Sossusvlei dunes walk, antelope Oryx and Nara fruit in Namibia, southern Africa
Video of walk around Sossusvlei dunes: Oryx antelope, Nara fruit and extreme heat in Namibia, southern Africa.
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Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei is a dry clay pan created by the Tsauchab River that flows through the Namib every 5 to 10 years. Even in very wet years it does not reach the Atlantic Ocean but gets blocked by sand dunes, and then slowly evaporates. The clay that the Tsauchab deposits has created Sossusvlei and, centuries ago with a different river course, the Dead Vlei. Sossus means “place of no return“ (note: there are other explanations, this is the one given by local guides), and a vlei is Afrikaans for ’clay pan’.
Dead Vlei
The mud from the river stacks up at Sossusvlei and after some 1000 years the river searches its way through the next row of dunes. This is how the place called Dead Vlei was created, here the river used to drain away many years ago. Because of the lack of water all the trees in this valley have died, so the meaning of “Dead Vlei“ becomes clear.
What makes the sight of the Dead Vlei so remarkable is that there is not even moisture enough for normal decomposition to occur. So all the trees here, though dead, have been nearly perfectly preserved for centuries.
Sesriem is the better part of a day’s drive from Windhoek. As you pass from the Great Escarpment down into the Namib Desert you need to choose a mountain pass. The easiest one from Windhoek is Remhoogte Pass, reachable via Rehoboth, the most spectacular one is Spreetshoogte Pass, the steepest in Namibia, forbidden for trucks and trailers. Spreetshoogte requires some nerves and some patience, do stay in first gear, or your brake disks might burn. On the way back (uphill), Bosua Pass (on the C26 between Windhoek and Walvis Bay) can be tricky without good ground clearance and tire grip, and Spreetshoogte might be a challenge for cars with little torque.
Sesriem is still some 65 kilometres from the Sossusvlei, and the gates open at sunrise and close at sunset. The only way to be at the dunes at sunrise is to stay at the Namibia Wildlife Resort accommodation (either the upmarket Sossus Dune Lodge or the Sesriem Campsite, both listed below) which are inside the gate. There are several private lodges that claim they are closer to Sossusvlei, but this is essentially a rip-off: While they might be geographically closer they have to pass the gate like everyone else.
Several tour companies operate tours from Windhoek and Swakopmund to Sossuvlei, so then you don’t have to worry about the driving at all. Sossusvlei is inside Namib-Naukluft National Park so a permit is required to enter. Permits can be purchased at the park office just inside the gate at Sesriem.
Get around
The road from the accommodations in Sesriem to Sossusvlei is 65 km and tarred for all but the last 5 km. The road is well maintained, and driving is easy. Driving from the gate to the 4x2 parking area will take an hour. The last 5 km are through deep soft sand. For this last section you will need a 4x4 to drive it, but if you have no experience driving off-road this is probably not the track to gain some. Inexperienced tourists burying their rented car in the deep sand are a major entertainment for professional guides and locals alike! Alternatively, take one of the shuttles that regularly run between the end of the tarred road and Sossusvlei. The shuttles have two stops, and Deadvlei and Sossusvlei. It may be possible to walk the 10km return between the carpark and Sossusvlei, but there are no facilities for walking, you would just be following the road.
Transport and guided tours to and from Sossusvlei are also provided by some of the lodges for their guests.
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