Place to stay · Otjozondjupa
Hamakari Gästefarm
A working cattle farm and guest farm run by the Diekmann family below the Waterberg, on land where the 1904 Battle of Ohamakari was fought.
Hamakari is a cattle farm of about 20,000 hectares on the edge of the Waterberg, about 10 km before Okakarara, that also takes guests. The Diekmanns came out from Germany in 1907, when Gustav Diekmann and his eldest son Wilhelm sailed to Swakopmund and then took up Hamakari, and the family still runs the farm. The lodge puts the drive from Hosea Kutako International Airport at about three and a half hours.
What to expect
There are eight deluxe farm rooms close to the farmhouse, set in the garden, each with a king-size bed and a shower. Most have a terrace looking into the bush and a waterhole. Rooms are full board, and dinner is eaten with the family, which suits people who want to talk farming rather than sit alone at a table. The pool and bar are a few steps away. For more privacy there are self-catering bush chalets near the campsite, and a separate campsite too.
Game drives run in a converted Land Cruiser, and you can also ride along with the farmer on his rounds. Kudu, eland, nyala, wildebeest, zebra and giraffe are on the farm, and the farm’s game list also names cheetah and leopard.
Practical details
- Book through EDEN Travel Consultancy: booking@hamakari.com, +264 61 234 342.
- Farm phone for anything else, +264 67 306 633, info@hamakari.com.
- If the gate is closed, ring the number shown on it.
Good to know
This is the ground of the Battle of Waterberg (Battle of Ohamakari), fought on 11 August 1904 and followed by the genocide of the Herero and Nama. Graves of German soldiers lie on the farm, and the Ovaherero have built a memorial and cultural centre on land the family gave for it. Waterberg Plateau Park, with its buffalo, rhino, sable and roan, is an easy day trip. The website is mostly in German.
Last updated 7 October 2026. Sources: Hamakari Gästefarm, Hamakari, Deluxe Farm Zimmer, Hamakari, Bush Chalet, Hamakari, Game Drives, Hamakari, Unsere Geschichte, Hamakari, Schlacht am Waterberg, Hamakari, Kontakt, Wikipedia, Battle of Waterberg, Wikipedia, Waterberg Plateau Park.
