Spitzkoppe

From Swakopmund we headed for Spitzkoppe, on our way to Etosha National Park.  Spitzkoppe is a granite peak, which rises out of the flat, surrounding plains.

After paying our fees, we took a tour of the campsite to find a pitch. We settled for one in the shade of a large, imposing boulder. 

In the afternoon we went on a tour with a local guide. He showed us some of the local plants including one which has poisonous, milky sap which was used by hunters to impregnate their spears and arrows. He also, without much success, taught us some words of the Nama language; which along with the 26 letters of the English alphabet also includes 4 letters represented by clicks of the tongue. I’m not sure our attempts were particularly comprehensible! He also showed us a couple of collections of rock paintings, which were apparently used by the nomadic tribes to inform others who followed them what wildlife was present in this area.

After a quick stop at the bar and cooking an evening meal, we retired to the top of a large boulder to watch the sun set.