Fun things to do in Karibib

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I have to declare a bias: I adore central (and indeed, most of the rest of) Namibia, and believe that it is one of Africa's best kept and most tourist-friendly travel secrets. And of all the attractions that the Erongo region has to offer, Spitzskoppe has to be the most obvious and accessible.

Spitzkoppe is located to the north of the Karibib-Swakopmund road - it's not hard to find, as even if you miss the road signs, it's hard to ignore a 1728m Matterhorn-inspired peak rearing up from the otherwise flat plain! The geologist in me could wax lyrical for hours about why it has withstood erosion whilst the surrounding area has been levelled to a featureless plain (technically it's a granite inselberg), but for the layman, let's just say that it's harder!

I think that Spitzkoppe's great attraction is that is a place to just 'be': what people decide to make of it is their own business, but I believe that it has something to offer almost anyone. It is undoubtedly staggeringly beautiful at any time of the day, but particularly in the half light of sunrise or sunset. If you were a climber (I would imagine, not being of that persuasion myself), its smooth, sandblasted slopes would present a slippery challenge. If you are into nature (much more my scene), then it is a refuge for a wide range of wildlife. Photographers will find themselves in seventh heaven resulting from the combination of dramatic landscape and light. And if you just come here to hum and tune into the rhythms of the universe, then this can only be a hotspot of connection. And kids will just tear around and have a ball until they collapse into a crumpled, exhausted heap!

Joy of joys, although the access road from the B2 is gravel, Spitzkoppe can be reached even in an ordinary sedan except in very wet weather, and there is a circular walk that is accessible to the moderately fit - as well as scrambles and climbs appealing to every level of fitness and intrepidness. And, better still, I have visited several times over the years, and have yet to find more than a couple of dozen fellow tourists there at the same time.

How long to spend at Spitzkoppe? Myself, I could easily spend a whole day here, and there is community-run eco-friendly accommodation (which looked rather basic to me, but maybe that's because I've evolved beyond my backpacker roots to becoming a middle-aged old fart for which en suite is non-negotiable) who can't bear to leave even then. I haven't experienced it myself, but would certainly agree that startlit Spitzkoppe must be absolutely awe inspiring.