The Twyfelfontein site can be seen in the course of a morning or an afternoon, so a minimum one night, one morning stay in the area is recommended.

Two nights and a full day are advicable as this will allow the traveller to visit the rock art site in the morning, and see and photograph Burnt Mountain, The Organ Pipes and the scenery in the  evenings, when the sunset works its magic.It also allows the traveller to participate in activities such as nature drives in search of the Desert elephants or hikes in the area.

Facilities are very limited:
* NO petrol station.
* Visitor Centre with an information exhibition, a kiosk and a small carft shop.

The Twyfelfontein Visitor Centre is a remarkable building which was designed with creativity and imagination. It was built using natural and recycled materials such as the tops of 50-gallon drums and old tyres. The entire center can be easily dismantled without leaving a single impression on the landscape.

The information exhibition contains displays on the history and meaning of the engravings and details on the local flora and fauna.

The craft shop sells locally made crafts, each item labeled with the name of the person who  made it.

Timing
The sites should be visited in the early morning or later in the afternoon, as the temperatures can be very hot, even in midwinter.
Note that a visit to the Twyfelfontein rock art site involves a walk of 1 – 2 hours.

Clothing
The terrain is rocky, so shoes with strong support for ankles and good rubber soles that provide a firm grip should be worn. As a precaution against the sun, the traveller should wear a hat and should use sun screen lotion.

Local guides
Local guides are required at the Twyfelfontein rock art site and the Petrified Forest. A small fee is payable. The guides are trained by the National Monuments Council.

Protection of the sites
Under no circumstances should the traveller remove anything from any of the sites. Use of water or beverages to enhance photography is strictly forbidden.

Photography
The best times for photography are in the early morning and late afternoon. Note that Burnt Mountain will appear washed out in any photography during the midday, but will take on a ‘burning’ appearance in the late afternoon.

Fuel
Although fuel is available from lodges in the vicinity, the traveller should not rely on this, and should fill up and check oil and water at the last town on the route into Twyfelfontein, particularly Henties Bay, Uis, Khorixas or Opuwo.

The Twyfelfontein Rock Art site is subject to the rules of the National Monuments Council. Travellers are accompanied around the site by a community guide trained by the National Monuments Council.

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR AT ROCK ART SITES:
* Never touch or wet rock art - it is highly damaging
* Never chalk or enhance engravings
* Do not walk on engraved or painted rocks
* Leave all archaeological artefacts as they are
* Use natural light for photography

* The rock art and stone age settlement at Twyfelfontein
* Burnt Mountain
* The Organ Pipes
* Interesting geology
* Desert elephants and other wildlife in the conservancies west of Twyfelfontein
* The Damaraland scenery
* The nearby Petrified Forest

Twyfelfontein is best known for its vast collection of rock art, engraved and painted on the walls of a hollow in a mountain overlooking the plain below. There are three styles of rock art. Iconic images depict things that can be identified, especially animals and humans. Geometric art consists of shapes and lines. Cupules are small depressions carved in the rock. The purpose of the cupules may have been as a part of religious practices. There are more than 2,500 pieces of rock art.

Habitation of the Twyfelfontein site has been dated to 6,000 years ago, and some of the rock art is recognised to be about 10,000 years old.

* The scenery is dominated by reddish-brown sandstone and small, flat-topped hills, particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset. The hills are interspersed with dry river beds and open plains.
* Vegetation is sparse, consisting mainly of various grasses and Euphorbia damarana bushes
* The beauty of the scenery is particularly noticeable at sunset when the rocks appear to glow red.

* The natural law of food and water supply dictates the movement and cycles of life in this arid area, so the area should not be marketed as a wildlife destination, but rather as a historical and geological destination.
* The area is the southernmost roaming ground of Desert elephants
* Good populations of Hartmann mountain zebra, giraffe, oryx, springbok, and kudu are found in the area.
* Predators include lions, leopards, cheetah, brown and spotted hyena, although sightings of these are unlikely.

Birds that may be seen in the area include:
* Large terrestrial birds such as the ostrich, Rüppell’s korhaan, and Ludwig’s bustard.
* Fairly Common birds such as the White-tailed shrike and Lilac-breasted roller,.
* Fairly common localised residence such as the Violet Woodhoopoe and Montero’s hornbill.
* Benguela long-billed lark, Dusky sunbird and Damara canary have also been seen.

Habitation of the Twyfelfontein site has been dated to 6,000 years ago, and some of the rock art is recognised to be about 10,000 years old.

A visit to the rock art entails a choice of circular walk around the site, during which the traveller sees signs of stone age habitation and rock engravings. There are in excess of 2,500 samples of rock art in the Twyfelfontein area, of which only a small part can be visited.

The iconic images that depict things that can be identified include numerous animals and animal tracks. Animals that can be seen on the walls and rocks include cattle, elephants, antelopes, giraffe, lions, ostriches, penguins, seals and zebra. There are a number of etchings that seem to indicate that shamanism was practiced in the area. There are also etchings of human handprints and footprints. In addition, there are what seem to be engraved depictions of the area, showing waterholes. There are many examples of the geometric style of etching, that consists of geometric shapes. There are also numerous small depressions carved into the rock, known as cupules.

The site is set in a bowl of rock with a view over a long fertile valley in which earlier inhabitants of Twyfelfontein hunted and gathered to survive. There are also a number of picturesquely weathered and eroded rocks, one of which is known as ‘the mushroom’ and another which is known as ‘the lion’s mouth’ or ‘the eagle’ .

A guard fee will be charged at the car park, and a fee will be charged for the local guide from the National Monuments Council.

The Burnt Mountain is a heap of volcanic slag; shale that was heated to in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius and was burnt to hard, rocky cinders. At sunrise and sunset, the colours of the day cause the black purplish heap to appear as if it is on fire, which is particularly attractive for photographers. Burnt Mountain is a national monument.

For more details on the formation of Burnt Mountain, please see "Background for clients and guides"

To get to Burnt Mountaint from Twyfelfontein
* Drive back on the D3214 to the D3254 turn off (approx. 4 km)
* Turn into the D3254 and continue till you reach Burnt Mountain (approx. 3 km)
On the way, or returning, the traveller should stop at The Organ Pipes.

The Organ Pipes are a series of picturesque, geometrically shaped basaltic columns that run along the side of a small gully on the left side of the road leading to Burnt Mountain.

For more details on the Organ Pipes, please see "Background for clients and guides"

To get to the Organ Pipes from Twyfelfontein
* Drive back on the D3214 to the D3254 turn off (approx. 4 km)
* Turn into the D3254 towards Burnt Mountain.
* Watch the left side of the road for a small stone tile with white letters that read ‘Orrelpype’, just before the Burnt Mountain.
* There is a small flat space from which The Organ Pipes can be seen.
* The walk down the gully to the Organ Pipes is a matter of few meters.

* Twyfelfontein can be reached in a small 2 X 4 sedan.
* Although Twyfelfontein lies in an arid area, rain in other parts of the country can cause rivers to flow. The onset of the flow is very rapid.
* As a large part of the journey takes place on gravel roads, consultants should switch to a 4x4 vehicle during the rainy season (October to April).

* Walvis Bay
* Swakopmund
* Cape Cross
* Palmwag Concession
* Sesfontein
* Opuwo
* Khorixas
* Kamanjab
* Outjo
* Etosha National Park (Andersson Gate)
* Omaruru
* Otjiwarongo

Walvis Bay via Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast & Cape Cross

Note: a permit is required to drive through the Skeleton Coast Park. Permits must be acquired at the gate, and a certain amount of water must be carried in the vehicle before entry is permitted. Refer to your local operator for gate closing times and additional requirements.

Walvis Bay via Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast & Cape Cross to Twyfelfontein is approx. 416 km
* Drive north from Walvis Bay on the B2 to Swakopmund (approx. 30 km)
* From Swakopmund continue north on the C34 to Henties Bay (approx 72 km)
* Drive north from Henties Bay to the Cape Cross signpost (approx. 48 km)
* Continue north on the C34 into the Skeleton Coast Park to the C39 turn off (approx. 105 km)
* Turn right into the C39 and follow it to the D2612 turn off (approx. 136 km)
* Turn right into the D2612 and continue to the D3214 turn off (approx. 15 km)
* Turn right into the D3214 and follow it to Twyfelfontein (approx. 10 km)
The B2 between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund is tar road. The rest of the route is on gravel road
En-route attractions: Cape Cross and the Skeleton Coast Park

Walvis Bay via Swakopmund and Uis
Walvis Bay via Swakopmund and Uis to Twyfelfontein is approx. 364 km
* Drive north from Walvis Bay on the B2 to Swakopmund (approx. 30 km)
* From Swakopmund continue north on the C34 to Henties Bay (approx 72 km)
* Continue north on the C43 to the intersection with the C35 (approx. 6 km)
* Turn into the C35 and follow the C35 to Uis (approx. 114 km)
* Drive through Uis and follow the C35 north to the D2612 turn off (approx. 70 km)
* Turn left into the D2612 and continue to the D3214 turn off (approx. 62 km)
* Turn right into the D3214 and follow it to Twyfelfontein (approx. 10 km)
The B2 between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund is tar road. The rest of the route is on gravel road
Small detour attractions: Cape Cross and the 'White Lady' rock painting at the Brandberg.
NOTE: A visit to the 'White Lady' requires an approx. 2 hours walk.

Opuwo
Opuwo to Twyfelfontein is approx. 331 km
* Drive south from Opuwo on the C43 to Sesfontein (approx. 123 km)
* From Sesfontein continue on the C43 to the C39 turn off (approx. 140 km)
* Turn left into the C39 and drive to the D2612 turn off (approx. 43 km)
* Turn right into the D2612 and continue to the D3214 turn off (approx. 15 km)
* Turn right into the D3214 and follow it to Twyfelfontein (approx. 10 km)
The entire route is on gravel road
Small detour attractions: Warmquelle and Ongongo

Etosha National Park (Andersson Gate)
Etosha National Park to Twyfelfontein is approx. 342 km
* From Okaukuejo drive south on the C38 to Outjo (approx. 114 km)
* From Outjo drive west on the C39 to Khorixas (approx. 131 km)
* From Khorixas continue on the C39 to the D2612 trun off (approx. 72 km)
* Turn left into the D2612 and continue to the D3214 turn off (approx. 15 km)
* Turn right into the D3214 and follow it to Twyfelfontein (approx. 10 km)
The only tar road is the C38 & C39 from Andersson Gate to Khorixas. From Khorixas the route is on gravel road.
En-route attractions: Petrified Forest

Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo to Twyfelfontein is approx. 294 km
*From Otjiwarongo drive north on the C38 to Outjo (approx. 66 km)
* From Outjo drive west on the C39 to Khorixas (approx. 131 km)
* From Khorixas continue on the C39 to the D2612 trun off (approx. 72 km)
* Turn left into the D2612 and continue to the D3214 turn off (approx. 15 km)
* Turn right into the D3214 and follow it to Twyfelfontein (approx. 10 km)
The only tar road is the C38 & C39 from Otjiwarongo to Khorixas. From Khorixas the route is on gravel road.
En-route attractions: Petrified Forest

Omaruru
Omaruru to Twyfelfontein is approx. 265 km
* From Omaruru drive north west on the C36 to Uis ( approx. 123 km)
* Drive through Uis and follow the C35 north to the D2612 turn off (approx. 70 km)
* Turn left into the D2612 and continue to the D3214 turn off (approx. 62 km)
* Turn right into the D3214 and follow it to Twyfelfontein (approx. 10 km)
The entire route is on gravel road
Small detour attractions: The 'White Lady' rock painting at the Brandberg.
NOTE: A visit to the 'White Lady' requires an approx. 2 hours walk.

Twyfelfontein Country Lodge Airstrip
* South 20 degrees 34 00’
* East 14 degrees 22 00’
* Length: 2,200 meters
* Width: 22 meters
* Surface: gravel

NOTE: The airstrip is owned by Twyfelfontein Country Lodge.
Please contact Twyfelfontein Country Lodge concerning landing rights, schedules and fees.
Tel +264 - (0)67 - 697 021

Camp Kipwe
Approx. 18 km north of Twyfelfontein
8 igloo-shaped bungalows. Guided desert elephant drives & nature walk. Close to Petrified Forest, Organ Pipes, Burnt Mountain and Twyfelfontein.

Mowani Mountain Camp
Approx. 12 km north of Twyfelfontein
1 Ultra-luxury suite, 1 luxury room, 4 double 'Meru' view tents, 8 double 'Meru' standard tents and campsite. Offers morning guided drives in search of desert elephants, guided visits to Twyfelfontein and surrounding and guided walks.

Palmwag Lodge
Approx. 114 km west of Twyfelfontein
13 x twin bungalows, 2 x family units, 5 x luxury tents and campsite. Access to the 4 500 square km Palmwag Concession home to desert rhino and desert elephant.

Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
Approx. 4 km north east of Twyfelfontein
56 twin, double and triple rooms & 1 VIP suite. Offers afternoon guided drives in search of desert elephants, guided visits to Twyfelfontein and surrounding, hiking trails and mountain bikes for rental.

The first steps on the path to Twyfelfontein and all the surrounding sites were taken hundreds of millions of years ago when volcanoes and floods formed this wild landscape, baking the ground that became Burnt Mountain, forcing up the lava that became The Organ Pipes, and washing in the tree trunks that turned to stone and that can still be seen at The Petrified Forest. And just a footstep away on the long path of time, 10,000 years ago, man arrived and in what had became a fertile environment, found a home and left the marks of his passing, engraved and painted upon rock in the caves overlooking a fertile valley. In this, wonderful, wild and beautiful place, travellers can see the long route of the history of the earth, and man who walked upon it.

The first steps on the path to Twyfelfontein and all the surrounding sites were taken hundreds of millions of years ago when volcanoes and floods formed this wild landscape, baking the ground that became Burnt Mountain, forcing up the lava that became The Organ Pipes, and washing in the tree trunks that turned to stone and that can still be seen at The Petrified Forest. And just a footstep away on the long path of time, 10,000 years ago, man arrived, and in what had became a fertile environment, found a home and left the marks of his passing, engraved and painted upon rock in the caves overlooking a fertile valley. In this, wonderful, wild and beautiful place, travellers can see the long route of the history of the earth, and man who walked upon it.

Twyfelfontein offers travellers from most corners of Namibia, an exceptional historical record of the people who roamed this valley at the Twyfelfontein rock art site. Just a few kilometres further, the traveller has the opportunity to touch and walk among the remnants of ancient geological history at Burnt Mountain and The Organ Pipes. And a short drive from Twyfelfontein, the traveller can see a record of ancient natural history at the Petrified Forest.

But the area is also characterised by a remarkable scenic beauty, in the form of red rocks and plateaus, that turn the colour of volcanic fire with the setting of the sun.

Twyfelfontein is far more than a destination. It is an excellently preserved example of a heritage that belongs to all of mankind.

The name of the site, given to it by the Khoekhoe-speaking inhabitants, was /Ui-//Ais, which means ‘the permanent spring’. In 1947, the area was sold to a farmer, D. Levin. He built his farmstead near the spring. However the spring dried up from time to time. He dug down and attempted to widen the spring in an effort to get more water from it but this had little effect. He renamed the farm, accordingly. The name ‘Twyfelfontein comes from two words in the Dutch-derived language, Afrikaans. ‘Twyfel’ means uncertain or doubt, and ‘fontein’ means spring or fountain. Although the name ‘Twyfelfontein’ is usually translated as ‘doubtful fountain’, it is more accurate to translate it as ‘uncertain spring’ or ‘questionable spring’. The spring, covered by a grate, can still be seen.

The first settlement of Twyfelfontein has been dated back to 6,000 years ago, during the stone age, and some engravings are accepted to be up to 10,000 years old. In more recent times it was inhabited by the Khoekhoe Bushmen tribe, who gave it the name /Ui-//Ais, which means ‘the permanent spring’.

The spring drew animals to /Ui-//Ais, and the combination of animals and waters drew the early hunter gatherers.

The area was explored by Reinhardt Maack prior to World War 1, and he stumbled upon the rock art. In 1921, he published a report that brought the site to the attention of a wider audience. In 1917 Maack also found the piece of rock art in the Brandberg that is now known as the White Lady.

After World War 2, there was a severe drought and, in an attempt to find land on which to farm, farmers from European stock moved into the area, and the Khoekhoe were relocated.

In 1947, the area was sold to a farmer, D. Levin. He built his farmstead near a spring. However the spring dried up from time to time. He dug down and attempted to widen the spring in an effort to get more water from it but this had little effect on the flow. He renamed the farm, accordingly. The name ‘Twyfelfontein comes from two words in the Dutch-derived language, Afrikaans. ‘Twyfel’ means uncertain or doubt, and ‘fontein’ means spring or fountain. Although the name ‘Twyfelfontein’ is usually translated as ‘doubtful fountain’, it is more accurate to translate it as ‘uncertain spring’. The spring, covered by a grate, can still be seen.

In 1952, the site was declared a national monument.

In the 1960s, the Odendaal Report which came to be known as the Odendaal Plan, suggested the establishment of ethnic homelands. The area surrounding the Twyfelfontein site was earmarked for the Damara people, hence the name Damaraland. In 1965, Levin sold the land back to the government. The homeland was abolished in 1989, shortly before Namibia’s independence from South Africa.

In the recent past, the land was subdivided into a number of concession areas. Twyfelfontein falls in one of these concession areas, and a bed levy is charged, which is paid back to the community.

During summer, the weather in the vicinity of Twyfelfontein is very hot during the day, and hot at night. Daytime temperatures can reach as much as 44 C. The weather is generally dry, but rain may occur, and rivers may flood due to heavy rains, further away. During winter, the nights are cold and the days are hot.

There are two types of rock art at the Twyfelfontein site: rock engravings and rock paintings. It is rare that rock paintings and rock engravings are found in the same place. The rock engravings are associated with the Bergdama people and the rock paintings with the stone age Wilton people. Although it is generally said that the rock art is similar to that of other examples found in Africa, implying that a tribe came from across Africa to settle at Twyfelfontein, the rock engraving is similar to that of most rock engravings found across Africa, but the rock paintings are the specimens that link specifically to a single group of people in a geographically distant part of Africa.

Rock paintings and the Wilton people

Rock paintings have been found at 13 places at Twyfelfontein. These are associated with the Wilton Stone Age Culture. The Wilton Stone Age Culture was identified from artefacts found at a number of sites across Africa, including in Zimbabwe and Zambia. They are known to have lived from 6000 BCE and a settlement at Gwisho in Zambia has been dated to 2300 BCE. The Wilton Stone Age Culture consisted of groups of hunter gatherers who made bows and arrows, tamed dogs, worked leather, made baskets and, given their rock paintings, obviously knew how to make pigments. Later examples of their culture point to the fact that Wilton people learned how to work and use iron.

Rock engravings

There are three styles of rock engraving found at Twyfelfontein: iconographic which depicts identifiable things, geometric which consists of abstract, geometric shapes, and cupules, small indentations in the rock normally measuring 5 cm or less across.

Although it is believed that some of the engravings date back 10,000 years it is not possible to specify when specific engravings were made, so there is no specific time attached to production of any set of engravings.

The iconographic engravings give a picture of the wildlife seen by people who lived at Twyfelfontein. Some of the engravings depict animals which could be hunted in the immediate vicinity, such as giraffe, zebra, oryx and kudu. Others depict predators such as lion. Another type of engraving depicts seals and penguins indicating that there was some travel between Twyfelfontein and the coastal areas. A further set of engravings shows handprints and spoors.

Another type of engraving gives a clue about the beliefs of the people who lived at Twyfelfontein. Figures, part man and part animal, as well as animals moving along etched tracks point to the likelihood of shamanism as a belief system.

There are two styles of geometric engravings at the Twyfelfontein rock art. One style combines cupules with mainly circular geometric designs and the other has less rigid designs consisting of curving lines, that does not use the cupules. Recent research indicates that the geometric designs that combine the cupules were made by the Khoekhoe people. However it is not certain that the cupules used in the geometric designs were made by the Khoekhoe, leading to the possibility that the cupules were made at an earlier time and that the Khoekhoe designed around them.

At some stage, a story circulated that the designs were made recently in order to attract tourism. A story tells that the theory was tested by someone who attempted to chip out an engraving of his own. It is said that he rapidly came to the conclusion that engraving more than 2,500 images on the rock would not be possible in the space of a human lifetime. If there is any truth to the story, it is supported by weathering on the rocks.

The cupules of Twyfelfontein are not well understood, but form a fascinating part of Twyfelfontein’s heritage.

Cupules are small, round indentations in the rock, obviously chipped out by hand, that are rarely more than 5 cm across. None of the cupules appear to be placed randomly.

Cupules should not be confused with grinding hollows, game boards and indentations on gong stones. Nor should they be confused with indentations that are made to indicate the tracks of animals.

Some of the cupules have been incorporated in geometric designs. Recent research indicates that the geometric designs that combine the cupules were made by the Khoekhoe people. However it is not certain that the cupules used in the geometric designs were made by the Khoekhoe, leading to the possibility that the cupules were made at an earlier time and that the Khoekhoe designed around them.

The cupules and animals

There are three possibilities surrounding the creation of cupules in relation to animals.

The first possibility is that they were made in an early period and the animals were made later. If this is the case, scholars ask themselves if the animals were made on the rock because the rock had cupules on it. This leads to the question if the cupule had any mystical significance? The second possibility is that the cupules and the animals were engraved together. The third possibility is that the cupules were added later.

All three of these possibilities can be true at the same time.

There is also the obvious likelihood that certain of the cupules were used as place markers or indicated where animals and water could be found. Scholars point out that this indicates that the belief system of the people who made the cupules may have been shamanism.

Scholars also believe that cupules were made by all the various groups of inhabitants of Twyfelfontein, and that the making of cupules ceased at the same time as the engraving of animals ceased.

A number of larger indentations in the rocks should not be confused with the cupules. These are grinding hollows which were used to grind plant material into a more usable form or for making dyes. Unlike cupules, grinding hollows are found on flat surfaces where they were easy to use.

A second type of indentation on the rock consists of parallel rows of depressions in equal length. This is a board on which a traditional African game is played. The pieces are small stones. An example can also be seen at the entrance of the National Museum in Windhoek.

The third type of indentation is found on gong stones. Gong stones make a ringing noise when struck. The small indentations found on gong stones are made by repeatedly striking them to produce musical tones.

The engraved tracks of animals are a common theme at Twyfelfontein. This is normally said to be a ‘schoolbook’ engraved in rock. However one commentator asked a Bushman elder if this was a method that might be used to teach children about tracking and hunting, and the elder dismissed the suggestion, saying that a child would learn from watching an adult tracker in the field.

Another interesting phenomenon is that some of the engraved animals have tracks attached to their feet, at least one animal figure has human feet and one of the human figures holds the limb of an antelope. According to Lewis-Williams this points to an aspect of shamanism: trying to control the movement of animals, leading them on to certain points, by making tracks for them to follow.

All this points to the fact that the inhabitants of Twyfelfontein held shamanistic beliefs at some stage in the history of the site.

Shamans acted as go-betweens, between the human and the physical world. The shaman would enter a trance state and travel between the physical world and the spirit world to obtain help with hunting, healing and weather management.

Shamanism was not an organised religion and there were no full-time shamans as there are priests. However the shaman was a respected, knowledgeable member of the group, who contributed to the group’s prosperity, success and health.

On 29 June 2007, Twyfelfontein was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, by virtue of its rock art.

World Heritage Sites are recognised by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, and belong to all the people of the world, regardless of where they are located. These are sites which represent the natural and cultural record of mankind, that need to be looked after and passed on to future generations. The plains of the Serengeti, the pyramids in Egypt, the large, gothic cathedrals of South America and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia are amongst the World Heritage Sites.

UNESCO encourages countries to sign a convention called the World Heritage Convention. The Convention seeks to identify sites, register them as World Heritage Sites and look after them for future generations.

For more information on the UNESCO World Heritage programme, click here>>

Namibia was once part of a huge continent, Gondwana, that later split into various smaller continents. The Damaraland area was submerged beneath a huge lake that was rich in marine life. When organisms that lived in the lake died, their remains sank to the bottom and mixed with the silt. Sand and dust from the wind also settled in the lake. The combination of organic materials and dust formed a thick cover on the bottom of the lake. When the lake dried up, a thick layer of material was left behind. This hardened and formed shale, a smooth , flat type of stone.

About 125 million years ago, Gondwana started to split, forming Africa and South America. As the continent split into two, a number of volcanoes erupted through the weakened crust. This was known as Karoo Volcanism. Some of the material on the surface was blasted away.

At the same time volcanic material, molten rock known as basaltic rock magma, pushed up towards the surface, heating up the material on the surface and changing its nature by ‘baking it’ at temperatures higher than 1,000 degrees Celsius. This is known as contact metamorphism.

The baking process left behind a layer of blackened, burnt shale. Erosion exposed manganese and iron in the rock, giving it a purple tint. This is how the Burnt Mountain got its colour.

Burnt Mountain was declared a national monument in 1956.

The Organ Pipes are a wall of columns with geometric shapes, that line the side of a gully. The formation is about 100 m long.

During the period in which Burnt Mountain was formed, dolerite rock magma pushed up through the surface of the earth. The rock magma began to cool on the outside so the lava could only move through the centre of the cooling magma. As it cooled and contracted, the volcanic rock split vertically, forming the geometric shapes. Normally, the geological feature known as an organ pipe is formed from basalt and has a polygonal shape, but as The Organ Pipes at Twyfelfontein were formed from dolerite, they have a hexagonal shape.