Namutoni lies in southeastern Etosha. Von Lindequist Gate is 12 to 13 kilometres away, and if you are coming from Tsumeb or carrying on to the Caprivi, that is the gate you will use. At the heart of the camp stands a white fort from the German colonial period. From the gate it is just over 530 kilometres of tar to Windhoek.
- founded as a control post
- 1897
- from Von Lindequist Gate to the camp
- 12 km
- from the gate to Windhoek, all tar
- 531 km
- rooms in the NWR camp
- 44
The station was founded in 1897. It marked the northern limit of German influence and was meant to keep rinderpest from Ovamboland at bay. The name comes from Oshivambo and loosely means the high place, because the spring sits on a limestone hill. In 1901 and 1902 a fortified post went up about 100 metres away.
The camp is run by the state-owned Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR). It was rebuilt around the fort in 2011, renovated in 2014 and 2015 and now has 44 rooms. A campsite costs N$ 550 per person until the end of October and N$ 460 from November (as of October 2026). You book Namutoni directly with NWR.
The attack of 1904
When the Herero war broke out, the colonial administration withdrew most of the garrison. On 28 January 1904 Ondonga warriors under King Nehale lyaMpingana attacked the fort. The handful of defenders beat off the first assault. That night they fled to Tsumeb, about 100 kilometres away. The next day the fort was stormed and largely destroyed.
The colonial army rebuilt it between 1905 and 1907. In the First World War it held British prisoners of war; in 1915 the South African army took over, and it then fell into decay. After the national park was founded, the fort was restored and declared a national monument in 1950. Guests have stayed here since the mid-1960s. Today Etosha's northern gate bears King Nehale's name.
Sleeping and refuelling outside the gate
Private lodges lie east of the gate. Mokuti Etosha is closest, Onguma Forest Camp and Mushara Lodge a little further, Emanya@etosha further out still. If you stay there, you drive through the gate at sunrise and must be out again by sunset.
In August 2026 there was no fuel at any Etosha camp, Namutoni included. Fill up in Tsumeb, where a trip report calls the station next to Shoprite the last chance before the park. Crossing the park to Okaukuejo means 140 to 155 kilometres of gravel, with a detour around the roadworks on the main road.
Rundu is 432 kilometres away on tar via Tsumeb and Grootfontein. In Etosha the malaria risk is high from September to May; in the northeast, according to the German Foreign Office, it is high all year.
Today, as of The camp around the fort was rebuilt in 2011 and renovated in 2014 and 2015. The fort itself was neglected from the mid-2010s. After protests in December 2020 it was cleaned up, yet in May 2021 it was still closed to visitors, and restoration has been under way since 2022. Ask at reception which parts are open.
- Time needed
- one or two nights at the end of a drive across Etosha
- From Windhoek
- 531 km, 390 minutes
Our tipOn your last morning, check the waterholes around Namutoni first and leave the park around midday. You can refuel in Tsumeb and still reach Grootfontein, or be well on your way south, by the afternoon.
Places to stay in Etosha East (Von Lindequist Gate)
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Onguma Forest Camp
Onguma Nature Reserve C38, Namutoni, Etosha National Park
- Pool
- Spa
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €67per night on 18 November 2026
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Mokuti Etosha
9 km from the town centre
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €325per night on 23 November 2026
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Emanya@etosha
D3028
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €242per night on 23 November 2026
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Emanya@etosha Game Lodge
Emanya Lodge
- Breakfast
from €245per night on 23 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoEtosha East (Von Lindequist Gate): frequently asked questions
What does the name Namutoni mean?
Namutoni comes from Oshivambo and loosely means the high place. The spring next to the fort sits on a limestone hill.
Can you visit Fort Namutoni?
Fort Namutoni in Etosha was neglected from the mid-2010s, closed to visitors in May 2021 and has been under restoration since 2022. Ask at the camp reception which parts are open.
Which lodges are outside Von Lindequist Gate?
East of Etosha's Von Lindequist Gate you will find Mokuti Etosha, Onguma Forest Camp, Mushara Lodge and Emanya@etosha, among others. From there you enter the park in the morning when the gate opens at sunrise.
What happened at Namutoni in 1904?
On 28 January 1904 Ondonga warriors under King Nehale lyaMpingana attacked Fort Namutoni. The small garrison fled to Tsumeb during the night, and the next day the fort was stormed and largely destroyed.