Over billions of years, this land has been shaped by dramatic geological forces which laid the foundation for Namibia’s rugged landscapes. Around 550 million years ago, the clash of tectonic plates led to the formation of the towering Damara Mountains. Later, vast lava flows from the Etendeka volcanic activity spread across the land, leaving behind thick layers of rock. This volcanic eruption was part of the slow, gradual breakup of Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent that once connected much of southern Africa, South America and other regions of the southern hemisphere.

The region has witnessed tectonic shifts, volcanic eruptions and the slow, relentless passage of time. As the supercontinent Gondwana slowly began to split, new forces shaped the land, with volcanic eruptions sending vast rivers of molten rock cascading across the terrain. The Etendeka volcanic activity, some 132 million years ago, was one such eruption. Lava flowed freely, spreading over vast stretches of land, leaving behind the rugged, flat-topped mountains we see today.

The Etendeka Plateau, with its expansive volcanic rocks, is striking. Here, the table-topped mountains are the defining feature of this awe-inspiring region. The word “Etendeka” is derived from the Himba people and translates to “place of flat-topped mountains”, while the Herero people use a similar word to describe when things are layered on top of each other – another appropriate description for this land.

This is the region where these ancient forces are on full display. Stretching over 78,000 square kilometres, the Etendeka Plateau lies like an open book, its pages written in volcanic rock. The landscape here is as haunting as it is beautiful. Table-topped mountains rise from the desert like sentinels, their jagged edges softened by the passage of time. Between them, valleys and plains stretch out, holding secrets from deep within Earth’s crust.