QUIVER TREE FOREST - KOKERBOOM FOREST

The kokerboom(Aloe dichotoma), literally "quiver tree", is a tree endemic to southern Africa. Rather than a tree, it's actually a giant, robust plant, supported by a stiff, white trunk topped by a ball of thick, narrow leaves. While sunlight gives it a golden sheen, it likes to grow alongside black rocks for the warmth they can store. It can reach 8 m in height, and its hardiness means it can withstand frost. Its capricious flowers, which only appear on trees that are at least thirty years old, show their shades of yellow only in June or July. Many kokerbooms cling to the mountainsides of southern Namibia. Their name "quiver tree" derives from the Bushmen's use of their bark, which they strip to carry arrows. To the north-east of Keetmanshoop, several dozen hundred-year-old trees have clustered together to form a "real" forest, in the heart of rocky peaks magnificently sculpted by erosion. The site has been a listed monument since 1955, and the trees are a protected species. The Kokerboom forest offers a pretty landscape (don't expect big trees, the ground is rocky, the trees not very tall) and can be the object of an excursion lasting from a few hours to a full day. We strongly advise you to come for the sunset. Beware: in summer, it can be very hot (bring a hat, water and sunscreen).