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Mariental

Mariental is a small city in the Hardap district, known for the Hardap Dam. It is mostly used as a stopover on trips through Namibia and has about 14,000 inhabitants. The inhabitants descend from the Nama people who speak the well-known clicking language. Mariental owes its name to its German founder Herman Brandt. He named the valley after his wife Marie in 1912.

There isn’t much to do in the city itself, but it is a great stop for refuelling and getting supplies. In addition, the Hardam Dam is nearby, so you could pay it a visit. The Hardap Dam is the largest reservoir in Namibia and has a capacity of 300 million m³. Due to the dry climate in Namibia, this capacity is almost never reached. This dam ensures that water can be supplied to the agriculture in Mariental and the surrounding area in a controlled way. Thanks to this water supply and lots of sunlight, this is an ideal place for growing different crops.

It can get very hot here in the summer, yet very cold in the winter.

Activities

Accommodations in Mariental