Just a few kilometres from the mining town of Uis lies Elephant Rock Campsite, where we are welcomed by Monica Areses, dressed to the nines in a traditional Damara outfit. As we embrace, her fragrant perfume reminds me a little of my beloved grandmother. Her campsite’s reception and dining space looks out onto the western side of Brandberg, making it the favoured place for hikers to overnight before endeavouring to climb to its summit at Königstein.

With a glimmer in her eye, Monica retells the story of how Elephant Rock Campsite was a dream, years in the making. Many moons ago during the tourism season, Monica and her late husband would set out from their home at Henties Bay to sell soft drinks at the White Lady rock painting. A decommissioned oil drum was cut open and a thick blanket, soaked in water, placed inside to keep the drinks cold. Here, her entrepreneurial spirit manifested as ever more visitors encouraged her and her husband to expand their offering, and consider a campsite catered to hikers and adventurers. Monica began discussions with the Tsiseb Conservancy in 2007, seeking to find the perfect spot for a tourism enterprise. After visiting a few sites, they landed at the base of a large granite outcrop in the shadow of Brandberg.

In 2016 the first campsite was ready for visitors. With only a few amenities at the time, Monica worked overtime to ensure her campers had everything they needed, including driving to Uis and back, sometimes multiple times, to collect water. Since then, she has set up neat and sturdy ablutions that run on limited water resources, while the eco-entrepreneur patiently awaits the drilling of a borehole, funded by GIZ.

On a sunset stroll around the granite koppie, Monica guides us to the pièce de résistance of the camp, a magnificently eroded rock in the shape of an elephant. Standing in the cavity that resembles the trunk of an elephant touching the ground, Monica smiles broadly and reminisces over the first time she laid eyes on this formation, knowing instantly that this would become the tourism establishment of her dreams.

In the constant company of the beguiling Brandberg Mountain, which is considered sacred ground in the surrounding communities, Monica built many of the structures at Elephant Rock Campsite with her own hands. “I have helpers, but they need my direction and input, so I laid many of those stones and cement myself,” says Monica, who has a clear vision of what she wants her camp to look like.

Campsite number one, which hosted our group, is situated on a gradual slope of the rocky hill. In its enclave is a spacious boma serving as the common area where campers can come together in the shade and prepare meals, with a crackling fire just beyond its rock wall. A solar geyser provides warm showers, and the grounds have ample space for campers to scatter their tents and enjoy some privacy.

Elephant Rock Campsite’s biggest drawcard is the fact that it is the only campsite west of Brandberg. Now, this might not seem of such significance, until the sun rises and casts a hazy purple hue on the mountain. The monolithic mass creates subtle contrasts in the morning light and paints the backdrop to a cup of coffee with a spark of splendour. Nowhere else is this picture so perfect, with the dawn accompanying our highest mountain in a single frame.

With hesitancy we must peel ourselves away from the hospitality of Monica and her team, and the incredible setting of Elephant Rock Campsite, as more female eco-entrepreneurs await our visit.