In the room
The experience
The road in is corrugated white dust for the last three hours, and by the time you arrive your spine has rearranged itself. Tankwa Town rises out of nothing: scaffolded sculptures, sound camps stacked with subwoofers, a wooden Clan that will be burned to ash on the last night. The sun goes down behind the Cederberg and the desert temperature drops twenty degrees in twenty minutes. By 3am the sky is so clear it feels offensively close.
Insider tip
Walk in knowing
Tickets sell in tiered releases and the cheaper ones go in minutes. Bring everything. The nearest petrol station is Ceres, four hours away.
Why it fits
Why it is in the atlas
Africa's only major desert burn, in a Karoo silence that is part of the music. The closest the continent has to Black Rock City.
Plan the trip
When to go, hours, getting there
Best time to go
The last full week of April. The Burn itself happens Saturday night. The Temple Burn closes Sunday. Arrive on the Monday before for full immersion, leave Monday after when the playa is silent.
Hours
Annual, eight days late April. Gates open Monday morning, gates close the following Monday afternoon. No services on the playa, you bring everything in and take everything out.
Getting there
Fly Cape Town (CPT), drive five hours north into the Tankwa Karoo. The last 80 km is unpaved Karoo road. 4WD or high-clearance recommended. Carpooling via the official AfrikaBurn community lift-share. Carry water, fuel, food for the whole week.
Straight from the source
Official site and tickets
Dates, line-ups and tickets come from the organiser. Opens afrikaburn.org in a new tab.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Where is AfrikaBurn?
AfrikaBurn is in Tankwa Karoo (Quaggafontein), South Africa. Coordinates: -32.4823, 19.8976.
What kind of music is at AfrikaBurn?
AfrikaBurn programmes Electronic, Techno, Experimental, World. South Africa's regional Burning Man event, held annually in late April on Quaggafontein, a remote family ranch in the Tankwa Karoo about 280km north of Cape Town.
When is the best time to visit AfrikaBurn?
The last full week of April. The Burn itself happens Saturday night. The Temple Burn closes Sunday. Arrive on the Monday before for full immersion, leave Monday after when the playa is silent.
How do I get to AfrikaBurn?
Fly Cape Town (CPT), drive five hours north into the Tankwa Karoo. The last 80 km is unpaved Karoo road. 4WD or high-clearance recommended. Carpooling via the official AfrikaBurn community lift-share. Carry water, fuel, food for the whole week.
Why is AfrikaBurn in the Sonic Paths atlas?
Africa's only major desert burn, in a Karoo silence that is part of the music. The closest the continent has to Black Rock City.
Stay
Book somewhere to stay nearby
Find a bed close to AfrikaBurn in Tankwa Karoo through our accommodation partner, Stay22.
Some links to accommodation are affiliate links. If you book through one, Sonic Paths may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.