Duwisib Castle stands 72 kilometres southwest of Maltahöhe, in the farmland of the Hardap Region. It looks like a medieval fortress, yet it was only finished in 1909. The castle has been closed to visitors since 2022. In July 2026 the state company Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) confirmed that it will stay closed until further notice.
- inaugurated, building began in 1908
- 1909
- rooms
- 22
- southwest of Maltahöhe
- 72 km
- closed, as of October 2026
- since 2022
It was built for Hans Heinrich von Wolf, an artillery officer from Dresden. In 1907 he married Jayta Humphreys, stepdaughter of the American consul. The couple bought eight farms around Maltahöhe and bred thoroughbred horses. The design came from Wilhelm Sander, who also built the Schwerinsburg, the Heinitzburg and the Sanderburg in Windhoek.
The red sandstone is local. Everything else came from Germany: iron, timber, cement, even the lamps. Wagons pulled by 24 oxen each hauled the loads some 300 kilometres from Lüderitz. Italian masons laid the walls. Swedish and Irish carpenters did the woodwork.
Barely lived in
The von Wolfs did not live in their castle for long. In 1914 they were at sea when war broke out, and their ship was diverted to Rio de Janeiro. Von Wolf made his way back to Germany, rejoined the army and was killed at the Somme in 1916. His wife never returned to South West Africa. The farm went bankrupt soon after the war, and a Swedish family bought the house.
Duwisib has belonged to the state since 1979. The castle was thoroughly restored in 1991 and again in 2014. NWR displayed antiques, armour and 18th and 19th century paintings inside. There were also five rooms, a campsite and a cellar bar.
What you can see today
NWR closed the castle in 2022, at first because of the pandemic. Later inspections found problems that have to be fixed before it can reopen. The company gives no date. The rooms and campsites are still listed on the NWR website, so do not rely on that.
You can still see the castle from outside. Right next door is Duwisib Guest Farm, which is not part of the castle. It has rooms in an old sandstone workshop and five shaded campsites, and guests write that they look out at the castle from their pitch.
And the horses?
Von Wolf is said to have kept around 300 horses. For a long time the story went that they ran wild after his death and became the ancestors of the desert horses at Garub. A genetic study from 2001 casts doubt on that. Since 2019 the environment ministry has traced the herd to the Kubub stud near Aus.
- Time needed
- an hour for a look from outside, a night at the guest farm next door
- Cost
- castle closed, no entry (as of October 2026); stays at the guest farm next door at its own rates
- When
- late afternoon, when the sandstone glows red
Our tipFill up in Maltahöhe before you head out on the gravel. Before you plan a detour just for the interior, ask NWR whether the castle has reopened.
Places to stay in Maltahöhe
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Burgsdorf
Farm Burgsdorf 188
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €185per night on 23 November 2026
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Maltahohe
Post Street Nr 3 5
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €88per night on 18 November 2026
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HUDUP Guesthouse
198 Johan Albrecht street
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Pets allowed
from €43per night on 23 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoDuwisib Castle: frequently asked questions
Can you visit Duwisib Castle?
Duwisib Castle has been closed to visitors since 2022. In July 2026 Namibia Wildlife Resorts announced that it will remain closed until further notice; you can still see it from outside.
Can you stay overnight at Duwisib Castle?
The NWR rooms and campsite at Duwisib Castle are closed along with the castle. Duwisib Guest Farm right next door has rooms and campsites within walking distance of it.
Who built Duwisib Castle?
Duwisib Castle was built for Hans Heinrich von Wolf, an artillery officer from Dresden, to a design by Wilhelm Sander. It was inaugurated in mid-1909, and von Wolf was killed at the Somme in 1916.
Do the Garub wild horses come from Duwisib?
That was the story for a long time, because von Wolf bred horses at Duwisib. A genetic study from 2001 casts doubt on it, and the environment ministry traces the Garub wild horses to the Kubub stud near Aus.