Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
abandoned sunspot research centre, which was established by the US Smithsonian Institu-
te in the 1930s.
The basic
Brukkaros Campsite
(campsite per person N$50)
has sites with toilets and a
bush shower, but you must supply your own drinking water. Half of the campsites are lit-
erally carved out of the volcano and offer some truly stunning views across the valley.
Brukkaros rises 35km west of Tses on the B1. Follow the C98 west for 40km and then
turn north on to the D3904 about 1km east of Berseba. It's then 8km to the car park. Note
that a 4WD is required to access some of the higher campsites at Brukkaros Campsite.
BEWARE OF FALLING ROCKS
A meteorite is an extraterrestrial body that survives its impact with the earth's surface without being destroyed.
Although it's estimated that about 500 meteorites land each year, only a handful are typically recovered. However,
in a single meteor shower sometime in the dim and distant past, more than 21 tonnes of 90% ferrous extraterrestri-
al boulders crashed to earth in southern Namibia. It's rare for so many meteorites to fall at once, and these are
thought to have been remnants of an explosion in space, which were held together as they were drawn in by the
earth's gravitational field.
Thus far, at least 77 meteorite chunks have been found within a 2500-sq-km area around the former Rhenish
mission station of Gibeon, 60km south of Mariental. The largest chunk, which weighs 650kg, is housed in Cape
Town Museum (South Africa) while other bits have wound up as far away as Anchorage (Alaska). Between 1911
and 1913, soon after their discovery, 33 chunks were brought to Windhoek for safekeeping. Over the years,
they've been displayed in Zoo Park and at Alte Feste in Windhoek, but have now found a home on Post Street
Mall.
KEETMANSHOOP
063
Keetmanshoop (
kayt
-mahns-
hoo
-up) sits at the main crossroads of Southern Namibia,
and this is why you may end up here. More of a place to overnight than spend any time,
it's a friendly enough little town.
There are a few examples of German colonial architecture, including the 1910
Kaiser-
liches Postampt
(Imperial Post Office; cnr 5th Ave & Fenschel St)
, and the
town mu-
seum
(cnr Kaiser St & 7th Ave; admission free; 7.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri)
, which is
housed in the 1895 Rhenish Mission Church, which itself is arguably more interesting
than the contents of the museum inside. The ramshackle bits and pieces on display are
good for killing an hour or so.
