Behind us was the magical Spitzkoppe , and ahead of us was something completely different – drought, poverty, and people and their stories .
🏔️ Brandberg – a fiery mountain that hides the highest peak in Namibia
From Spitzkoppe, we first headed towards the Brandberg Mountains – the highest point in Namibia.
Brandberg (German for "Fire Mountain" ) is actually the highest mountain in Namibia , with its peak Königstein reaching 2,573 meters above sea level . It is a solitary mountain massif that rises majestically above the surrounding desert plain in the Damaraland region.
How did it come about?
Brandberg is not the remains of a volcano, as is often mistakenly thought, but a granite intrusion – meaning that molten magma accumulated beneath the surface about 130 million years ago.
This magma did not erupt, but slowly crystallized underground , forming a giant mass of granite rock .
Over millions of years, the surface around it eroded , literally carried away by wind and rain – exposing this beautiful granite massif that dominates the landscape today.
The light at sunset, reflecting off the reddish granite, creates the effect of a glowing mountain – hence the name Brandberg .
🥾 Königstein – the highest peak in Namibia
The climb to Königstein is a demanding hike , suitable only for well-prepared hikers:
– duration of the climb : usually 2 to 3 days,
– altitude difference : approximately 1500 meters of ascent,
– terrain : rocky, rugged, no shade, orientation is challenging,
– water : none – you have to bring everything with you,
– escort : the hike is only possible with an official guide (mandatory),
– camping : the intermediate camp is set up on a plateau in the middle of the granite.
Due to its remoteness, heat, and lack of water, Königstein ranks among the most challenging hikes in Namibia. Most visitors therefore opt for the shorter hike to the White Lady painting , which is culturally and visually rich and significantly more accessible.
Upon arrival at the Brandberg info center, we also joined a guided hike through the canyon , which this year – after seven years of drought! – is full of life again. The river was flowing, everything was green, full of frogs, tadpoles , and birds.
The path is about 5 km long and leads to the famous White Lady paintings.
Tip : The trail is rugged, partly over stones and rocks, so you need good shoes , a hat and plenty of water. It can be quite challenging in the heat.
A white lady who is not white
The White Lady , the most famous painting in Brandberg, is around 2000 years old. Despite its name, it is not a woman – recent research suggests that it is most likely a male shaman in a ritual pose.
He is depicted with a bow and accompanied by other figures. The painting is part of a rich series of more than 1,000 paintings in the area - the work of the San people , who lived here as hunter-gatherers for centuries.
Damara Living Museum – preserving tradition through display
After the hike, we stopped at the nearby Damara Living Museum , where the Damara people showed us how they used to live.
They immediately and clearly state that it is a show – this is not real life , but a show that allows them to earn something while preserving their culture .
A tour of the village, a demonstration of traditional healing, jewelry making, and a walk with a hunter and gatherer - the entire experience cost around 200 NAD per person .
Would you go again today? Probably not – it wasn't misleading , but it was very set up .
But the children found it extremely interesting, and from that perspective , the visit was meaningful.
We spent the night at the nearby Abu Huab Campsite. In the morning, the reception offered us a desert elephant hunting trip – you drive along the riverbed with a guide in your car. But we already had other plans.
Welcome to Opuwo and the chaos!
The drive north was long, winding, lonely. And then... Opuwo .
A complete contrast to everything we have experienced so far. A city that lives and exudes energy . Everywhere people, markets, cars, women with different headscarves , hairstyles, dresses.
This is where the Himba, Herero and modern townspeople meet. A true cultural mix .
We barely got out of the car when they started asking us for food – showing us leaflets from the shops and begging us to buy them oil, flour, sugar. And we did. Milk, rice, oil – and in a second everything was divided and taken away. Then we quickly packed up and went to camp.
The camp where we stayed: Opuwo Country Lodge was above town and had a private bathroom and sink and a nice view. We asked at the reception about a Himba tour but the price was so extortionate that we decided to take a different approach.
Visiting a Himba village
The next morning we went to the Kutako Info Center . It is a local center where they organize a tour of an authentic Himba village with an English-speaking guide.
The experience cost us around €80–90.
It went like this:
– first, a visit to a store with a guide who knew what to buy as a gift for the visitor (we bought flour, sugar, oil, butter, rice for the people - all in large quantities or in bulk ),
– drive about 30 minutes out of town (with your own car) and arrive in the village
– conversation with the chief and getting to know the family while the guide interprets and translates
The chief was at the funeral, so the chief welcomed us. We introduced ourselves, the guide translated, and the meeting of two worlds began.
We asked each other about their lifestyle – if families sleep together , but the children are with their mother all the time, are they cold, how long are they breastfed, etc. We exchanged information. When I said that my children each have their own room, the Himba mother asked me seriously: “Do you want to sleep like that? Aren’t you afraid?”
Suddenly there was no longer right or wrong . Just differences. And respect for difference.
The Himba are nomadic pastoralists , strongly connected to nature, livestock, and tradition.
How can we recognize them by their appearance?
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Red skin and hair
Himba women are known for anointing their skin and hair with a mixture of red ochre soil, butter, and aromatic herbs . This is called otjize .
The paste serves as protection against the sun, insects and drying out , and at the same time has a beauty and spiritual meaning . -
No showers, but not without hygiene
The Himba do not use water to wash themselves – that would be a waste in this environment. Instead, they use herbal smoke baths . They burn aromatic plants in a specially heated container and then cover themselves with a blanket – thus purifying their bodies and scenting their clothes.
Women often wear the same clothes for months , and with this method they stay clean. And they really don't stink. -
Traditional hairstyles as a status symbol
– The children have their heads shaved, except for one or two strands.
– Girls often have braids hanging over their faces – this means they have started menstruating and are in the period before marriage.
– Women have long braids or dreadlocks, coated with otjize paste and ending with tufts of artificial hair (sometimes cow tails). -
Multiple wives, living together
Men can have multiple wives if they can afford it. They all live together in a community where they take care of each other.
It takes a village really applies here - several women take care of one child - even those who are not biological mothers. -
Houses made of clay and dung
The houses are simple, low huts , built of wood, mud, and cow dung . The interior is dark, cold, unfurnished, but clean. -
Nutrition
The food is basic – pap (cornmeal), milk, sometimes meat . They drink mainly goat's milk and water when available.
I was touched (and a little hurt) by the meeting with the children. Their black and curious eyes. I held a five-month-old boy in my arms, who was wet and therefore cold. Well A 14-year-old girl, smiling shyly from behind her braids, who was probably going to get married very soon.
During our visit, they even danced for us and invited me to join them, we bought some bracelets and thanked the chief. She asked us if we could take her to town. She squeezed into the car with us, covered with scarves so as not to get the seats dirty. We chatted the whole way, I showed her the Soča River and how much potatoes we grow (we only have 4 types of potatoes in our field) and she was amazed. In Opuwa, it only rains every few years.
The visit was extremely interesting and thought-provoking. My husband and I chatted and discussed their lives over the next few evenings, sitting by the fire. The visit gave us a lot, but at the same time left us with a lot of unanswered questions.
Who are the Herero?
Upon arrival in Opuwa, we met many women in huge, old-fashioned elegant dresses with a characteristic cow-horn-shaped headdress - a sign that they were Herero women .
The Herero are a pastoral people descended from Bantu groups who settled in Namibia from central Africa. They live mainly in central and northern Namibia (the Okahandja, Otjiwarongo, Opuwo regions).
In the 20th century, the Herero were victims of genocide committed against them by the German colonial authorities (1904–1908). In memory and rebellion, women began to wear Victorian-style dresses , as worn by the wives of the German colonialists – with their own interpretation.
Today, these clothes are a symbol of identity and pride . The headdress , shaped like a cow horn, symbolizes the importance of cattle in their culture.
Although the Herero and Himba look very different, they are genetically and linguistically related – the Himba have essentially “preserved” an older way of life, while the Herero have become more integrated into modern life.
The Himba say they are their sisters , but they have chosen a different path.
Ruacana Falls and Okapika Campground
In the afternoon we drove all the way north , to the Ruacana waterfalls , right on the border with Angola.
Finally water . Plenty of water! The waterfalls are magnificent, but the surroundings are full of garbage.
We spent the night at the Okapika campsite , which I happily recommend:
– welcome drink,
– swimming pool,
– dinner (for me their goulash with pap polenta) ,
– clean toilets,
– evening performance: dancing and singing.
The perfect end to a long, varied day.
Next up: Etosha – safari, giraffes and zebras and rhinos and elephants and ...