Spitzkoppe rises abruptly above the arid and sparsely vegetated plains of the Namib. Also known as the “Matterhorn of Namibia”, the granite outcrop is a typical example of Namibia’s recognizable landmarks. It is located in the Namib Desert, between Swakopmund and Usakos, which is also the nearest town (approximately 50km away). The summit of this imposing granite rock formation is 1,728m and the shape of it reflects how it got it’s name, the Matterhorn of Africa. A minor peak – the Little Spitzkoppe – lies nearby. The Spitzkoppe is the country’s top rock climbing destination. Timothy Jackson, in his early Africa days, decided to try and walk around this rock starting at around 4pm. Its takes about 6 hours at a very good pace (running for at least two of them) – The lesson was learnt. A very beutiful area. Spitzkoppe is of spiritual and historical importance to the traditional San people of this region, and their paintings can be found here.
