Khomas Hochland Mountains | Windhoek

Information

Landmark: Khomas Hochland Mountains
City: Windhoek
Country: Namibia
Continent: Africa

Khomas Hochland Mountains, Windhoek, Namibia, Africa

The Khomas Hochland is an expansive, dissected plateau and mountain range forming the central part of the Great Escarpment in Namibia. It extends approximately 200km from east to west, acting as a geological transition between the inland central plateau and the Namib Desert lowlands.

Visual Characteristics

The landscape is defined by rolling hills, steep-sided ravines (kloofs), and sharp ridges rising from 1,400 meters to over 2,000 meters above sea level. The terrain is dominated by mica schists of the Kuiseb Formation, which give the rocks a shimmering, layered appearance. Vegetation is classified as highland savanna, featuring sparse acacia thornbush, hardy scrub, and yellow grasses that turn silver-grey during the dry season.

Location & Access Logistics

The range is located immediately west of Windhoek, with the city itself sitting in a basin at the eastern edge of the highlands. Primary access is via the C28 (towards Swakopmund) or the C26 (Kupferberg Pass), both of which are gravel roads that traverse the heart of the mountains. While some sections are accessible by 2WD, high-clearance 4x4 vehicles are required for most farm tracks and the steeper passes like Bosua Pass or Us Pass.

Historical & Ecological Origin

The mountains originated approximately 900 million years ago as a seabed between the Kalahari and Congo cratons. The rocks underwent intense metamorphism and folding 650 to 450 million years ago during the Damara Orogeny. Historically, the rugged terrain provided refuge for various groups during colonial conflicts; notably, German geologists Henno Martin and Hermann Korn spent two years hiding in the Kuiseb Canyon during World War II to avoid internment.

Key Highlights & Activities

The Khomas Hochland Hiking Trail is a prominent 6-day trek covering roughly 90km of private farmland and rugged kloofs. Mountain biking is common on the district roads, including the grueling "Desert Dash" endurance race. Game viewing on private conservancies like the Auas-Oanob Conservancy offers sightings of Hartmann's mountain zebra, kudu, and oryx.

Infrastructure & Amenities

The region consists largely of freehold commercial farmland and private game ranches. Infrastructure is limited to gravel district roads and farm fences, with no public restrooms or food vendors outside of specific guest farms such as Düsternbrook or Farm Godeis. Cellular signal is reliable on high ridges but frequently lost in deep valleys and ravines.

Best Time to Visit

The dry winter months from May to September are optimal for transit and hiking due to cool, stable temperatures and minimal risk of flash floods in the ephemeral riverbeds. For photography, the "golden hour" at sunrise and sunset is essential to highlight the textures of the schist ridges. Frost is common in the valleys between June and August.

Facts & Legends

A local legend persists regarding "lost" German colonial gold caches hidden in the inaccessible kloofs during the 1915 retreat. A verified oddity is the "Matchless Member," a narrow band of dark volcanic rock (amphibolite) that cuts through the lighter schists, marking the site of a prehistoric mid-ocean ridge that existed before the continents collided.