Nakambale Museum & Rest Camp

Nakambale was originally called Olukonda and 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 & Rest Camp was established in 1995. Accommodation is offered in five traditional huts, five 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.