Some 14 kilometres from Keetmanshoop is a striking natural phenomenon that is well worth a visit: a natural forest of roughly 200 quiver trees, set on a large outcrop of blackish dolerite rocks. Named for the pliable bark that was once used by bushmen to craft quivers for their arrows, quiver trees are in fact not trees at all, but unusually large succulents with scaly bark and twisted branches topped with spiky, fleshy leaves. The most mature specimens here are between 200 and 300 years old, and some measure as high as nine metres. The forest, which was declared a national monument in 1955, is best viewed at sunrise or sunset, when the soft, warm light further enhances this already captivating sight.