Grootfontein is one of the areas of Namibia with the most abundant water. It is situated in the transitional zone between subtropical and tropically damp Africa. Grootfontein lies on the B8, the Namibian National Road which leads from Windhoek to the Caprivi Strip in the north-eastern part of Namibia. The name of the town in the Otavi triangle, is Afrikaans and means "Big Spring".
In 1885, 40 boer families from the north-west of South Africa settled here. The "Dorstland Trekkers" had been headed for Angola to settle there, but when it became a Portuguese colony, they left and established the "Republic Upingtonia" in Grootfontein. 10 years later, mining operations started in the Otavi region. The Germans took control and established a military base as a gate to the Caprivi Strip.
Like all the towns in the Otavi triangle, Grootfontein is very green and in spring, the many Jacaranda trees can be seen in all their their purple splendour. The small town of about 10 000 inhabitants is an ideal overnight stop if you are going to travel the Caprivi and Bushmanland.
A museum supplies information about the Dorstland Trekkers, Boers from the Cape who traveled in nomadic fashion around Southwest Africa and founded a civitas dei called "Upingtonia" in this area. This state was, however, dissolved by the German colonial power after only a few years. Near the town an extraterrestrial stone – remains of the Hoba meteorite – can be found. It made an enormous impact. |
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| extraterrestrial stone: the Hoba meteorite |
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