Discover Rundu

Rundu brings together several interests for a stay: local products and regional foods at the markets, cultural insights nearby, and a project for a wetland trail. These themes differ in location and character. The markets and cooperative are in Rundu, the Living Museum of the Mbunza is west of the town, and the trail project relates to the Rundu Wetlands near the town.

Markets and produce in Rundu

At the markets in Rundu, you can discover local products and try regional foods and drinks. This brings together two interests: discovering goods and trying regional cuisine. The Mbungura Woodcraft Co-operative in Rundu also offers products for sale. The distinction is useful: food and drinks are explicitly part of the markets, while the cooperative focuses on products for sale. So you have two different points of interest if you are interested in local products.

Living Museum of the Mbunza: culture nearby

The Living Museum of the Mbunza is located at Lake Samsitu, about 14 kilometers west of Rundu. It is considered a traditional Kavango village as well as a traditional cultural school and community enterprise for the Kavango people. The museum showcases and preserves the Mbunza fishing and farming culture. Its traditional presentation includes everyday life: traditional cooking, fire-making, basket and mat weaving, bush walks, and fishing. Blacksmithing, pottery, and drum-making are also included. The themes range from everyday activities and food to various crafts, with fishing and farming providing the cultural context. If you are interested in cultural context, the museum offers a different focus from the markets: the emphasis is on Mbunza culture, not on discovering local products or regional foods.

Planned project at the Rundu Wetlands

Another topic is the Rundu Wetlands near the town. KOAR, together with the Rundu Town Council and the Kavango Regional Council, has started an environmental tourism project for a wetland trail in the Rundu area. The trail is intended to give visitors and residents access to the Rundu Wetlands. Information boards and markers on trees and shrubs are planned along the route. For choosing what interests you, this topic differs from the markets and museum: it concerns a trail project that has been started, with information features planned, and access to a natural area.

When choosing a destination, location and focus may both matter: the markets and cooperative are in Rundu, the museum is about 14 kilometers west, and the trail project concerns the wetlands near the town. This lets you weigh local products and regional foods, Mbunza culture, and the wetlands’ natural environment as different interests for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Mahango, Bagani, Ndiyona, Divundu

Return to the overview of the wider travel region: Kavango.