Petrified Forest

Scattered across a stretch of rocky ground near Khorixas are the fossilised trunks of trees that grew around two hundred and eighty million years ago, carried here by a flood, buried in silt and turned to stone. Some are over thirty metres long and the bark, growth rings and grain are visible in the rock. The trees are of a type related to modern conifers and did not grow where they now lie. Welwitschia plants grow among them, which adds an odd doubling of very old plant life.

What you actually see

• The fossil trunks - stone tree trunks, some over thirty metres long.
• The preserved detail - bark, growth rings and grain visible in the rock.
• The welwitschia - living ancient plants growing among the fossils.
• The guided walk - a short circuit with a site guide, included in the entry.

When to go

March to October is the cooler window. Early morning and late afternoon are the most comfortable and give better light. Summer heat on the open rock is severe.

Honest expectations

The visit is a short guided walk of about forty minutes and there is nothing else on site. Removing fossil fragments is illegal and checked. Vendors at the entrance are persistent.

Nearby

Twyfelfontein is south, and Vingerklip is east.