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The Spitzkoppe between Usakos and Swakopmund is
also described as the "Matterhorn of Namibia". Rising
to a altitude of about 1800 metres, the Spitzkoppe is by no means
Namibia's highest mountain, however, due to its striking outlines,
it is regarded as the most well-known mountain in the country. Situated
in an endless, dry plain, the island of mountains can be seen from
far away.
The granite massif, which is part of the Erongo Mountains, was
created by the collapse of a gigantic volcano more than 100 million
years ago and the subsequent erosion, which exposed the volcanic
rock, granite.
You can go for beautiful walks in this stunnung landscape and climb
about between the bizarre rock formations. For those interested
in flora, there is a lot to look at, like the yellow Butter Trees
and the Poison Tree (euphorbia virosa), which leaks an extremely
poisonous white juice; the Bushmen use this to poison their arrows.
San (Bushman) paintings can be found in various
places, many in the "Bushman Paradise" under an overhanging
rock wall.
Despite appearances, it is quite difficult to climb the Spitzkoppe,
first conquered in 1946. Only experienced and well-prepared mountaineers
with adequate equipment should take this mountain on.
Located in the north-west of Namibia is Kaokoland
(also called Kaokoveld) one of the relatively untouched
regions of Namibia. The almost inaccessible area south of the Kunene
river, is home to the Himba ethnic group, who have
kept their ethnic individuality and culture in the seclusion of
Kaokoland.
Travelling through this region should only be done in the company
of an experienced guide and in off-road vehicles. Routes are hardly
signposted, corrugated and extremely stony or sandy.
Van-Zyl's pass is regarded as the most difficult
mountain pass in Namibia. The narrow track, leading through the
rugged Otjihipa mountains, consists of coarse scree and jagged rocks.
The gradients to be surmounted are quite extreme. For this reason,
it takes about three hours to cover a distance of 10 kilometres
by car. Only well-equipped four-wheel drive vehicles with powerful
engines and good ground clearance are able to manage the trip.
The route to the Epupa Falls at the Kunene
River is easy to drive on the C43. The stretch is rocky
and rough, but well sign-posted and has neither difficult passes
nor soft-sand tracks. However, after heavy rainfalls passing through
the Ombuku riverbed near Okongwati can prove difficult.
The scenery at Epupa Falls is enchanting, with palm and baobab trees
lining the riverbed. Above the waterfalls you find nice pools for
swimming, but beware of crocodiles.
Himba poeple
The Kaokoland (Kaokoveld) offers tourists an insight
into the traditional way of Himba life. Don't give begging children
or adults items alien to their culture, especially no alcohol or
medicines (even if they ask). Don't enter a Himba Kraal without
permission and, of course, don't drive through a settlement.
The Himba Tribe who inhabit Kaokoland are the descendants
of the earliest Hereros who migrated into this area in the 16th
century. Around the middle of the 18th century the pressure of too
many people and cattle in this dry, fragile environment led to the
migration of the main body of the Herero to the rich pasture lands
further south. The Himba are an ancient tribe of semi nomadic pastoralists,
many of whom still live and dress according to ancient traditions
and live in scattered settlements throughout Kaokoland. They are
a slender and statuesque people. The women especially are noted
for their unusual sculptural beauty, enhanced by intricate hairstyles
and traditional adornments. They rub their bodies with red ochre
and fat, a treatment which protects their skins against the harsh
desert climate. The homes of the Himba are simple cone shaped structures
of saplings bound together with palm leaves and plastered with mud
and dung. A family may move from one home to another several times
a year to seek grazing for their goats and cattle.
Kaokoland fuel, repairs and food
There are limited petrol stations and services available
in Koakoveld, except for the village of Opuwo situated
on the margin of Kaokoland. In Opuwo services are also quite limited.
If you plan to travel this remote area, you should stock up on water,
groceries and fuel beforehand and make sure your vehicle is in good
condition. You need to have a range of at least 1000 kilometres
if you want to drive through the valley of the Marienfluss to the
Kunene and from there to Purros and Fort Sesfontein. Keep in mind
that there is no cellphone reception so in the event of a break-down,
you will be on your own. You may find it helpful to take a proper
GPS device with you that you know how to operate.
Only four-wheel drives should enter the Kaokoveld.
Consult your car rental before deciding on a trip through this adventurous
area some car rental companies do not like their hire vehicles going
to the Kaokaveld. Insist on getting 2 (good) spare tyres, a spare
petrol can, tools and a good hilift jack. Expect you have to change
a tyre in the Kaokoveld. Let someone explain to you where to put
the jack on, make sure you know how to put the 4x4 into four-wheel
mode.
Some stretches of road in the Kaokoveld are easy to travel, e.g.
the route from Opuwo to Epupa Falls on the C43. Other roads require
experience. Avoid the Van-Zyl's Pass if you are not used to driving
four-wheel drives in difficult terrain. Don't travel the Kaokoveld,
if it has been raining there.
Kaokoland is one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern
Africa. It is a world of incredible mountain scenery, a refuge for
the rare desert dwelling elephant, black rhino and giraffe and the
home of the Himba people. Although it is harsh and offers little
respite at midday, the rugged landscape is especially attractive
during the early morning and late afternoon when it is transformed
into softly glowing pastel shades. The topography in the south of
the area is characterised by rugged mountains which are dissected
by numerous watercourses, but north of the Hoarusib River the scenery
is dominated by table-top koppies. Still further north, the Otjihipa
Mountains rise abruptly above the Namib floor to form the eastern
boundary of the Marienfluss, while the west of the valley is defined
by the Hartmann Mountains. The Marienfluss valley is very scenic
and relatively greener than the Hartmann's valley. Hartmann's valley
is closer to the Atlantic and yet much more arid. However, it does
have a strange atmosphere when the sea mists drift inland.
Kaokoland differs greatly from Damaraland in terms of accessibility
and infrastructure.
While Damaraland is quite isolated Kaokoland really is remote, large
and for the most part empty. With a population of only 16,000 inhabitants,
5,000 of them Himba, Kaokoland has the lowest population density
in Namibia - of only one person to every two square kilometres.
Kaokoland is bordered on the south the Hoanib River and on the north
the Kunene River which also forms Namibia's border with Angola.
Mountain ranges near the Kunene River are rugged and impressive
with the highest point located at 2039m in the Baynes Mountains.
It is unusual but the river runs through this arid landscape and
the only real waterfalls in Namibia along it's path.
The Ruacana Falls are 120m high and 700m wide in full flood. Also
along the Kunene River you'll find the Epupa falls, about 135km
downstream from the Ruacana falls.
The name Epupa is a Herero work for the spume created by falling
water. Epupa is formed by a series of cascades that drop a total
of 60m over a distance of about 1.5km and at one point reaches a
total width of 500m. It looks great for swimming but there are crocodiles
waiting!
Near the hot water spring at Warmquelle is Sesfontein Fort which
for many years was a desolate and rapidly disintegrating ruin. Almost
a hundred years after it was first built, the historical monument,
originally a police outpost, was reconstructed and equipped to accommodate
tourists. Sesfontein Fort derives its name from the six fountains
which have their source in the vicinity. The palm trees at the fort
were planted by the German police officers who manned the fort to
combat weapons smuggling and elephant and rhino poaching.
In terms of wildlife Kaokoland is probably most
famous for it's desert elephant. The possibility
of obtaining a glimpse, however brief, of a herd of desert dwelling
elephants is what draws most tourists to the area. Between 1977
and 1982 a crippling drought gripped the area and wiped out large
numbers of game. However, the biggest threat came from poachers,
and between 1970 and 1983 the number of desert dwelling elephants
in the Kaokoveld declined from an estimated 300 to 70. Although
the desert dwelling elephants are not a separate sub species they
have adapted to their extremely harsh environment, the only other
place in Africa where elephants live in such harsh conditions is
in Mali on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The secret of their survival
in the arid wastelands is an intimate knowledge of their limited
food and water resources. During the dry periods they will even
dig deep holes to obtain water and in this way also provide other
animals with water. Unlike other elephants which drink daily, these
ones have been observed going without water for up to four days.
The black rhino of Kaokoland suffered a fate similar to that of
the elephants and by 1983 the population in the east had been exterminated,
while only a few individuals survived in the extreme western parts
of Kaokoland which makes them a very rare sight. Nowadays, there
are a few organisations doing their best to ensure the continuing
existence of these rare and unique animals.
Kaokoland Accommodation |
85km |
 |
| from R per person |
| A good place to resupply and refuel, or a stopover
on the north - south main road |
|
| Pudsleo Photo Gallery |
| email: book@go.namibiabookings.com
|
Damaraland Accommodation |
85km |
|
| from R per person |
| A good place to resupply and refuel, or a stopover
on the north - south main road |
|
| Pudsleo Photo Gallery |
| email: book@go.namibiabookings.com
|
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