Johanna Abed Family, Nakambale (Namibia)

On May 11, 2010, in Posts in English, by Javier Leandro Sobradillo
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Johanna Abed lives with her family just a few meters behind Nakambale Museum and Restcamp close to Ondangwa in Owamboland, a populated area at the North of Namibia.

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Magdalena, the manager of Nakambale, told us her idea to expand the benefits of tourism to the family of Johanna Abed. Basically the idea is to let tourists spend the night in one of Johanna’s huts and share a bit of their day-to-day life with the visitors. You can talk to them and see how they prepare and cook the traditional food of the region, the real thing, what they actually eat everyday. At the time of our visit, the project wasn’t yet ready, they still needed:
  • Mattresses
  • Mosquito nets
  • Toilet
The best thing is to get in touch with Magdalena (+26465245668/+264812493108) and ask whether staying overnight with the Abed family is possible. Otherwise you can always just visit the family during the day and sleep in Nakambale Restcamp.
Contact: Magdalena Kaanante, Manager of Nakambale Museum Restcamp
Address:
P.O. Box: 2018
Ondangwa, Namibia
Tel: +26465245668/+264812493108
Fax: +26465240472
How to get there: Coming from the South along the tar road B1 from Tsumeb, continue towards Oshakati; 8km before Ondangwa there is a sign indicating a gravel road on the left hand side, the D3629. After about 5 km you will see Olukonda on your left. There is a church, and the Nakambale Museum and Rest camp are just behind it, about 500 meters from the crossing. The Johanna Abed Family lives behind Nakambale, in their own private home. Ask in Nakambale for further directions.

It is perfectly possible to access the camp with a small, non 4×4 car.

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Nakambale Museum and rest camp. Ondangwa (Namibia)

On May 4, 2010, in Posts in English, by Javier Leandro Sobradillo
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Experience the Owambo culture in this rest camp founded by an old Finnish missionary. Make sure to visit the Johanna Abed family, who live nearby!

Johanna Abed (left) and Magdalena Kaanante (right)

Olukonda was founded in 1871 as one of the first Finnish missions in Owamboland. Since 1880 it was home to the Finnish missionary Martti Rautanen, nicknamed Nakambale by the locals. In 1889 Nakambale built the first church in the north of Namibia and in 1893 a house for missionaries.

These buildings still exist and since 1992 are National Namibian Monuments.
Thanks to the help by the Government of Finland, both the church and the house were refurbished in 1992 and 1995 respectively. Currently the Evangelic and Lutheran Church of Namibia maintains them.


Nakambale Museum and Rest camp opened its doors and started operating in its current form in 1995. It has 5 traditional huts, 5 permanent tents and a spacious camping area. As a direct consequence of the increase in the number of tourists visiting the camp in the last years, they have elaborated a project for its expansion. They will remove the permanent tent area in order to build rooms with a toilet and shower. They plan also to increase the camping area. This project will be financed by the Government of Finland.


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Contact: Magdalena Kaanante

Address: P.O. 2018 Ondangwa
Ondangwa, Namibia
Tel: 065245668/0812493108
Fax: 065240472
Email: Olukonda.museum@elcin.org.na
Web: http://www.nacobta.com.na/lists_details.php?cat_id=2&sub_cat_id=18

How to get there: Coming from the South along the tar road B1 from Tsumeb, continue towards Oshakati; 8km before Ondangwa there is a sign indicating a gravel road on the left hand side, the D3629. After about 5 km you will see Olukonda on your left. There is a church, and the Nakambale Museum and Rest camp are just behind it, about 500 meters from the crossing.
It is perfectly possible to access the camp with a small, non 4×4 car.

Prices: About 60 Namibian Dollars per person per night in a traditional hut. About 75 Namibian dollars per person per night for the camping area.

Nakambale Museum and Restcamp is included in the Guide to Namibia for responsible Travel by Baobab Guides.

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