Namib’s Erongo Region has two significant peaks: Brandberg Mountain as the highest point of Namibia, and Spitzkoppe.

Located in a North East direction inland from Swakopmund rather than choosing the coastal road to Skeleton Coast, as we have pointed out in the introduction of ‘Namib Explorer’, you start seeing Spitzkoppe from 80 kilometres away. It is not a high peak from Desert’s floor, close to only 700 meters; however, what makes it significant is that it is a giant ‘Koppe’ aka ‘Lava Bulb’ that gushed out of the earth’s surface 150 million years ago.

Spitzkoppe is Rock Climber’s Heaven in Namibia. There are two Gigantic Rock Arches as well as burial grounds and hundreds of rock paintings of indigenous tribes of Erongo Region in natural caves and coves on Koppe’s heights. Simply, it is a sacred place.

Together with NamibRand Nature Reserve, the air is so crisp and the nights are exceptionally dark, which makes star gazing an unbelievable experience. When it is Full Moon, Spitzkoppe appears as if it is covered with a snow blanket.

There is not much of wildlife here except Dassies and Reptiles, but it is certainly a happy place for hiking lovers.

 

Brandberg Mountain is a sacred place for the local tribes of Erongo. It is significant not only by being the highest summit in Namibia (2,573 meters above sea level) but with the presence of ‘White Lady’ rock painting as well. It is a unique depiction of a white female leading a group of black tribal warriors in a hunting action for antelopes. There are several hypotheses on who this white lady could be, where she came from, how she had made her place in a local tribe, but none of them has been anthropologically proven yet, but stayed as ‘Desert Legend’… The White Lady painting and others are under the protection of Rangers today.

Brandberg Mountain is another Hiking Lovers’ location. However, hiking activities should be conducted with great caution, since there are Desert Elephants in and around the canyons of Brandberg and Ugap Riverbed. It is a fact that Desert Elephants are not familiar with humans and they may not be welcoming in an encounter. Please note that there are only 500 Desert Elephants in Namibia which makes an encounter a special one.