Tsumeb lies about 430 kilometres north of Windhoek on the B1, in what is called the Otavi Triangle together with Otavi and Grootfontein. With around 550 millimetres of rain a year, the area is greener than most of the country. For Etosha, Tsumeb is the last town before Von Lindequist Gate, which is about 100 kilometres away, the last 35 on the C38.
- founded as a mining town
- 1905
- residents, 2023 census
- 34,960
- to Windhoek, all tar
- 429 km
- to Von Lindequist Gate
- about 100 km
Fill up here. A trip report from August 2026 calls the filling station next to Shoprite the last chance before the park, and the Etosha camps had no fuel at the time. Stock up on water and supplies while you are at it. For a night, there are hotels in town such as the Minen Hotel and the Makalani, as well as the Kupferquelle Resort.
Most explanations of the name go back to a green hill of malachite that once lay at the surface here. The San were already extracting copper from it, smelting it in termite mounds that they used as furnaces. The Ovambo to the north forged rings and necklaces from the metal.
The mine
From 1900 the Otavi Mining and Railway Company worked the ore, and by 1906 the railway to Swakopmund was finished. The Tsumeb Mine produced copper, lead, zinc, silver and germanium until 1996. Mineral collectors know Tsumeb for its sheer variety: more than 240 minerals have been found here, up to nearly 300 depending on the count, dozens of them for the first time anywhere. Since October 2022 the deposit has been on the International Union of Geological Sciences' list of 100 geological heritage sites.
Since the mine closed, the town has earned a different reputation, as a garden town: it planted jacaranda trees, which bloom violet in spring, around October. On the last weekend of October Tsumeb holds its annual Copper Festival.
Museum and Lake Otjikoto
In July 1915 the German colonial army surrendered to South African forces by the railway between Otavi and Khorab. Before that, the soldiers had sunk weapons and equipment in Lake Otjikoto. Divers recovered part of it after the Second World War. Those pieces form the core of the Tsumeb Museum.
The lake itself lies 20 kilometres northwest of town, only 100 metres from the B1 and so right on the way to Etosha. It is a collapsed sinkhole 102 metres across. Nobody knows exactly how deep it is, because at the bottom it opens sideways into caves. At least two cannons still lie down there. The name comes from Otjiherero and means deep hole, and the whole Oshikoto Region is named after it.
Lake Guinas, also near town, is larger and clearer, about 500 metres across. The Hoba meteorite near Grootfontein is just under an hour from Tsumeb by car, 77 kilometres by route planner.
Today, as of Tsumeb has grown considerably since 2001, from 14,929 to 34,960 residents at the 2023 census. And because the Etosha camps have repeatedly run out of fuel since 2025, the pumps in Tsumeb matter more than ever if you are entering the park from the east.
- Time needed
- a fuel stop with a detour to Lake Otjikoto, or one night before or after Etosha
- From Windhoek
- 429 km, 320 minutes
Our tipOn the way to Etosha, stop at Lake Otjikoto, which is right beside the B1. But fill up in Tsumeb first, then drive on to the gate.
Places to stay in Tsumeb
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Callies Game Lodge Safaris
Farm Ons Hoop 847
- Pool
- Spa
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €194per night on 23 November 2026
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Mokuti Etosha Lodge
on the C38, approximately 75km North of
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €424per night on 18 June 2027
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The Theatre House
Corner of Main street and Ilze Schatz
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Wi-Fi
from €54per night on 23 November 2026
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Haus Mopanie
Mopanie Rd
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Wi-Fi
from €54per night on 23 November 2026
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Villa Africa Guesthouse
1713, 13th Road
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €35per night on 23 November 2026
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Kupferquelle Resort
39 President St
- Pool
- Spa
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €69per night on 26 September 2027
Check prices on trivagoTsumeb: frequently asked questions
How far is Tsumeb from Etosha?
From Tsumeb to Von Lindequist Gate in the east of Etosha is about 100 kilometres on tar, the last stretch on the C38. Namutoni camp is 12 to 13 kilometres beyond the gate.
What is at the bottom of Lake Otjikoto near Tsumeb?
German soldiers sank weapons and equipment in Lake Otjikoto before they surrendered in 1915. Part of it was recovered after the Second World War and is on display in the Tsumeb Museum; at least two cannons are still in the lake.
Why is the Tsumeb mine so famous?
More than 240 minerals have been found in the Tsumeb mine, dozens of them for the first time anywhere. Since 2022 the deposit has been one of the International Union of Geological Sciences' 100 geological heritage sites.
Where can I refuel before Etosha's eastern gate?
Before Von Lindequist Gate you refuel in Tsumeb; a trip report from August 2026 calls the station next to Shoprite the last chance. The Etosha camps had no fuel at the time.