THE BRANDBERG,
MOUNTAIN OF MAJESTY & MYSTERY!
The Bergdama called it Daureb (The Burnt Mountain). In the Nama tongue it was Daunas (the
Desolate, or forsaken Mountain). To the Herero it was Omukuruwaro (Mountain of the Gods,
or Fire Mountain). In ANY language it is a Titan, a majestic creation of nature, a powerful force
on the Namibian scene.
The current & well-known name of Brandberg (German for Burning Mountain) still describes
this mountain as it was originally perceived by all the indigenous peoples of Namibia. In fact,
the Brandberg is not like other mountains. It has neither the jagged pinnacles nor the elevation
demanded of the world's top mountain league. On the other hand it would not be disgraced in
the company of Mount Fuji or Mount Olympus.
What does single it out from most of the "top league", is its age, not to mention its remarkable
location and positioning. Despite its modest height, the Brandberg towers over and dominates
the landscape with a sudden 2 000 metre leap from the surrounding plains of Damaraland. This
breathless ascent appears to hesitate momentarily at a plateau some three quarters of the way up
before the final thrust to the heavens. The range's most prominent peak, the Königstein (King's
Rock) - which is also the highest point in Namibia - lies 2 579 metres above sea level.
Height should not be regarded as the Alpha and Omega by which a mountain is measured.
The other dimensions of this massive Inselberg are equally bold and impressive: its serrated
perimeter, time-cleft by numerous ravines, encloses a roughly oval base which sprawls over
500 square kilometres of the surrounding Damaraland terrain.
Mere statistics, however, are hopelessly inadequate measures to gauge the mettle of the
Brandberg - for this is more than just another mountain; it is a Presence which holds the
lonely landscape in utter subjection. An experience by the visitor, rather than a mere sight.
A glimpse on this Sentinel in Damaraland!
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