Traditional Cooking Class in Tsumeb: Learn Namibian Pap & Braai

Make traditional pap and braai, then eat what you've cooked with your hosts.

A three-hour cooking class in Tsumeb where you learn to prepare Mahangu pap (the staple porridge) and braai (BBQ) in a Namibian home, with pickup, lunch and local drinks included. You'll meet your hosts, hear about desert farming and crop storage, and sit down to eat together: vegetarians can prepare local spinach and Marula fruits instead. Children are welcome.

The experience

What makes this different from a restaurant meal is that you're standing in someone's kitchen learning how they actually cook, not watching a demonstration. You start with Mahangu, the grain that forms the base of Namibian daily food, and the instructor walks you through both the preparation and the farming practices that make it work in a desert climate. Your hands do the work (mixing, stirring, the physical effort of making pap properly), so you leave understanding not just the recipe but why the technique matters. The braai part opens to what you want: classic beef, or if you're curious, goat head (called "Smilie") and Mopane worms. Vegetarian guests prepare local spinach and Marula fruits instead, and the operator emphasizes Namibia has far more than steaks to offer.

The meal itself is the point. After three hours of cooking, you sit down with your Namibian hosts over lunch, local beers and traditional drinks, trading stories. This is where the cultural exchange actually happens, not as a performance, but as people who've just cooked together eating what they made. Children fit into this easily. Pickup is included, so you don't navigate transport. Water, soda and snacks arrive as part of the package.

What’s included

• Private transportation and pickup.
• lunch.
• bottled water and soda.
• snacks.
• local beers and traditional drinks during the meal.
• a live English-speaking guide throughout the three hours.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 18)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Anchor Adventures Namibia

Is this one for you?This works best for small groups or families who want to cook alongside locals rather than watch from the side, and for travelers who have a morning or afternoon free and want to spend it making something real instead of touring sites.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Mahangu pap and why do Namibians eat it every day?

Mahangu pap is a porridge made from Mahangu grain, the staple food prepared and eaten daily in Namibian homes. During the class you learn both how to prepare it and how it's farmed and stored in the desert climate, so you understand why it's central to the cuisine.

Can I do this cooking class if I'm vegetarian?

Yes. Vegetarian guests prepare local spinach and Marula fruits instead of the beef or adventurous meat options, and the class is designed to show that Namibian cooking offers much more than steaks.

Do I need to know how to cook to join this class?

No. The class teaches you from the start, and the instructor guides you through each step of making pap and braai. Children are welcome too.

What happens after we finish cooking?

You sit down with your Namibian hosts and eat the lunch you've prepared together, along with local beers and traditional drinks. This is when you exchange stories and experience the culture firsthand.

Is transportation to the class included?

Yes, pickup is included. The operator arranges transport so you don't need to arrange it yourself.