The Hoba Meteorite is a natural landmark in Namibia, Africa, and it is the kind of place that rewards a visit for its sheer scale and its story. It is described as the world's largest known meteorite, a mass of iron and nickel weighing around 60 tons. It has stayed in the place where it landed about 80,000 years ago, so visitors see it as it fell rather than in a museum case.
What you will see
The meteorite is a single, very large block, and it is the main attraction. Because it has not been moved, the setting itself is part of the experience: you stand beside a piece of outer space resting on the ground of the Namibian landscape.
- A meteorite of about 60 tons, composed mainly of iron and nickel
- The site where it landed roughly 80,000 years ago
- Access that lets visitors walk right up to it and touch its surface
Planning your visit
A stop at Hoba suits travellers who enjoy geology, astronomy, or simply unusual landmarks. It takes little time to see, so it works well as a short detour rather than a full day out. Its appeal lies in its scale and its unhurried, open setting. Because the facts available here do not list opening hours, prices or directions, it is worth checking current details with local tourist information before setting out.
Namibia offers a wide range of landscapes and sights, and the meteorite sits within that broader journey. Many visitors combine it with other stops across the country, making it one of several memorable points on a route through this part of southern Africa.