SOSSUVLEI

Situated in the the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei is well regarded as Namibia’s most spectacular, best-known and most visited attraction. Characterized by the large red dunes that surround it, Sossusvlei is a large, white, salt and clay pan and is a great destination all year round. The dunes in this area are some of the highest in the world, reaching almost as high as skyscrapers, and provide photographic enthusiasts with wonderful images in the beautiful morning and evening light. (If you plan to come here, don’t forget to bring your panoramic camera!)

Sossusvlei literally translates to “dead-end marsh”, as it is the place where the dunes come together preventing the Tsauchab River to flow any further, some 60km east of the Atlantic Ocean. But despite the harsh desert conditions in the area, one can find a wide variety of plants and animals that have adapted to survive.

All of the attractions surrounding Sossusvlei are easily accessible as all but the last 5 kilometers of the 65 kilometer drive to the vlei is tarred.  It is best to be trans versing this terrain on a 4x4 vehicle.

There is little game in Sossusvlei, but what animals there are here, combine with the unique landscape to make Sossusvlei one of the most popular destinations in the country. It is a wonderfully dramatic part of Africa. People come here for the sheer beauty of the scenery.