When you think of Namibia, the sand dunes of Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft National Park are probably the image that comes to mind. And for good reason as they are an incredible sight to behold and very photogenic!
The national park includes the Namib Desert, the Naukluft Mountains, and the Sandwich Harbour lagoon. Sossusvlei is a salt pan within the park, surrounded by high sand dunes, however, the name Sossusvlei is used to describe the area of the Namib Desert adjacent to Sesriem, which incorporates Dune 45, Big Daddy, and Deadvlei.
Going to Sossusvlei is a must-do on your list of places to see in Namibia, so definitely add it to your Namibia itinerary.
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A Guide to Visiting Sossusvlei in Namibia
Fun Things To Do in & Around Sossusvlei
There are lots of great things to do in Sossusvlei, so I would recommend at least 2 nights in the area.
If you don’t have your own transport or don’t want to drive, you can book many of the below activities with your lodge.
A lot of the activities involve hiking up or over sand dunes in a desert, so just remember to take/drink lots of water, wear sunscreen and a hat. It’s incredibly hot and you don’t want sunstroke!
Climb Dune 45
One of the most iconic things to do in Sossusvlei is to climb Dune 45 (so called because it’s 45km from Sesriem), which is easily accessible from the main road and great to photograph as it’s a standalone dune.
I’ve climbed it 3 times now, and it’s not the worst hike I’ve ever done (that award goes to Mount Bisoke in Rwanda) and it doesn’t take that long, but you do need to have a moderate level of fitness and a bit of determination, as it’s steep and climbing on sand is a real leg burner.
I saw quite a few people giving up and turning around, but the views are worth it if you can manage! It makes it easier if you step into the footprints of the person in front of you.
It’s a popular place to watch the sunrise (if you’re staying inside the park). I don’t think it’s necessary to be there for sunrise, but I would advise climbing early in the day before it gets too hot.
If you need the loo, there are very basic long drop toilets a short walk from the car park.
Climb Big Daddy
Big Daddy is the tallest sand dune in Sossusvlei, not the tallest sand dune in Namibia, that’s Dune 7 which is the 7th highest sand dune in the world and the 7th dune along the Tsauchab River, close to Swakopmund.
It’s one of the best things I’ve done in Namibia, so I would highly recommend that you do it.
It takes longer to climb than Dune 45, but it’s a slightly easier hike as you go up and down (rather than straight up) and the views are absolutely incredible. Once you get about halfway up, you start to see Deadvlei below, as well as the surrounding dunes. I could have stayed at the top for hours, but it was getting too hot!
Walking down the steep dune into Deadvlei is a lot of fun (and only takes a couple of minutes), but could be a bit scary if you’re afraid of heights! But don’t worry – you’re safe! If you fall, it’s only on some sand.
We climbed the dune in mid-morning, getting to the top around midday. Maybe not the best time, but it was quiet and it was overcast that day, so we were lucky – it would probably be better in the very early morning on a sunnier day.
It’s about a 20 – 30 minute walk from the road to the base of Big Daddy, then between 45 minutes and 1 hour and 30 minutes to climb the dune, depending on how fast you go.
Visit Deadvlei
Coming down from Big Daddy, you will reach the clay pan of Deadvlei, famous for its 900-year-old dead camel thorn trees (they drowned) and for being incredibly Instagrammable.
Deadvlei is wonderful for photography and you will often see people whizzing past Dune 45 to get there for sunrise, but Deadvlei is photogenic at any time of day.
To get to Deadvlei, you can either walk down into it from Big Daddy or if you don’t want to hike, you can take the shuttle from the Sossuvlei Car Park (N$150.00) or drive-in (if you have a 4×4). From the car park you can walk in over relatively flat dunes (takes around 20 minutes).
There are clean, flushing toilets at the Sossusvlei car park.
Despite being one of Namibia’s main tourist attractions, it’s rarely overcrowded because it’s so big and there are plenty of trees to go around! Plan to spend at least an hour there and please don’t climb the trees!
Explore Sesriem Canyon
A great place to explore in Sossusvlei is the Sesriem Canyon. I only visited for the first time on my recent visit and I absolutley loved it.
The canyon’s name came to be when the early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (‘ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of the canyon.
It’s a great place for photography, so give yourself a good hour to an hour and a half to walk around.
Elim Dune
Elim Dune is the closest sand dune to Sesriem, so many people make a stop there for sunset when they arrive in Sossusvlei. It’s easily accessible by car and many of the lodges offer this as a guided activity.
Take some drinks and snacks and enjoy the view.
Hiddenvlei
Hiddenvlei is one of the more accessible places to visit as it’s only 2km from the Sossuvlei parking lot.
Despite being easy to get to, it’s one of the least visited places and not very well-sign-posted, so you may have it all to yourself!
The hike takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes in total.
Stargazing
Sossusvlei is an incredible place for stargazing as there’s very little light pollution in the area and the nearby NamibRand Nature Reserve was declared an official dark sky reserve in 2012, making it the first dark sky reserve in Africa.
We met an astronomer who was staying at our camp and got an impromptu astronomy lesson (or as he called it, a ‘journey through the stars’), however many of the lodges have onsite astronomers and/or telescopes.
Get a Bird’s Eye View of Sossusvlei
I’ve never been hot air ballooning in Sossusvlei, but I can imagine that it’s fabulous as the landscape it out of this world. Although it’s not cheap at around $480.
You can also take scenic Cessna and helicopter flights over the area.
Quadbiking
Little Kulala (one of the luxury lodges – see below) offers guests the opporunity to go quad biking through the dunes. They also offer electric bikes!
Roll Down the Sand Dunes
Make like you’re 12 and roll down the sand dunes. It’s so much fun. Just be aware that you will find sand in all kinds of places afterwards! 🙂
Guided Walks
Some of the lodges offer guided walks in the area. Little Kulala Camp even do a scorpion night walk… I might give that one a miss! 🙂
Scenic Drives
Many lodges offer sunrise or sunset scenic drives where you have the opportunity to see more of the landscape and some of the animals that inhabit the area.
Permits & Costs for Sossusvlei
You can buy your permits at the park office inside the main gate at Sesriem. They cost N$80 per person, per day (valid for 24 hours) for non-SADC visitors. If you are planning to go into the desert early the next day, you will need to purchase your permit the day before.
You can pay by card, however just in case the card machine isn’t working have some Namibian Dollars or South African Rand handy. There is an ATM at the Engen Fuel Station in Sesriem.
There are two gates to go through to get into the desert.
- The Main Park Gate: The outer gate, which is open from dawn and closes at dusk.
- The Desert Gate: The inner gates that opens an hour before dawn and closes 30 minutes before sunset.
You can only get through the Desert Gate once you have purchased your permit.
Those staying inside the park (at one of the 4 places I mention below) will be able to enter the Desert Gate before sunrise, meaning you can get to the dunes for sunrise (as long as you bought your permit the day before).
For everyone staying outside the Park Gate, you will need to wait until dawn to enter the first gate, which means you won’t reach the dunes for sunrise. Basically, if you’re staying ‘inside’ the main park gate, you get extra time in Sossusvlei.
Where to Stay in Sossusvlei
Most of the accommodation options for Sossusvlei are in the Sesriem region and there are no accommodations in Sossusvlei itself. There are only 4 places to stay inside the park, so if you want to climb Dune 45 or get to Deadvlei/Big Daddy for sunrise, you need to stay at one of those, as they can access the gate an hour before everyone else.
If you aren’t too bothered about getting in for sunrise (personally, unless you are a photographer or love sunrises, I don’t think it matters), you can stay at any of the other options.
I suggest booking your accommodation in advance. The accommodations in and around Sesriem can book up months in advance (campsites too). If that happens, you’re going to have to drive a fair way back to find somewhere else to stay.
Inside the Park
- Sesriem Campsite: This is the campsite run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts. They have a bar/restaurant, shop, and pool. Price around $30 per person, per night.
- Sesriem Oshana Campsite: They have shaded individual campsites, each with its own private bathroom. Each campsite has a private outdoor kitchenette area, bathroom, BBQ area, parking area, and electricity point. Price around $26 per person, per night. Guests have full access to the facilities at Sesriem Camp.
- Dead Valley Lodge: A beautiful and stylish oasis in the desert. They have a picturesque bar with a swimming pool overlooking Elim Dune. Please note that Dead Valley Lodge does not cater for children under 6 years old. $205 – $260 USD per…
