• The trading days - herding communities coming in from the surrounding country.
• The distinct dress - hair, ochre and ornament differing between the peoples who meet here.
• The dry landscape - arid plains and rocky hills across the southwest.
• The cattle - the herds that the whole regional economy is built on.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the practical window. The rains from December to March cut the tracks entirely. Market days concentrate people and are worth timing for.

Honest expectations

Photography without permission is deeply resented and payment is usually expected when it is granted; several operators here have a poor reputation for how they handle this. There is no accommodation, no fuel and no signal. A guide with standing in the community is essential rather than optional.

Nearby

Ondjiva is east, and the Kunene river runs along the southern border.