Safari Holidays to Namibia for independent travellers.

Contact Phone Numbers

0845 838 2450

Local rate in the UK

0800 981 420

Toll free in SA

Other +44 1932 268230

Safari Guide South Africa Namibia Victoria Falls Mozambique Holiday Ideas Honeymoons Home

Scenic Highlights of Damaraland

Introduction

Stretching from Swakopmund in the south and as far north as the Hoanib River, and from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the town of Usako in the east, the vast desert landscape of Damaraland is comprised of plains, mountains and koppies (small hills), and is one of the most beautiful regions of Namibia.

Sunset in Damaraland Whilst the area has many attractions for the visitor including the Brandberg (Namibia's highest mountain) and the wonderfully preserved Bushman paintings and engravings at Twyfelfontein, the real draw is the peace, tranquillity and beauty of a desert landscape that has only ever been sparsely inhabited by humans over its long history.

Twyfelfontein

Twfelfontein means 'doubtful spring' in Afrikkans and is named after the small freshwater spring on the hillside which produces too little water each day to sustain a permanent settlement.

Twyfelfontein This same spring was known as Uri-Ais, 'jumping spring', to the Damara who have inhabited the area for some 5000 years, and historically this would have been a rare source of precious water for both people and the wildlife of the area.

The engravings of the ancient Damara inhabitants are the major attraction of this area, and some 2500 engravings dating back to 300 BC have been discovered at the site.

The vast majority of the engravings are of the animals that would have been hunted in the area.

Rock painting In addition, there are a number of paintings which appear to depict humans hunting or taking part in ceremonies, and a couple of engravings which appear to show maps complete with waterholes and the species that might be found at them.

You need to either be part of an organised trip or take the services of one of the guides based at the site, and you should allow 1½ to 2 hours to cover the whole site.

Whilst the walking trail that covers the site is not strenuous, visitors should be aware that there is a fair amount of scrabbling over rocks required in some places.

The Brandberg & Spitzkoppe

The Brandberg Massif is 40 km northwest of Uis and contains Namibia's highest peak (2,573m) and a number of bushman paintings and engravings including the White Lady.

To get to the White Lady you need to employ a local guide and be prepared for an enjoyable, if fairly strenuous, walk of around 45 minutes.

Spitzkoppe is one of Namibia's most striking and famous mountains, and its distinctive profile has caused some people to call it Africa's Matterhorn.

Aside from serious mountaineers looking to tackle the peak, most visitors come to see the Bushman paintings concentrated in the area around Bushman's Paradise.

The Vingerklip

The Vingerklip is a 35m tall rock which looks to be precariously balanced on the top of a small hill 75 km east of Khorixas.

It is far and away the youngest of the major geological attractions of the area, and was formed by water erosion some 15 million years ago.

There is no entrance fee to enter the site, and there a numerous walks around the area and to the base of the Vingerklip itself which offer excellent views of the whole valley.

The Vingerklip makes an interesting detour en-route between Etosha and Damaraland.