Home l Namibia Safaris Journals l About Us l Contact Us l Safari Track Newsletter

In the few trees that survived in the semi arid landscape there were massive nests built by weaverbirds and one had become so heavy that it had broken the branch supporting it and brought half the tree crashing to the ground.

Climbed to the top of the 137m Elim dune which is the closest one to the Sesriem campsite to watch the sunset but a strong wind whipped up a sandstorm which made photography impossible and visibility low.

With the wind still blowing the next morning, climbed Dune 45 which has to be the most famous dune in the world featured on many postcards, calendars and other publications to watch the sunrise. As the first rays of sun shone onto the dunes, the colour in the sand came to life, first a deep red before turning orange as the sun became stronger and stronger.

Hiked into the desert to reach Sossusvlei which is a large flat pan with a dry, mud cracked surface and ancient dead camel trees standing starkly against the backdrop of orange dunes. The pan is not always dry but it only fills with water when there are good rains and that happens very infrequently.

The Sesriem canyon is about 25 - 30 m deep and at the bottom there is a pool of water which is protected from evaporation by the sun because of the narrow entrance to the gorge. Walk along the canyon floor and you will find grasses and acacia trees growing along the dry riverbed.

Sossusvlei Tips & Recommendations:

• If camping in a tent is not to your taste and you can afford it there is luxury accommodation available at Sesriem in the form of the Movenpiek Lodge.

• If you are planning on hitchhiking around this area I would advise you to think twice. Most of the vehicles passing by here are tour busses or tourists in their own vehicles and they are notoriously bad at picking up hitchhikers.