Place to stay · Otjozondjupa
Abenab Lodge
Farm lodge at the old Abenab mine north of Grootfontein, with 13 air-conditioned chalets, camping, a zipline over the old open pit and tours of the mine site.
Abenab Lodge is a privately owned farm lodge north of Grootfontein, set at the site of the old Abenab mine. Abenab was founded in 1921 as a settlement for a lead, vanadium and zinc mine that shut in 1958, and the lodge has turned what is left into its main attraction. Most people use it as a stopover between Etosha, the Hoba meteorite and the Waterberg, or on the way north-east.
What to expect
There are 13 air-conditioned chalets (standard doubles, twins and deluxe doubles) and a campsite for those who want to sleep out. The lodge runs on solar power and has cellphone reception. There is a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and a conference room for up to 50.
The mine is what sets it apart. You can ride a zipline across the old open pit, take a tour of the pit itself, and walk round an open-air museum on how the miners lived. There are guided walks and a hike into the hills, a hydro spa, and day trips to Etosha.
Practical details
- Phone: +264 81 550 0846. Email info@abenablodge.com.
- The lodge gives its distance as 24 km outside Grootfontein and 40 km from Tsumeb.
- Bookings go through the lodge’s online booking page or by phone.
Good to know
This is old mining country. Wikivoyage notes that the Abenab and Berg Aukas mines were for decades what kept the Grootfontein area going, mainly for zinc and vanadium, and the dolomite there has turned up fossils. Wikipedia puts Abenab settlement about 32 km north of Grootfontein, a bit further than the lodge’s figure, so allow some extra time if you are driving in near dark.
Last updated 7 October 2026. Sources: Abenab Lodge, Wikipedia, Abenab, Wikivoyage, Grootfontein.
