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Day tour to Blutkuppe
In the morning after breakfast we set off to the Namib-Naukluft Park. Often one sees
game on the farm already and if we are fortunate, also the desert giraffe. The first
quiver trees stand beside the road. After a good rainy season they bloom Mai/June.
We drive over a gravel-road that takes us to the vast Tinkasfläche. Occasionally we
see a tree, often with a vulture’s nest on top. In the distance, about 80 km away we
can see the mountains of the Erongo Mountains range. After about a 30-km drive we
reach a gorge, see a maze of rocks and the vegetation increases. Even the ungainly
Elephant-foot-tree occurs (actual habitat: Kaokoland/Damaraland). The canyon ends
and we arrive at the big Tinkas-dam, which adapts wonderfully to the surroundings.
From Tinkas-dam onwards the landscape gets more diverse. In the whole area granite
forced itself between slate/mica millions of years ago and so forms the environment of
bands of rock and fairy-like rock formations. Through this bizarre landscape, through
thick sand we come to the Bogenfels (rock arch). We have a well-earned lunch break
in a shady semi-cave. Afterwards we proceed through the partially sandy riverbed to
the old dugout of the guards of the "Schutztruppe", well preserved with their crenels.
The soldiers had to guard the ox-wagon path (Baai Weg) in the desert. We continue to
the "cheese-rocks", a granite formation with many holes and caves in it. The resemblance
to a Swiss cheese cannot be denied. At the Blutkuppe - this mountain glows at sunrise
and sunset as red as blood - we have a coffee break. If you feel like loosening your limbs
you can do so by climbing or taking a short walk. Passing various waterholes, where we
observe game, we return to Niedersachsen.
After breakfast we set off to the Namib-Naukluft Park. We cross wide plains with rivers.
From time to time we come across camel-thorn trees and in the distance one can see
mountain ranges. At one place in this flat landscape the water of the rainy seasons digs
a canyon. It is a special sight how the small rainfalls have eaten their way into the subsoil
over millions of years, thereby changing the landscape. The drive takes us to a one-time
terrace of the river, from where we look deep down into the gorges of the Kuiseb Canyon.
We are now in the vicinity where the two German geologists, Dr. Martin und Dr. Korn, first
lived after their escape from Windhoek. A 20 minute hike takes us to the first living quarters
of the men, situated underneath a big overhanging rock. Well worth seeing: the archway,
through which even today herds of zebra move. We wander back again to the car and drive
up the twisting and steep pass to the Kuiseb Bridge and have a rest underneath big Anna-trees.
After that we drive across the Zebra-pan. We see the old copper mine of the 19th century,
and Homeb, a small settlement in the Kuiseb river. In the shadow of Anna- and Camelthorn
trees we have lunch break and enjoy the view: on the one side of the Kuiseb the rocky desert
with its large and empty expanse, in the middle the green riverbed and towards the south the
red dunes of the Namib. We carry on driving to the granite Island Mountain Mirabib, where
we have coffee. Afterwards we take a look at the waterhole Ganab, where we watch game
like antelopes and zebras drinking. After an eventful day we return to Niedersachsen for supper.
Barbara and Klaus Ahlert |