Spitzkoppe
The Spitzkoppe Park and campsite are administered by the Spitzkoppe Community living nearby.
4 bungalows located at the entrance can be rented for a very modest price. There are also a number of camping sites inside the park all located in beautiful settings. You won't find any water there so you'll need to bring some with you.
This was my first night of camping in Namibia. Very few camping sites were occupied. I selected one right next to one of my favorite spots, to the North of the park. Opening the roof tent was a piece of cake. These tents are really great and comfortable!
Shortly after setting up camp I met John, an Englishman who was camping nearby. John is a keen photographer and was also planning to head up North to Damaraland after Spitzkoppe.
The next day we went in his Landrover to Bushman's Paradise situated on the Eastern side of the Pontoks. To reach this site some "climbing" is necessary. The climb is facilitated by a fixed metal rope. This is an idyllic spot, with a bit of water flowing, spectacular boulders and caves with bushmen paintings.
At the entrance of the park there is a small restaurant / bar. After exploring Bushman's Paradise and capturing a large number of photographs we went there for a nice simple lunch served by the very friendly members of the community, at the sound of a CD playing their gospel choir! It is necessary to request in advance for any meal you wish to have at this place.
Later in the afternoon we went with James, a local guide, inside the recently closed area where they now have some game (zebras, springboks.
Spitzkoppe Park is the location where the final section of the movie "10,000 BC" was filmed. A number of animals were brought to site for this production and some were left there for the community to look after. I just read that Emmerich describes this area as "a magical place" which made me smile because these are the words that I used in my previous blog on Spitzkoppe... The pyramids seen in the movie were constructed at the desert location of Dune 7 near Swakopmund.
It is also at Spitzkoppe that the background plates for the ape sequence in '2001: A Space Odyssey" were shot.
The guided visit cost us N$120.
I always wished I could climb the Namibian Matterhorn some day. I was interested to hear from James that local guides can take you there for N$300 and that no special equipment is required apart from some good climbing shoes. The climb takes about 4 hours, and 3 to 4 hours for the descent. I always believed it was a highly technical climb, but he mentioned there is an easier route equipped with fixed ropes. Perhaps for another visit...
This beautiful day ended with a gorgeous sunset and a few drinks at the Bush Bar with our guide.
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