Gobabis Accommodation

Gobabis

200 kilometers east of Windhoek, in the Omaheke Region, you will find the town of Gobabis. The town, known by some as Little Texas, lies in the heart of Namibian cattle country, a fact that the locals are so proud of that they erected a statue of a large bull with an inscription that welcomes visitors to Cattle Country as they enter the town. Gobabis has various important ties to its neighbours, the town is 113 km from the Buitepos border post with Botswana, and serves as an important link to South Africa on the tarred Trans-Kalahari Highway. Gobabis borders the Kalahari Desert, and is traditionally the land of the Herero people.

While wandering around Gobabis visitors will notice the Herero people. They come from the surrounding villages in the Omaheke Region, and many of them also from neighboring Botswana, to do shopping in Gobabis. Easily noticeable are the Herero women who still wear the large Victorian dresses and the typical headgear.

Although the town is not a thriving tourist destination, Gobabis does have some attractions which are worth showing some attention. The Gobabis Museum was opened in 1998 and is under the curatorship of the German Club in Gobabis. The museum displays many exhibits from the colonial era.

The Harnas Wildlife Foundation is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to the protection of game, especially the big cats in Namibia. In the past, the big cats which include leopards, cheetah and lion were often shot by farmers who believed that the cats were attacking their farm animals. Today these animals are taken to Harnas for rehabilitation. The organization was founded by a dedicated farming family, not to be a zoo, but an orphanage for endangered wild animals. Visitors can see the big cats at close range and watch them being fed.

The Saa Ta Ko Campsite is another worthwhile stop if you are in the Omaheke Region. Slightly further away from Gobabis than some of the other attractions lies a community project that was founded in 1999. This Omaheke San Trust project is set right in the middle of the Kalahari landscape, about 250 kilometres south-east of Gobabis and affords visitors the opportunity to experience the original ancient lifestyle of the Kalahari San. It gives visitors the chance to explore the bush with a San guide or even to learn how to use bow and arrow. In the evenings the San gather around the fireplace and perform their traditional dances. The Saa Ta Ko Campsite can be reached in a normal car.