Gobabis Namibia


Gobabis Namibia Capital Town and cattle center of the Omeheke Central Eastern Region of Namibia

Gobabis, being the central eastern entry point to Namibia is about mid-positioned on the long Kalahari Highway that runs from Gaberone, Botswana all the way to Walvis Bay, and makes for a convenient overnight stay for travellers. Gobabis is presently not on the popular tour routes taken by most overseas tourists to Namibia, who tend to travel to the north, south and west of the country. The eastern Omaheke region of Namibia is a vast area with much to offer the adventurer to Africa. It lays at the western edge of the Kalahari and is home to the Herero and Bushman. It is rich cattle country and there are an abundance of game farms. It is the land of the Herero and the Bushman The good news for Namibians who aren't familiar with this part of their country and for the visitors from overseas is that the local accommodation and tour operators have formed an active group with the objective of placing their area firmly on the map, so watch this space. There is a new Info Centre in the town and they presently offer a whole range of tours including a series of 'niche market' cultural and educational tours that will take you into Bushmanland and Herero territory.

	Omaheke Region
	22º27S - 19º05E
	Population ?

This says it all

Gobabis Namibia the place where the elephants drink

The spring where Elephants drank

Church St

The Early Days: The San-Bushmen were the original inhabitants of this land that was rich in game. Then came the Tswana and the Oorlam Nama's of the Red Nation, who by 1845 had several permanent settlements in the area.

The early missionaries took note of the amount of souls ripe for conversion and in 1845 the Wesleyan missionary Joseph Tyndall established a mission station here. On discovering that the local name Gobabis meant "The place where people quarrelled" he felt that this might discourage white settlers, so it was relegated in favour of the Khoe-Khoe derivative having the more attractive sounding, "The place where the elephants drink". Tyndall had to abandon the mission in 1847 owing to an outbreak of disease in the area.The British explorer Francis Galton accompanied by Charles John Andersson passed through the town in 1851 as they travelled east in search, without success, of the fabled Lake Ngami. Andersson returned two years later and finally discovered the lake. The stories about the abundance of animals found there soon attracted a steady flow of adventurer hunters and explorers, and Gobabis was witness to the results of the slaughter as the ox-wagons loaded with elephant tusks and exotic game skins trundled by on the long journey to Walvis Bay.

Baines, Chapman, Green, Mclune and Ruth, who's names are entrenched in the exploration of this land are all reported to have made their way through the settlement at Gobabis. It was now time for another group of hardy missionaries, the Rhenish, to re-establish the faith and by 1860 Friedrich Weber had opened a mission and trading station and in 1863 the first school.

Soon after the colonization of Namibia by the Imperial Reich in 1884 the Germans established a small garrison at the town. This encouraged German settlement in the area which was good for cattle farming. The 1897 outbreak of Rinderpest that brought bankruptcy to so many was eventually overcome and today Gobabis is the major eastern centre for the large surrounding farming community.

4 x 4 Trail Enthusiasts Watch This Space: If you're from the Southern African Region you'll know about the Dorsland Trek. There is presently a working group of local tour operators who plan to open up the section of the trail that travelled through the Omaheke district. This is a challenging route, not suitable for the 'soft' type of 4x4 vehicle and you'll need the right equipment even though the route is going to be guided. I'll report back with further progress on this matter.

Namibian Road Sign Beware Warthogs

Take Care Warthogs

Cautionary note: It's a 200km tarred road from Windhoek to Gobabis that is in good condition, but please take care. You'll probably meet a few of the big Super-Link trucks that ply this route that are referred to as Cattle-(Road)-Trains. The signs advising you to beware of Kudu and Warthogs are also a relevant warning, so it is best to get to your destination during daylight hours.

Buitepos	Gaberone	Noordoewer	Katima	Swakopmund	Windhoek
110 / 68	998 / 620	1009 / 627	1460 / 907	566 / 352	209 / 130

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Namibia Towns:
Aus | Gobabis | Grootfontein | Grunau | Henties-Bay | Kamanjab | Karibib | Karasburg | Katima Mulilo | Keetmanshoop Khorixas | Luderitz | Maltahohe | Mariental | Noordoewer | Okahandja | Omaruru | Ondangwa | Oshakati | Otavi Otjiwarongo | Outjo | Rehoboth | Ruacana | Rundu | Solitaire | Swakopmund | Terrace-Bay | Tsumeb | Uis | Usakos | Walvis-Bay | Windhoek