Von Bach Dam- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Von Bach Dam, officially known as the Sartorius von Bach Dam, is an embankment rock-fill structure completed in 1970 on the Swakop River, just southeast of Okahandja in Namibia's Otjozondjupa Region. With a capacity of approximately 48.6 million m³ (nearly 49 million m³), it has functioned for decades as a vital resource, channeling much of its water to a treatment facility commissioned in 1971 (and upgraded in 1997) that serves both Windhoek and Okahandja. This dam also benefits from a network of upstream transfers, including flows from Omatako and Swakoppoort dams, sharply highlighting Namibia's integrated approach to central water security. Surrounding the reservoir is the Von Bach Recreation Resort and game park, a protected area established around 1972 across roughly 43 km², nestled against the Auas Mountains. The reserve supports a vibrant Thornbush Savannah ecosystem, where giraffe, kudu, oryx, Hartmann's zebra, and over 180 bird species—such as the Violet Wood-Hoopoo and Black Stork—can be observed. Visitors can partake in water-based leisure: angling (with permits), yachting, canoeing, wind-surfing, and more. Facilities include picnic areas, bungalows, campsites, and even a lodge with chalets and a pool overlooking the water.