We also offer trips to any destination, like:
Epupa Falls
Epupa Falls is one of the most spectacular attractions
of Kaokoland, situated some 130 km from Ruacana. Epupa
is accessible by four-wheel drive or plane. The area
surrounding the Epupa Falls on the Kunene River is one
of virtually unspoilt wilderness. Beautiful sunsets, tall
palm trees, the gushing water of the falls plunging down
rugged rock faces and the opportunity to meet the Himba
people of the region, make this area to remember.
Organ Pipes
Nearby the Burnt Mountain is another geological curiosity:
The Organ Pipes, a mass of perpendicular dolerite pillars,
which are exposed in a gorge roughly 100 m long and reach
a maximum height of 5 m. They were formed by the intrusion
of a dolerite sheet, a plutonic rock, into the shale’s of the
Karoo Sequence some 120 million years ago. Owing to
shrinkage during cooling the dolerite split at joints in
angular columns and was subsequently, after erosion
of the overlying rocks, exposed to weathering.
Petrified Forest
In close proximity to Khorixas is the Petrified Forest,
where millions of years ago a cataclysmic flood deposited
giant tree trunks, which subsequently turned to stone.
Today the Namib’s living fossil plant, Welwitschia
mirabilis, grows among these prostrate fossilised trunks.
The Quiver Tree
The quiver tree or “Kokerboom” is one of the most interesting
and characteristic plants of the very hot and dry parts of
Namibia and the northwestern part of the Cape Province in
South Africa. Actually it is not a tree, but an aloe plant. The
botanical name is Aloe dichotoma. Dichotoma refers to the
forked branches of the plant. The quiver tree’s name derives
from the Bushmen (San) practice of hollowing out the pithy
insides of the branches and using the tough, outer casings
of bark as quivers in which to keep their arrows.
The quiver tree is a stout tree up to 9 meters high with a
smooth trunk, which can be up to one meter in diameter at
ground level. The plants are usually found growing singly but
in some areas the plants grow on large groups, giving the
effect of a forest. The quiver tree propagates only by seeds. They have their flowers when they are about 20 to 30 years old. The flowers are branched panicles up to 30 cm tall from the base of the pendulous to the apex of the terminal of the raceme; the flowers have a bright yellow colour. The flowering season is in the winter during June and July. The quiver tree mostly occurs in black formations (called”ysterklip”), which absorb a lot of heat during the hot summer, the rocks anchor the plants, which have a spread-root- system. The quiver tree is totally frost proof.
Spitzkoppe
When travelling between Usakos and the coast, an
extraordinary granite mass, the Spitzkoppe, dominates
the desert plain on the northern side of the road, This
1.728 m high Inselberg, sometimes referred to as the
Matterhorn of Namibia, is a severe test for any rock
climber. The area is also known for its rock art and
semiprecious stones. Basic camping sites are available
and can be enjoyed by visitors who are sufficiently equipped.
Twyfelfontein
This area is a short drive southwest of the Petrified Forest
and contains a veritable treasure house of rock engravings
and paintings. This is probably the largest and most
spectacular collection of its kind in Africa – depicting
many species of animals among them elephants, rhinos,
giraffes and lions. Many are very skilfully done. The
barren surroundings and rock-strewn slopes seem a
most unlikely place for any living habitation, but there
is a small spring near the base of the hill and this
provides water for both people and animals within the area.
