Brandberg Mountain

The Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, contains one of the richest concentrations of rock paintings in Southern Africa, with more than 45,000 individual images recorded across its granite massifs. The sites are scattered throughout a network of shelters, overhangs and shallow caves, created by millennia of erosion along the slopes of the mountain. The Brandberg is best known for the famous “White Lady” panel, but this is only one of hundreds of decorated sites on the mountain.

The Brandberg lies west of Uis in the Erongo Region. The most frequently visited painting site—the White Lady shelter in the Tsisab Gorge—is accessed from the Tsisab trailhead, roughly 1 km from the Brandberg rest area. From the parking area, visitors follow a 45–60 minute guided walk along the seasonal Tsisab River. This shaded canyon features natural springs and boulder fields where additional, lesser-known painting shelters exist. 

The paintings of the Brandberg are attributed to San hunter-gatherers, and many date back several thousand years. The artworks are executed in red, brown, yellow and white ochre pigments and often depict:

• Human figures (hunters, dancers, ritual specialists)
• Giraffe, antelope, zebra and other plains game
• Composite or partially transformed human–animal figures
• Ritual and trance-related scenes
• Dynamic running poses and multiple limb outlines

The White Lady panel, painted on a smooth granite wall, depicts a group of human figures with a central figure once misinterpreted as a “white” individual. Modern research identifies this figure as a ritual dancer or shaman, painted in white body paint rather than representing a different skin colour. The misinterpretation by Henri Breuil in the 20th century remains one of the most famous controversies in African rock art studies.

Beyond the White Lady, the Brandberg contains numerous decorated shelters of exceptional quality, including:

• Snake Rock Shelter - known for its serpentine figures and dynamic human forms
• Amis Gorge Panels - featuring bold animal outlines and ritual scenes
• Hungorob Gorge Sites - some of the oldest, heavily patinated paintings on the mountain
• Ga'aseb Shelter - noted for vivid red anthropomorphic figures
• Several high-altitude shelters are accessible only through multi-day treks

Many sites show signs of superimposition, suggesting repeated ritual use over generations. Archaeological excavations in the Brandberg valleys have revealed stone tools, ostrich eggshell beads and other materials indicating long-term occupation.

The Brandberg’s granite overhangs naturally preserve the pigments, but some panels have suffered from lichen growth and previous visitor damage. For this reason, access to most shelters is restricted. Photography at close range is allowed, but touching or brushing the rock surface is strictly prohibited.

Guided visits to the Brandberg rock paintings are compulsory and can be arranged at the Tsisab trailhead. Visitors should carry plenty of water, especially during the hotter months, as the gorge can become extremely warm. The walk to the site involves uneven ground and some boulder crossings, but it is manageable for most reasonably fit visitors. Several accommodation options are available near the base of the mountain for those wishing to explore the area further.