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Discovering Waterberg
Rising as an island of colour some 200 metres above the surrounding African bush and savannah, the Waterberg Plateau, with its flamboyant brick-red sandstone formations and lush green vegetation, is without a doubt the main drawcard of the region. Other attractions nearby are the Hoba meteorite, the Otjihaenamaparero dinosaur footprints and the Dragon’s Breath underground lake. Tsumkwe, the administrative centre of Bushmanland, is home to a large San population and the southern gateway to the Khaudum National Park.
A San man showcasing traditional skills
Paul van Schalkwyk
WATERBERG PLATEAU PARK
In 1972, the 405 km² Waterberg Plateau Park was proclaimed as a reserve for endangered and protected species. The history of the park began on 15 June 1956 with the declaration of two portions of the plateau as natural monuments. This came to pass after representations were made to the then SWA Administration by the Kameradschaft Ehemaliger Deutscher Soldaten, members of the Scientific Society, the Monuments Commission, and other interested parties. The two areas – the Omuverume Plateau and the Karakuwisa Mountain Range – were, however, divided by farms that had been allocated to farmers in the past. The Omuverume Plateau boasts probably the only sandveld vegetation type that developed for many centuries without being disturbed, due to the vertical cliffs and flora there having reached a unique stage of climate development. Interestingly enough, the original motivation for the proclamation of the entire Waterberg Plateau as a park was to create a reserve for eland. It was reasoned that there were about 800 eland in the Waterberg area that moved from farm to farm and caused a nuisance, and that as soon as the farmers were to obtain ownership of the game on their land, the future of these eland would be in jeopardy because the farmers did not tolerate eland on their land. How wrong this proved to be! It was only when farmers were granted ownership of their game that game populations in the country began to flourish and increase.
Today, the Waterberg Plateau Park is home to some 25 game and over 200 bird species. Rare species such as roan and sable antelope, Cape buffalo and tsessebe occur in large numbers.
African buffalo in Waterberg National Park
Species such as black and white rhino are also firmly established on the plateau. The vegetation changes dramatically from acacia savannah at the foot of the plateau to lush green subtropical dry woodland with tall trees and grassy plains at the top. Ten fern species have been recorded at the Waterberg, of which one is endemic to Namibia and Angola. There is also an impressive range of flowering plants, including the conspicuous flame lily, Gloriosa superba.
On the site of the historic Battle of Waterberg, at the foot of the plateau, a graveyard serves as a reminder of a turbulent period in history. Soldiers from the Schutztruppe who died in the fierce battle between the Herero and the German colonial forces in 1904 are buried here.
Hoba Meteorite
The superb natural beauty of the Waterberg can be enjoyed by vehicle on a guided game-viewing tour conducted by NWR or easy walking routes along the base of the plateau.
