Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bark on a bush outing, spend the afternoon poolside and bask in comfort while you can.
Probably the best place in town for food too. The restaurant (mains N$60 to N$80, open
7am to 10pm) serves fish, salads, pastas and grills dabbling in a bit of everything.
Getting There & Away
Minibuses run frequently between Grootfontein and Tsumeb, Rundu, Katima Mulilo and
Windhoek, departing when full from informal bus stops along Okavango Rd at the appro-
priate ends of town. The Intercape Mainliner (
Click here
)
bus that departs Windhoek for
Victoria Falls also passes through Grootfontein (from N$350, six hours, twice weekly).
If you're heading out to Tsumkwe, you will need a private vehicle. The gravel road into
town is accessible by 2WD if you take it slow, but you will need a high-clearance vehicle
to reach the various villages in Otjozondjupa, and a 4WD might be necessary in the rainy
season. If you're heading to Khaudum, a sturdy 4WD is a requirement, as is travelling as
part of a well-equipped convoy.
TSUMEB
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Tsumeb is one Namibian town worth a poke around, especially if you are trying to get a
feel for the country's urban side. The streets are very pleasant to wander, made more so by
the plentiful shady trees, it's reasonably compact, and there's usually a smile or two drift-
ing your way on the busy streets.
MIGHTY MINERALS, WORLDLY WONDERS
The prosperity of Tsumeb is based on the presence of 184 known minerals, including 10 that are unique to this
area. Its deposits of copper ore and a phenomenal range of other metals and minerals (lead, silver, germanium,
cadmium and many others), brought to the surface in a volcanic pipe - as well as Africa's most productive lead
mine - give it the distinction of being a metallurgical and mineralogical wonder of the world. Tsumeb specimens
have found their way into museum collections around the globe, but you'll also see a respectable assembly of the
region's mineralogical largesse and historical data in the town museum.
Sights & Activities
MUSEUM
Tsumeb Mining Museum
