Gamsberg is an odd mountain, a huge flat-topped block of rock that rises abruptly from the plains of the Khomas Hochland, almost 2,350 metres high, and it can be seen from kilometres away. It is an inselberg, a survivor of an older landscape that has been worn down around it, and its pale sides, glowing red in the evening, dominate the horizon. The pass that takes its name, at 1,665 metres, is on the road from the coast to Windhoek, and it marks the point where the land drops from the highland plateau toward the Namib desert.
The Khomas Hochland is a high, rolling country of grass and thornbush, cut by gullies, where the farms are huge and the farmhouses far apart. The names on the signs are German, a reminder of the colonial settlers who took up land here in the early twentieth century, and cattle and game farms are the main activity. The air is dry, clear and bright, and the sky is a deep blue. On the night of a new moon, the stars are so thick that the Milky Way casts a faint shadow. Not far from the Gamsberg, a group of large telescopes, built to detect gamma rays from space, takes advantage of that dark sky.
The pass itself has switchbacks and steep sections, with views opening across the valley, and a sheer drop on one side. The road, the C26, is gravel, and its condition varies with the season and recent grading. After rain, it can be slippery and cut by washouts, while in dry weather it is corrugated and dusty. Ride at a moderate speed, keep a good distance from other vehicles because of the dust and watch for livestock on the road. Baboons often sit on the rocks by the roadside, and kudu and mountain zebra graze on the slopes.
Plan your tank carefully, and carry spare fuel in a jerrycan. Water is a necessity, and a first aid kit, tools and a means of calling for help are wise. Weather is usually dry, but summer storms can bring flash floods in the gullies. The best months are from May to September, when the days are warm and the nights cold, and the light is superb.