Verbrannter Berg, Mountain summit in Damaraland, Namibia

Verbrannter Berg is a hill in Damaraland whose foot holds a solidified 80-million-year-old lava flow, formed by thermal and compression metamorphism, at the base of a 12-kilometre volcanic ridge. Its red, brown, cream and purple rock contrasts at dusk with the surrounding 200-million-year-old beige Karoo slate. The hill rises about 200 metres above the plain, near the Organ Pipes on the D3254 road.

The dark lava flow at the foot of the ridge is about 80 million years old and was formed by thermal and compression metamorphism; the surrounding beige Karoo slate is roughly 200 million years old. The hill was declared a National Monument of Namibia on 15 September 1956.

The hill lies on the farm Verbrandeberg in the Khorixas constituency, and its Afrikaans and German names mean "burnt mountain", referring to the dark, scorched look of the lava. It stands about 10 kilometres southeast of Twyfelfontein, whose engraved rock slabs are among Namibia's best-known records of San rock art, so the two are usually seen on the same drive along the D3254.

The summit is accessible via the D3254 road and sits not far from Twyfelfontein, a known cultural site in the area. Plan your visit to catch the best light, especially when the sun is lower in the sky.

The rock layers shift colors depending on the time of day and display red and violet hues under certain light conditions. This color play makes each visit feel different depending on when you arrive.