Africa and South America. Many areas of Namibia experienced volcanic
activity and it is at this time that the intrusion of magma to
become known as the Damaraland Rock Complex thrust its way upwards
through the older Damara Sequence that had formed between 760 to 460
million year ago. At the time of the magma intrusion and cooling
within the surrounding rock, the peak of the Spitzkoppe would have
been below the then ground-surface-level. The ongoing erosion
of 130 million years have reduced the level of the surrounding, and
softer rocks to present day ground levels. This process is called Inselberg formation and the Spitzkoppe area has many of
these worn into interesting shaped rock forms.
The
surrealistic rock shapes at the Spitzkoppe are on a massive scale. The
sand-laden desert winds have, over millions of years, sculptured
and polished the shapes which make for an unusual selection of
pictures, and there's plenty more. And
in the midst of all of this apparently harsh and strange world you
will find an abundance of life forms that have adapted. You will find
places where trees grow seemingly defiant out from the thin cracks in
the rock faces. their fine root systems penetrating deep into the rock
fissures where they collect moisture.
