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Otjikoto Lake

One of the most interesting stops is at Otjikoto Lake, a national monument and a site with a lot of history, some mystery and ecological fascination below its surface. And if you would like, a visit to Tsumeb Museum and its sister lake, Lake Guinas would also be interesting.

At Lake Otjikoto, one can explore the mystery of Namibia legendary 'bottomless' lake, lake Otjikoto. The lake is well known for the fact that retreating Germany forces dumped ammunition and weapons in the lake in 1915.Some of this is on display at the Tsumeb Museum, and there is another underwater museum in the lake that is accessible to divers. Two interesting myths have sprung up ever since then: firstly that the German forces dumped a safe containing 6 million gold marks in Otjikoto and secondly that the lake is "bottomless".

In 1907, a pump house was erected to pump water from Otjikoto Lake to Tsumeb. The pump house is still in use today, but instead of transporting water from Otjikoto to Tsumeb, it now pumps drinking water from Tsumeb to houses around Otjikoto.

A group of stromatolites fossils are on display at Otjikoto Lake. The fossils of primitive algae plants flourished 600-700 million years ago in a warm, shallow sea that covered the northern part of Namibia at the time.

Otjikoto and Guinas are home to two interesting species of fish; the Otjikoto Tilapia, Tilapia guinasana, and the Southern mouthbrooder, pseudocrenlabrus philander. Originally, the only species of fish found in Otjikoto Lake was the Southern mouthbrooder, but the Otjikoto tilapia was introduced later, as was the Mozambique tilapia. The Otjikoto tilapia is the only fish found in Lake Guinas. Due to its critically endangered status and its sensitivity to other species, every effort is being made to protect the species.