Discover the spectacular Sossusvlei and her mammoth red dunes, looming from this glowing sandy landscape featuring the highest sand dunes in the world. It is hard to believe that Sossusvlei covers nearly 50 000 square km of the mighty Namib-Naukluft Park, one of the oldest deserts in the world.
Quite the most popular activity in Namibia, Sossusvlei safaris are packed with keen photographers, desert worshipers and those who just want to gasp in awe at this dramatic sight. These dunes are indeed among the highest in the world, many reaching more than 200 m, the highest being the one nicknamed Big Daddy, about 325 metres high. Dune 7 is actually the highest dune in the Namib Desert, about 388 metres high.
Voyage2Africa organises your tour, safari lodges and hotels in special packages that suit your time, budget and hassle-free holiday needs. Read our Sossusvlei accommodation guide here and see the rates you like, pictures of this gem destination and deals to the very best Namib Desert establishments.
Bet you didn’t know that the famous and popular Sossusvlei is actually a clay pan? And that when it rains, the Dead Vlei (wetland) and its ancient camel thorn trees are transformed into a lake? Sossusvlei means ‘the gathering place of water’ or ‘dead-end marsh in the local Nama language. The Tsauchab River stopped flowing when it met these dunes years ago.
The incredible fog beetles such as the Namib Desert Beetle have developed a technique for collecting water from early morning fogs through the bumps in their back.
Be prepared when you come to Sossusvlei – camera in hand. This unique phenomenon offers mind-boggling beauty and dune climbing challenges for all. Watch the best sunrise or sunset that you have ever imagined possible. Capture on film the shy Springbok, black and white Oryx, ostriches and Cape Fox that have made it their home.
Find out more about how the colour of the dunes deepens with age: at Sossusvlei, the orange colour develops over the years as the iron in the sand is oxidised – so the brighter the dune, the older it is. Hypothetically, the dunes are the result of sand from the Orange River that was carried away to the Atlantic Ocean. The strong ocean currents then moved this sand northwards, back onto the land.
These mountains of sand were shifted constantly by the winds over millions of years and today they are still evolving. You will be entranced when you see them for the first time. Combine this trip with nearby attractions Sesriem, Dune 45, Sesriem Canyon and the entire Namib-Naukluft Park. Go hot air ballooning, take scenic air flights or sunset game drives. Nature walks, hiking trips and horseback trails take you deeper into the Sossusvlei.
Keep your eyes peeled for many weird and wonderful animals in the Sossusvlei area. You may see some small animals that can survive with little water, including a number of scorpions, centipedes and millipedes, small reptiles and other rodents or jackals. Bigger animals include antelopes – mainly oryxes (gemsbok) and springboks, plus ostriches. When the dunes are lush in food and water, during the flood season, several migrant bird species appear along the marshes and rivers. Much of the Sossusvlei and Namib fauna is endemic and highly adapted to the specific features of the Namib.
Take your family on a fun outing to get as many photos as possible of the red high dunes at Sossusvlei – they can run up and down these vast sandy mountains and get full of red dust! They can stay a night in a special dune lodge and explore the entire region on foot, in a 4×4 vehicle or on horseback.
Take your children to Big Daddy, Siesriem and Deadvlei to see how a desert can be so changeable and amazing and they may see some of the small animals that know how to live in such hot climates. Stay the night in accommodation fit for kings in stunning guest houses, safari lodges and cabins.
A few days in the Sossusvlei region are refreshing, educational and active too – quite a thrill for families and friends who want to be out in a hot, red sandy landscape with a wetland and dead trees too. It’s a photographer’s dream world and all the amazing drought-resistant animals worth spotting.
We show you top-of-the-range safari lodges, roadside cabins and bush camps in this region where children will feel in awe of so much sand, red sunsets and heat. Try an organised tour with a guide when you book a Voyage2Africa package to make life easier and we will ensure you see the dunes while enjoying the many activities along the way.
Plan a Namibia tour and safari with Voyage2Africa, the African travel experts, and enjoy signature experiences to premier wildlife destinations south of the equator. We bring you thrilling adventures in the infinite spaces of the Sossusvlei and its mind-blowing sunrises. Choose a rustic desert camp or guest lodges with comfy amenities and get ready to explore more of Namibia soon. We offer you some of the best accommodation and special packages in the Sossusvlei Region to expand your holiday in true African style.
