Rock Paintings at Brandberg and Twyfelfontein
Tourist Attractions in Damaraland, Namibia, Africa
Jul 4, 2009
Damaraland lies in the central western part of Namibia. One of the main attractions of the area is the ever changing landscape. The scenery depends on the amount of rain received in the region during the year. After good rains, the semi-desert landscape of Damaraland transforms into a sea of bushman's grass and other waving grass.
Why is it Called the Brandberg
Brandberg means "Burning Mountain" and refers to the glowing reddish - orange color of the granite in the early morning and late afternoon combined with the black basalt base. The oval-shaped massive measures approximately 30 km in an east-west direction and 23 km from north to south and rises nearly 2000m above the surrounding plains with the highest point at Königstein. At 2579m high, Königstein is the highest point in Namibia.
"White Lady" Rock Painting at Brandberg
Although this granite cored mountain is a tourist attraction in itself, the reason most tourists visit the Brandberg is to view the "White Lady" frieze. The "White Lady" is a frieze in the Tsisab Ravine in the northeast of the Brandberg Mountain. Discovered in 1918, early interpretations suggested the figure to be of Egyptian, Cretan and Mediterranean origin. Willie and Sandra Olivier in An African Adventurer's Guide to Namibia, Struik Publishers, 2003, states that later research, however, indicates the frieze portrays indigenous people with the white color representing the body paint used by Shamaans or medicine men.
On further examination of the frieze, a penis, no breasts and a bow can be seen, indicating that the "White Lady" is in fact male. From the parking lot, the "White Lady" is about an hour's walk and tourists should carry enough water, a hat and sunscreen.
Largest Concentration of Rock Paintings in the World
Although over 43 000 other rock painting adorn the Brandberg, only the "White Lady" enjoys protection against vandalism. A steel frame on the overhang of the "White Lady" protects the painting from damage. The "White Lady" may be the most famous of the rock paintings, but the Brandberg hosts one of the largest collections of rock paintings in the world.
Animals Found at Brandberg
On the plains surrounding the Brandberg, herds of Springbok, Gemsbok and ostriches graze on the available grass. The rocky areas are frequented by Klipspringer, Rock Dassie, Hartman's Sebra, Dassie rats, Leopard, Black - backed Jackal and Aardwolf. The latter three are seldom seen due their nocturnal habits.
Birdwatchers must keep an eye out for the rosy-faced lovebird, Ruppels parrot, red-eyed bulbul, mountain chat, pirit batis, dusky sunbird and many more as around 120 species have been recorded at the Brandberg to date.
Backpacking at the Brandberg
The terrain around the Brandberg is rugged and popular with backpackers. There are no designated footpaths and a trek into the Brandberg should only be attempted by experienced and extremely fit backpackers. Using a local guide is strongly advised as they possess knowledge of where to find water in the inhospitable terrain.
Facilities at the Brandberg
No campsites or other accommodation are available at the Brandberg, but at the parking area a small museum is worth a visit, while local people sell rocks and curios from an informal display. Tourists will also find information on available guides at the museum.
Rock Paintings at Twyfelfontein
Twyfelfontein lies about 100km inland from the Atlantic Ocean and features approximately 2400 rock engravings. It is an open-air rock art gallery worth a visit. The visitor center at the entrance to Twyfelfontein supplies the tourist to Namibia with valuable information on the history of the area and the time - lines about the age of the rock paintings.
A guided tour will expose tourists to rock art where unidentified antelope feature in 20% of the paintings. A few rock slabs contain as many as 70 engravings and the most popular rock painting at Twyfelfontein is that of a lion with an unusually long L-shaped tail, a track at the tip of its tail and spoor instead of paws.
The rock paintings at both Brandberg and Twyfelfontein are best viewed in the early morning or late afternoon as the glare of the sun obstructs proper view of some paintings.
Other tourist attractions in Namibia include the canyon at Sesriem, the red dunes and clay pans of Sossusvlei and the Quiver Tree forest at Keetmanshoop.
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