Katima Mulilo Bridge | Rundu

Information

Landmark: Katima Mulilo Bridge
City: Rundu
Country: Namibia
Continent: Africa

Katima Mulilo Bridge, Rundu, Namibia, Africa

The Katima Mulilo Bridge, also designated as Bridge 508, is a major international road crossing spanning the Zambezi River between Katima Mulilo, Namibia, and Sesheke, Zambia. It serves as a critical link in the Trans-Caprivi Corridor, facilitating trade between the Port of Walvis Bay and the landlocked regions of south-central Africa.

Visual Characteristics

The bridge is a high-level concrete structure measuring 900 meters in length and featuring 19 individual spans. It is built on a curved radius of 1,600 meters to accommodate the river's alignment across the Katima Rapids. The deck is constructed of prestressed concrete using the incremental launching method, supported by 18 concrete piers anchored into the riverbed. The structure maintains a utilitarian industrial appearance with dual-lane asphalt paving and narrow pedestrian walkways on either side of the vehicle lanes.

Location & Access Logistics

The bridge is located at the northern terminus of the B8 national road (Trans-Caprivi Highway) in Namibia. From Katima Mulilo’s town center, it is approximately 2.5km north. Access is via a fully paved national highway suitable for all vehicle classes. Public transport is primarily through inter-city minibus taxis that stop at the nearby border posts. Parking is available at the Katima Mulilo Border Post on the Namibian side or the Sesheke Border Post on the Zambian side. Crossing the bridge for anything other than local pedestrian traffic usually requires a valid passport and vehicle clearance documents for international border transit.

Historical & Ecological Origin

Construction commenced in 2002 and was completed in 2004 by the German-South African consortium Concor-Hochtief. The bridge was inaugurated on May 13, 2004, by Presidents Sam Nujoma of Namibia and Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia. It replaced a high-risk ferry service that had previously been the only means of transport across the rapids. Notably, the entire structure was built on Zambian soil to qualify for international development grants that were unavailable to Namibia at the time.

Key Highlights & Activities

The bridge provides a strategic vantage point for observing the Katima Rapids and the Zambezi River ecosystem. Pedestrians can walk across the bridge to view hippopotamuses and crocodiles frequently found in the shallow water near the piers. Photography of the massive concrete spans and the river sunset is a primary activity for visitors. Most travelers use the bridge as a transit point for 4x4 safaris moving toward the Liuwa Plain in Zambia or the Victoria Falls area.

Infrastructure & Amenities

Amenities at the bridge itself are restricted to official border post facilities. These include customs and immigration offices, public restrooms, and police substations. 4G cellular signal is strong throughout the area, serviced by both MTC Namibia and Airtel Zambia. Full retail services, including fuel stations, supermarkets, and banks, are located 3km south in Katima Mulilo or 4km north in Sesheke.

Best Time to Visit

The dry winter months from May to September offer the clearest skies and most comfortable temperatures for walking across the bridge. For photography, sunrise is the optimal time to capture the river from the Namibian side, while sunset provides favorable lighting from the Zambian side. During the high-water season (March to May), the Zambezi can rise significantly, covering the lower portions of the concrete piers and increasing the intensity of the rapids below.

Facts & Legends

A historical oddity of the bridge is that it was first planned in 1982, but the occupying South African government blocked the project, labeling it an act of treason to build a bridge into an independent Zambia. The original chief bridge engineer was dismissed for his involvement in the early plans. A local tip: the bridge is designed to withstand a "100-year flood," and it successfully maintained structural integrity during the record floods of 2003 and 2004 while still under construction.