Visiting the Himbas

Do you want to visit the Himbas?

You will find below all the answers and information regarding a possible future travel to visit the Himbas.

But first, we remind you that Kovahimba Association is not a travel agency. The only goal of the association is to help the Himbas to carry out their projects, thought and voted by the different communities for their own benefits.

The “immersion trip with the Himbas”, organised in cooperation with Terres d’Aventure, is in line with this objective.

Considering the great number of requests, we cannot deliver personalised information regarding your future travels to visit the Himbas. 

If you desire to be apprised of our activities and events, do not hesitate to  join the association !

Our advices before visiting the Himbas 

Is it necessary to be accompanied by a tour guide? 

We recommend future travellers not to visit the Himbas without a tour guide.

You can find English-speaking Himba tour guides in Opuwo or Epupa. Most of them are really skilful. They can organise your meeting with the Himbas and show you which rules you will have to respect before seeing the Himbas. During your visit of the camp, they will be your English-Herero interpreter.

 

What gifts can you offer the Himbas? 

It is not necessary to take typical French gifts.

Indeed, the Himbas need what you can find on-site, i.e. food (oil, corn flour, coffee, sugar...), blankets, ochre...

The Himbas also need money to repair their wells, to pay the dispensary, to send their children to school, to have their cattle vaccinated, to use the collective cab and to buy credits for their phones... 

Do not be afraid of “polluting” them by giving money after the visit of the village to reward them for the time they will give you. The Himbas, albeit quite traditional, take part in the market economy. Money is as important for them as for you and many of them own a bank account.

 

Good manners

Finally, do not forget that you are on their land, that you cannot enter in a camp or look into a hut without being authorised, or take a picture without asking them. You would not like to be treated in such a way, would you?