Botswana - Botswana and Namibia - page 225

From the Overland Camp Site, the steep and signposted Rhino Trail is probably the most
interesting of the trails. It climbs past several distinctive paintings to a water pit where
dragonflies and butterflies flit around a slimy green puddle. Near this site is an odd tree,
once described to Laurens van der Post as the Tree of True Knowledge ( Offline map ) by
the San guide who led him there. According to the guide, the greatest spirit knelt beside
this fetid pool on the day of Creation. In the rocks beyond this pool are several 'hoof
prints', which the Mbukushu believe were made by the cattle lowered onto the hill by the
god Ngambe.
The Rhino Trail continues over the crest of a hill into a bizarre grassy valley flanked by
peaks that seem a bit like an alternative universe. The route passes several rocky outcrops
and rock paintings, and then descends into the prominent hollow in the southeastern side
of Female Hill. Inside the hollow is a rhino ( Offline map ) painting, which also includes a
'forgery' of a buffalo that was created more recently. Directly across the hollow, one of
the few Tsodilo paintings containing human figures depicts a dancing crowd of sexually
excited male figures - Alec Campbell, the foremost expert on the hills and their paintings,
has amusedly dubbed it the ' Dancing Penises ' ( Offline map ) .
On the southeast corner of Female Hill, look for the amazing whale ( Offline map ) and
penguin paintings that suggest an intriguing link between the early San and the Namibian
coast. Around the corner and to the west, the rhino ( Offline map ) and giraffe painting por-
trays a rhino family and an authentic -looking giraffe.

Divuyu Trail
An adjunct to the Rhino Trail, a short but hazardously rocky climb along what is some-
times called the Divuyu Trail leads to Laurens van der Post's Panel ( Offline map ) , which
contains eland and giraffes. This trail also leads to the Divuyu Village Remains (
Offline map ) .

WALKING

Cliff Trail
Another route, the partially marked Cliff Trail, goes past the unassuming site known as
the ' Origin of Sex ' ( Offline map ) painting, around the northern end of Female Hill and
into a deep and mysterious hidden valley. This trail also passes an amazing natural cistern
( Offline map ) (in a rock grotto near the northwestern corner of Female Hill), which has
held water year-round for as long as anyone can remember. The San believe that this nat-
ural tank is inhabited by a great serpent with twisted horns, so visitors should warn the oc-

WALKING