What is AfrikaBurn?
The Tankwa Karoo is one of the emptiest places in South Africa: a vast, dry plain of dust and scrub ringed by mountains, a few hours' drive north of Cape Town. For one week each year, at the end of April, it becomes a city. AfrikaBurn, held since 2007 and an official regional event of the American Burning Man festival, draws around 10,000 people to build a temporary community of art, music, costume and fire, and then to take it all away again, leaving no trace.
AfrikaBurn is not a festival in the usual sense. There are no headliners, no stages run by the organizers, and nothing for sale. Everything is made by the participants themselves: theme camps that offer music, food, workshops or shade; huge sculptures and installations scattered across the plain; and "mutant vehicles", art cars built into dragons, ships and creatures, that roam the desert at night. The event runs on a gift economy, in which nothing is bought or bartered, and participants are expected to bring everything they need to survive in the desert for a week.
It follows the principles of Burning Man, such as radical self-reliance, radical inclusion, gifting, participation and leaving no trace, with an African addition: "each one teach one". Its central sculpture, the San Clan, is inspired by the rock art of the San people, the first inhabitants of southern Africa. At the end of the week, the San Clan and many other artworks are burned in great fires watched by the whole community.
For many, it is a deeply moving experience: a week of creativity and generosity in a stark and beautiful landscape, under some of the clearest night skies on Earth.
What to expect
The event runs for about a week, with the biggest burns in the final days.
Early week
Building the city
Participants arrive, set up camp and build the artworks. Theme camps open, and the city grows on the plain.
Mid-week
Art, music and the playa
By day, people explore the artworks by bike and on foot, visit camps and join workshops. At night, mutant vehicles carry music across the desert, and the art is lit up.
Final days
The burns
The San Clan and other major artworks are burned on successive nights, before the community packs up and leaves the desert as it found it.
Daytime on the playa at AfrikaBurn
Photo by Stay Rad! / flickr · CC BY 2.0
Planning your trip
Getting there
Cape Town has the nearest international airport. From there, the drive to the Tankwa Karoo takes several hours, with the final stretch on long gravel roads that are notorious for punctures, so carry at least one spare tyre. Organized lift clubs and shuttles help those without a vehicle.
Where to stay
You camp on site, in a tent or vehicle, with everything you need for a week. Many first-timers join a theme camp, which shares shade, kitchens and infrastructure. Before and after, Cape Town has accommodation for every budget.
What it costs
Tickets are moderately priced, with reduced tickets for South African residents and low-income participants. The main costs are transport, camping equipment, food and water, and contributions to your theme camp. Costumes and art can cost as much as you choose.
Go like you know
- Bring a gift to share, whether it's a drink, a service, a song or a skill; gifting is the heart of the event.
- Leave no trace: take everything home, including every piece of litter, or "MOOP", matter out of place.
- Respect the burns: stay behind the perimeter and listen to the rangers.
- The original is Nevada's Burning Man, held at the end of August.
- Britain's Glastonbury Festival is another festival that builds a temporary city in the countryside, in June.
Frequently asked questions
When is AfrikaBurn?
Over about a week at the end of April and the start of May, around South Africa's Freedom Day on April 27. The 2026 event ran from April 27 to May 3. The 2027 dates are listed as April 26 to May 2, pending confirmation by the organizers when tickets go on sale.
Can I buy food or water on site?
No. AfrikaBurn runs on a gift economy, and nothing is for sale on site. You must bring all your food, water and supplies for the week. Many camps share meals, and people often offer drinks and food as gifts, but you cannot count on it.
Do I need a ticket in advance?
Yes. Tickets are sold online months ahead, in several phases, and sell out. There are no tickets at the gate. Vehicle passes are also required. Check the official AfrikaBurn website for the ticketing schedule, the survival guide and the rules for the year you plan to go.
