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Gariganus Ranch lies just 14 km away from Keetmanshoop offering two main attractions worth visiting: The fabulous Quivertree Forest is a dense stand of Aloe dichotoma, which are actually no trees, but aloe plants. Dichotoma refers to the forked branches of the plant. The quivertree is one of the most characteristic plants of the very hot and dry parts of Namibia and South Africa. The plant is called a "Kokerboom" because some Bushmen and Hottentot tribes used the tough, pliable bark and branches to make quivers for their arrows. "Koker" is the Afrikaans word for quiver.
 

Quivertrees grow up to 9 metres height. They have a smooth trunk which can be up to one metre in diameter at ground level. The plants are usually found growing singly but in some areas like on Gariganus the plants grow in large groups, giving the effect of a forest. Ideally drop in here around sunset or sunrise, when the light is at its best! The “kokerboom” mostly occurs in black rock formations (called "ysterklip") which absorbs a lot of heat during the hot summer. The rocks anchor the plants which have a spread-root-system. The trees are proof against frost.
 

At Giant’s Playground, the second main attraction on Gariganus you find amazing dolorite rock formations that look as if they have been piled up. The dolorites are magma that was pressed up, but cooled off just below the earth's surface. The softer parts of the stone and the top layer of the earth's crust erodated away, which left the dolorites exposed. The dolorites are between 160 and 180 million year old.