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Namibia Holiday & Travel - Central Region - Towns |
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Map |
Main Tourist Attractions |
Towns |
Accommodations
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The Central Region is dominated by Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, a small bust-ling city with an estimated population of 280 000 (based on the 2001 census). Situated in an airy basin in the central highlands, Windhoek is surrounded by the Auas Mountains to the south-east, the Eros Mountains to the north-east and the Khomas Hochland to the west.
Windhoek is often described as a city with a ‘continental’ atmosphere. This can be ascribed to its architecture – historical buildings dating back to German colonial rule – as well as to its cuisine, culture, dress codes and educational institutions. At the same time Windhoek has the colour, sounds and tempo of a modern African city. Pavement displays of African drums and woodcarvings from the north contrast with elegant shops offering sophisticated Swakara garments and Namibian gemstones set in individually designed pieces of jewellery. While some shops display clothing, silver and glassware imported from Europe, others stock casual and colourful garments from West Africa.
Because of the area’s plentiful hot springs, Windhoek was initially known as Ai-gams (correctly spelt /Ai //Gams to indicate the click sound), a Nama word meaning ‘firewater’, ‘steam’ or ‘smoke’, and Otjomuise, a Herero word meaning the ‘place of steam’. The Nama captain, Jan Jonker Afrikaner, gave the town the name it carries today. In the early 1840s Afrikaner settled where the most powerful spring reached the surface. It is thought that in a moment of nostalgia he named the place after Winterhoek, the farm in the Cape where he was born. During the German colonial administration the town was called Windhuk, which later became Windhoek.
Public transport consists mainly of taxis, while a bus service takes passengers between Katutura and Khomasdal to Windhoek and its various suburbs.
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Topics: |
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 Out and about in the capital
• Windhoek on Foot
• Features of historical interest
• National Archives & Library
• Botanical garden
• Art and culture
• Bank Windhoek Arts Festival
• /Ae//Gams Arts and Cultural Festival
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Gobabis
The largest town east of Windhoek is Gobabis, an important cattle-ranching centre.
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Dordabis
South east of Windhoek is the historical town of Dordabis, where cattle farmer and local businessman Michael Krafft of Farm Ibenstein has taken on the massive task of renovating the historical buildings of Dordabis.
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 Okahandja
Directly north of Windhoek lies Okahandja, a town of great significance to the Herero people because it was once the seat of Chief Samuel Maharero.
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 Rehoboth
Some 88 km south of Windhoek, amongst a relatively dense acacia woodland of camel thorn, sweet-thorn and candle-pod acacia, is the historical town of Rehoboth.
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