Ngoma Bridge Border Post: Hours, Fees, Documents

Short answer: Ngoma is not open 24 hours. The Botswana side is listed as open 07:00 to 18:00; Namibia's Home Affairs lists its side as 08:00 to 18:00. To be safe, cross between 08:00 and 17:00. Bring your passport, vehicle papers, a letter of authority if the car is not yours, and Pula in cash for the Botswana vehicle charges. Raw meat and fresh dairy are likely to be taken at the foot-and-mouth control.

Key facts

Hours: Botswana side 07:00 to 18:00 (Botswana Tourism). Namibian side 08:00 to 18:00 (Namibia Home Affairs, March 2024). No time difference: both countries are on UTC+2.
Phones: Botswana side +267 620 0050. Namibian side +264 66 252856.
GPS, Botswana border control: -17.92549, 24.72067 (OpenStreetMap).
Namibia vehicle charge: N$534 cross-border charge for a car or bakkie entering Namibia, from 1 August 2026.
Botswana vehicle charges: a National Road Safety Fund levy of P40 (BURS, valid to 31 December) plus other entry charges whose current amounts we could not verify. Pay in Pula cash.
After the border: the A33 runs about 65 km through Chobe National Park to Kasane. Lorato is 7 km (15 minutes) from the border.

Ngoma Bridge border post at a glance (hours checked 23 October 2026)

	Botswana side	Namibian side
Opening hours	07:00 to 18:00	08:00 to 18:00
Phone	+267 620 0050	+264 66 252856
Nearest town	Kasane, about 65 km east on the A33	Katima Mulilo, about 70 km north west on the B8
GPS (border control)	-17.92549, 24.72067	-17.91501, 24.71264

Hours checked on 23 October 2026 on the Botswana Tourism ports of entry page (Ngoma 07:00 to 18:00). Phones and Namibian hours: Namibia Ministry of Home Affairs list of border posts, 6 March 2024. GPS from OpenStreetMap, retrieved 28 September 2026.

Not sure Ngoma is the right crossing for your route? See Namibia to Botswana border posts: which one to use. Mixing it up with Kazungula? Read Kazungula vs Ngoma border.

The two posts sit either side of the Ngoma Bridge over the Chobe River. On the Botswana side you come out straight onto the A33, the tar road that runs through the northern part of Chobe National Park to Kasane.

Opening hours, and what happens if you arrive late

Ngoma closes in the evening. Most guides and listings say both sides open at 07:00, but Namibia's Ministry of Home Affairs gives 08:00 to 18:00 for its side. Because you need both sides open to cross, plan to arrive after 08:00 and before 17:00 so you have time for both sets of formalities. Namibia and Botswana have been on the same time, UTC+2, since Namibia dropped winter time in 2017.

How long does the crossing take? We do not publish a crossing time, because we found no dated measurements. A Namibian news report, roughly three years old, described a 30-minute delay one Sunday morning when no immigration officer was on duty, so allow for the post opening a little late. If you cross, tell us how long it took on WhatsApp and we will add real feedback.

If you arrive after closing you will have to wait until morning, so leave Katima Mulilo or Kasane with time to spare. If you need a 24-hour crossing into Botswana from the Zambezi Region, the alternative is through Zambia via Sesheke and the Kazungula Bridge, which Botswana announced in February 2026 will move to 24-hour operation.

Ngoma border checklist

Arrive between 08:00 and 17:00, so both sides are open and you are not rushed.
Passport valid for at least six months with blank pages, and a visa if your nationality needs one.
Driving licence, plus an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in English.
Vehicle registration papers and, if the vehicle is not in your name, a letter of authority.
Pula in cash for the Botswana side, and Namibian dollars for the Namibian cross-border charge if you are heading north.
No fresh meat or dairy in the cooler (see the food section below).
Fuel in the tank: Shell in Muchenje is 1 km from Lorato; there are no ATMs in the area.

Documents to bring

Passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages.
Driving licence, plus an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in English.
Vehicle registration papers: the original or a certified copy.
Letter of authority from the owner, rental company or finance house if the vehicle is not registered in your name. Rental companies usually need notice to prepare it.
Country sticker (for example ZA or NAM) on the back of the vehicle, and proof of insurance.

Botswana admits a foreign-registered vehicle on a temporary import permit issued at the border, for up to 14 days per visit before customs duty becomes due.

Rental cars and borrowed vehicles

If the vehicle is rented, financed or registered to someone else, the border will ask for a letter of authority from the owner or rental company, along with the registration papers. Ask the rental company for this before you collect the car, because many need notice and some restrict which countries you may enter. Check that your contract allows Botswana, and carry the letter with the registration papers, not in the luggage. If you are crossing back to Namibia, check the letter covers the return trip. Full detail on what to ask for is in Rental car from Namibia to Botswana: the letter you need.

Border fees, cash and card

Entering Botswana: foreign vehicles pay a National Road Safety Fund levy of P40 (valid to 31 December, per BURS), and a road transport permit levy on every entry. Published amounts for the permit and for third-party insurance conflict between sources, so we do not quote a total. Ask at the border and keep your receipts.
Entering Namibia: the Road Fund Administration's cross-border charge is N$534 for a car or single or double cab bakkie from 1 August 2026, and N$340 for motorcycles, caravans and light trailers.
Payment: bring Pula in cash for the Botswana side. Travellers report that card machines are often not working and there is no ATM or exchange at the border. Draw cash in Katima Mulilo or Kasane. There are no ATMs in the Muchenje area either, so bring enough cash.

You may read that a US$30 tourism levy is charged at Ngoma. Botswana's Tourism Development Levy was withdrawn in December 2017 and we found no official source that it was reintroduced. If an official asks for any fee, ask for a receipt.

Food and the foot-and-mouth control

Both countries control foot-and-mouth disease at the border. Expect to walk through a shoe dip and drive through a tyre dip. Raw meat from cloven-hoofed animals (beef, pork, lamb, game) is routinely taken from travellers, fresh dairy often is too, and cooked, tinned and dry food is generally allowed.

Rules are changing in 2026. Botswana confirmed outbreaks in its north east in March 2026, and Namibia banned animal products from several Botswana zones, including Chobe, even for personal use. On 23 to 25 September 2026 Namibia confirmed an outbreak in the south of the country and suspended movement of these animals and their products nationwide. On 10 October 2026 Namibia suspended movement of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products throughout the Zambezi Region, after FMD was confirmed on Kalala Island. Do not carry fresh meat or dairy across Ngoma until the rules settle, and read our guide to taking meat and food across the border.

After the border: the road to Kasane

On the Botswana side the A33 runs east for about 65 km through Chobe National Park to Kasane. Travellers who stay on the tar report paying no park fees; you pay only if you enter the park for game viewing at the Ngoma Gate or the Sedudu Gate near Kasane. Drivers sign a register for the transit road. The route has been open 24 hours since 1 April 2025 (Botswana Daily News), but elephants cross the road and the government has warned that wildlife is not used to night traffic, so drive it in daylight. Our Katima Mulilo to Kasane guide covers the drive in detail, and if you are heading south, see the road to Savuti.

Fuel: there is a Shell fuel station in Muchenje, about 1 km from Lorato. It takes cards and cash. You can also fill up in Katima Mulilo or Kasane.

Shops and cash: there are no supermarkets near the Ngoma border, just small villages. Muchenje village has a butchery and small shops with very basic groceries. There are no ATMs in the area, so draw cash in Katima Mulilo or Kasane first. Kasane has the supermarkets.

Where to stay tonight after the Ngoma Bridge

The Chobe Enclave villages on the Botswana side of the Ngoma Bridge are the first place to stay in Botswana. At Lorato, check-in is at any time, check-out is by 11:00, and a 50% deposit secures your pitch, with free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival. From here you can spend a day in the western Chobe riverfront through the Ngoma Gate, drive to Kasane in the morning, or start south towards Kachikau and Savuti.

Do I need a visa?

Many nationalities, including most Commonwealth and EU citizens, do not need a visa for Botswana, but some do. Check your nationality on the Botswana Tourism visa list and apply where required on the official Botswana e-visa portal before you travel. The Ngoma posts are small, so do not count on sorting a visa at the border.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Ngoma border post opening hours?

The Botswana side is listed as open 07:00 to 18:00. Namibia's Ministry of Home Affairs lists its side as 08:00 to 18:00. To be safe, cross between 08:00 and 17:00.

Is the Ngoma border open 24 hours?

No. Ngoma closes at 18:00. The nearest crossing into Botswana that is moving to 24-hour operation is the Kazungula Bridge from Zambia.

Is there a time difference at the Ngoma border?

No. Namibia and Botswana are both on UTC+2 all year.

How much does it cost to take a car through the Ngoma border?

Entering Botswana, the road safety levy is P40 (BURS), plus other charges whose amounts vary between sources, so we do not quote a total. Entering Namibia, the cross-border charge for a car or bakkie is N$534 from 1 August 2026. Bring cash.

Can I pay by card at the Ngoma border?

Do not rely on it. Travellers report that card machines are often down and there is no ATM or exchange at the border. Bring Pula in cash for the Botswana side.

What documents do I need to cross at Ngoma?

A passport valid for six months, your driving licence, the vehicle registration papers, a letter of authority if the vehicle is rented or not in your name, a country sticker and proof of insurance.

Can I take meat across the Ngoma border?

Assume not. Raw meat from cloven-hoofed animals is routinely taken, fresh dairy often is too, and both countries tightened foot-and-mouth controls in 2026. Cooked, tinned and dry food is generally allowed.

How far is the Ngoma border from Kasane?

About 65 km on the A33 through Chobe National Park, roughly 1 hour of driving in daylight.

How long does it take to cross the Ngoma border?

We found no dated measurements, so we do not give a number. Allow extra time, arrive between 08:00 and 17:00 and have your papers ready. One Namibian report described a 30-minute delay when no immigration officer was on duty.

Do I need a letter for a rental car at the Ngoma Bridge border?

Yes, if the vehicle is rented or not registered in your name, carry a letter of authority from the owner or rental company with the registration papers. Ask for it before you collect the car.

Where can I stay near the Ngoma border?

Lorato Lodge and Camping in Muchenje is 7 km from the Botswana side, about 15 minutes, at a green grass campsite with solar power, hot showers and free Starlink Wi-Fi for $20 per person per night. You can check in at any time.

More guides for your route

Sources

Checked 23 October 2026. Rules, hours and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.

Ngoma border post: hours, fees and what to expect