Gamsberg, Mountain summit in Khomas Region, Namibia

Gamsberg is a mountain summit in central Namibia reaching 2,347 meters in elevation with a striking granite peak surrounded by desert landscape. The mountain rises from dry terrain with unpaved roads and rough paths that make access difficult.

The name Gamsberg comes from Khoekhoegowab, in which gams means "closed off". The mountain lies in the Khomas Region and is crossed by the Gamsberg Pass on the C26 route through the Hakosberge, Namibia's highest pass, with a gradient of 1:9. The 2.3 km² summit plateau belongs largely to the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, and in 2010 the International Amateur Observatory installed a 71 cm telescope there.

The name Gamsberg comes from Khoekhoegowab, a Khoisan language, where "Gams" means "closed off". The mountain is a national monument, and the farms around its foot offer the guided tours that are now the only way to climb it. The H.E.S.S. astronomical observatory stands nearby.

Visitors need permits and four-wheel-drive vehicles to reach the mountain area since the terrain consists of unpaved roads and rough conditions. Proper preparation and a robust vehicle are necessary to handle the difficult road conditions.

The 2.3-square-kilometre summit plateau belongs largely to the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and can be visited only with a special permit. In 2010 the International Amateur Observatory, which runs a station at the foot of the mountain, installed a 71 cm telescope on the plateau, where observation huts and accommodation now stand beside a mobile phone mast.