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| Spitzkoppe is finally in sight! Namibia 2012 |
17 July – Namibia's Matterhorn
The journey to Spitzkoppe was approximately 220 kilometres, heading west along the Trans-Kalahari Highway. Spitzkoppe is situated in the southernmost part of Kaokoland, rising some 600 metres above the surrounding, incredibly beautiful landscape. The area is characterised by reddish rocks arranged in the most extraordinary formations, with enormous boulders balancing on top of one another.
There are numerous rock paintings in the area, created by the Bushmen between 200 and 4,000 years ago. One particularly beautiful spot is Bushman's Paradise, which we reached by climbing a long, steep rock face using chains bolted directly into the rock.
All in all, the scenery was absolutely magnificent and invited further exploration.
In the evening, we set up camp for the first time, and apart from a few teething problems, everything went quite smoothly. However, during the night, it became clear that we had chosen a rather exposed spot, as the wind picked up. Everything was shaking and rattling in the wind.
I think we all (apart from Laust, who slept soundly whenever Thea wasn't waking him up) spent much of the night lying awake, listening to all the strange and unfamiliar sounds. Could they be dangerous animals?
We recognised the feeling from previous trips – that first night sleeping out in the wilderness again. It takes some getting used to. We city dwellers (Copenhagen city slickers) have become rather alienated from nature!
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| Our first camp in the wilderness Spitzkoppe Campsite, Namibia 2012 |
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| Our son attempting to destroy Spitzkoppe's famous landmark Watch out below! Namibia 2012 |
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| Bushman's Paradise Spitzkoppe, Namibia 2012 |
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| Descending from Bushman’s Paradise with the help of chains! Namibia 2012 |
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| The descent back to the vehicle just visible in the foreground. Spitzkoppe, Namibia 2012 |
