Some of the most recognizable images of Namibia are those of the graceful red sand dunes at Sossusvlei, and our trip to see them was one of the highlights of our tour of Southern Namibia.

As with our trip to Kolmanskop, the journey to Sossusvlei was half of the fun. We drove through some amazingly picturesque desert and mountain landscapes, spotting various wildlife along the way.

The town of Sesriem is the de facto gateway to Sossusvlei, and we set up camp at the Sesriem Camp Site. The campsite was not our favorite – on two separate, extended occasions there was no water¹ – but it was the only campsite located inside the park gates.

This location was important because we planned to watch the sunrise from the sand dunes. The park has a somewhat contrived system in which its internal gates – through which visitors from the campsite can access the park – open earlier than its external gates – through which all other outside visitors must pass. To see the sunrise form the dunes, you need to head in when the internal gates open.

We left at 5:30 a.m. to reach Dune 45, which is so named because it is 45 kilometers from Sesriem. Dune 45 is the most accessible of the dunes, located just off the road and with a fairly relaxed incline, making it more amenable to climbing. Our plan was to climb Dune 45 and watch the sun rise from its peak.

The wind was incredibly strong that morning, sending sand flying off the dune in sheets.

The wind made climbing difficult, and Marc and I only made it partway up Dune 45 before we stopped to watch the sunrise.

We then persevered to the top and were rewarded by amazing views of the surrounding sand dunes.

Our original plan after climbing Dune 45 was to head deeper into Sossusvlei’s interior, to an area that is only accessible on foot or by 4WD vehicles. ² Once we reached the parking lot where we were going to leave behind our 2WD truck, however, we determined that wind was too strong for the area to be enjoyable – the dust storm that had kicked up was obscuring the views of all but the closest dunes – and decided to try returning in the afternoon. In the interim, we exited the park and visited the Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon with layers upon layers of stones embedded in its walls, giving it a vaguely fake look.

Later in the afternoon, the wind died down and we (plus two hitchhikers) returned to Sossusvlei.

Leaving the truck behind at the 2WD parking lot, we transferred into a 4WD shuttle and then hiked the final stretch of the way to Deadvlei, an amazing dusty white pan with dead trees that our guide told us could be as many as 900 years old.

I had never seen anything like the Deadvlei, and the description in our guidebook hadn’t prepared me for its isolated beauty. We spent a good amount of time there, just walking around and photographing the trees and other aspects of the Deadvlei. See for yourself how incredible it was:

On our way back to the campsite, we stopped at Dune 45 once more to watch the sunset. The drive was particularly stunning as the setting sun cast amazing shadows across the dunes. It was a nice end to what was one of my favorite days on the trip.

 

Where We Stayed:
☆ Sesriem Camp Site. One goat. It’s location inside the gates of the park is its saving grace, but the lack of running water really got us down.

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¹ In what seemed like deliberate taunting, the lodge just on the other side of the fence was watering its lawn. We didn’t even have water to flush the toilet, and they had so much they were literally throwing it on the ground.
² Not even all 4WD vehicles can make the journey – on our way in, we saw a 4WD car that had become mired in the sand.