Grootfontein lies 427 kilometres north of Windhoek, at the eastern corner of the Otavi Triangle. The name is Afrikaans for big spring. This is where the long drive to the northeast begins: the B8 runs about 250 kilometres to Rundu on the Okavango. From Tsumeb and Etosha you arrive on a 60-kilometre link road.
- residents, 2023 census
- 26,839
- to Windhoek, all tar
- 427 km
- to Rundu on the B8
- about 250 km
- weight of the Hoba meteorite, depending on the source
- 50 to 60 t
Fill up in Grootfontein before you set off for Rundu. A forum report mentions filling stations in both Grootfontein and Rundu, though it dates from 2014. From here on, keep in mind that according to the German Foreign Office the malaria risk in northern and northeastern Namibia is high all year round.
For a night there are rest camps and guesthouses in and around town, and further out lodges and guest farms out in the Otavi hills such as Ghaub Lodge, Fiume Lodge and Dornhügel. In spring the streets bloom with jacaranda and flamboyant trees.
The Hoba meteorite
About 20 kilometres west of town, on Hoba farm, lies the largest known meteorite on Earth. Some sources say 24 kilometres. The iron block measures 2.70 by 2.70 metres and is just under a metre thick; its weight is given as 50 to 60 tonnes, though some put it above 60. It is about 82 per cent iron and 16 per cent nickel. There is no crater: the meteorite still lies where it landed some 80,000 years ago.
It was found by a farmer whose plough stuck with a metallic scrape, probably late in 1920. The earliest written mention is a letter from May 1921, and the find first appeared in print in 1923, in a British Museum catalogue of meteorites. The meteorite has been a national monument since 1955. In 1987 the then owner donated the site to the state. Since then the block has sat in a kind of amphitheatre, with a path, a small ticket office with a shop, and braai sites.
The old fort and the Dorsland trekkers
In 1885 forty Boer families settled here, Dorsland trekkers on their way to Angola. They proclaimed the Republic of Upingtonia but gave it up as early as 1887. From 1893 the South West Africa Company had its headquarters in Grootfontein, and in September 1896 a 25-man post of the colonial army moved into what is now called the Old Fort. Today the fort is a museum of local history.
About 60 kilometres north of town, on Keibib farm, stands a baobab with a trunk 18.5 metres round, thought to be up to 3,000 years old. It has been a national monument since 1951. Ask in Grootfontein whether and how you can visit, as it stands on farmland.
- Time needed
- half a day for Hoba and the fort, one night before the drive to Rundu
- From Windhoek
- 427 km, 320 minutes
Our tipComing from Etosha, drive to Grootfontein via Hoba; the meteorite lies west of town, a short detour. That leaves the whole of the next day for the road to Rundu.
Places to stay in Grootfontein
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Fiume Lodge & Game Farm
30 km from the town centre
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €217per night on 23 November 2026
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Paradise Rest Camp
From Grootfontein on the B8 Main Road, 80 km towards
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €40per night on 10 January 2027
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Family Cottage With En Suite Bathroom And Kitchenette
D2859
- Pool
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €57per night on 23 November 2026
Check prices on trivago
Pondoki Rest Camp
Plot Felsensquelle
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €66per night on 23 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoGrootfontein: frequently asked questions
How far is the Hoba meteorite from Grootfontein?
The Hoba meteorite lies on Hoba farm about 20 kilometres west of Grootfontein; some sources say 24 kilometres. Since 1987 the site, with its path and ticket office, has belonged to the state.
How heavy is the Hoba meteorite?
The weight of the Hoba meteorite near Grootfontein is given as 50 to 60 tonnes, with some sources saying more than 60. It is the largest known meteorite on Earth and still lies where it landed.
How far is it from Grootfontein to Rundu?
From Grootfontein to Rundu is about 250 kilometres on the B8. Fill up in Grootfontein before you leave.