Conquering The Matterhorn of Namibia at Spitzkoppe
Between Usakos and Swakopmund lies Spitzkoppe, a series of granite peaks protruding from the surrounding Namib desert. The 120 million-year-old peaks, set in a conservancy managed and utilized by the local community offers world-famous peace and tranquillity.
Like many other destinations in Nambia Spitzkoppe is reached by dirt road. The campsites are located about 40 kilometres from the B2, a tarred national road between Swakopmund and Windhoek. The campsites have no running water, electricity or flush toilets. For these amenities, you will need to travel to the reception which is between one and 10 kilometres away, depending on your campsite. Each campsite has a dry toilet, or long drop, and refuse collection is done daily. An on-site bar and restaurant offer solace against the desert sun. If you feel that the camping is a bit on the rough side, the nearby Spitzkoppen Lodge offers luxury accommodation options.
The surrounding granite cliffs that stare down at you at all times during your stay at Spitzkoppe not only offers breathtaking views, but also a wide range of activities. The remoteness and proximity to cities and towns make Spitzkoppe a stargazers paradise. Without air and light pollution Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen year-round and astrophotographers will have a field day (or night in this case) between the sharp granite cliffs.
The campsite offers guided tours of the peaks and the hidden treasures such as age-old rock paintings in the conservation area. Our guide led us to a number of these sites, explaining in details the meaning of the paintings and offering insights about the people who painted them. There are also unguided walks in the area although no rock art sites may be visited without a guide present. A repercussion of tourists vandalizing important parts of human history. The Pontok route, which takes about five hours to complete will lead you to a viewpoint at the top of Spitzkoppe. Other routes include the Matterhorn – a difficult eight-hour route up exposed rock faces and the Bushman circle – a seven-hour route which includes a chain ladder section.
During the day, dassies (rock hyrax) and squirrels come out and play. Avid twitchers will appreciate the large variety of birdlife in the area. Regular sightings include the Herero Chat, White-tailed Shrike, Lanner Falcon, Augur Buzzard, African Hawk-Eagle and Black-chested Snake-Eagle to name a few.
Being about two hours drive from Swakopmund and three hours drive from Windhoek, Spitzkoppe is not nearly as remote as many of the other attractions in Namibia. Once you’ve arrived at the conservancy though, you feel years away from civilisation. Whether you are interested in geology, birding, anthropology or simply looking for a remote desert camp with amazing granite peaks to complete the picture, Spitzkoppe is a must-visit destination.
This post forms part of our 2019 Namibia Road Trip. We planned an epic road trip the months leading up to June and it was worth every bit of planning, research and expense. We visited Augrabies, Fish River Canyon, Luderitz, Aus and Spitzkoppe to name only a few. We recommend the trip to anyone who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We will try to give as much up to date information as possible in this series of articles but recommend you check the local websites for the latest information before embarking on your journey.
