Namibian desert adventure

There’s an awful lot of sand in Namibia thanks to the Kalahari Desert in the country’s east and the Namib Desert covering the entire length of the west of the country. The landscape is far from monotonous, however, with the changing colours and contours of dunes creating a mesmerising view.

One of the most beautiful desert landscapes can be found at Sossusvlei in the south of the country, with its giant red dunes, 1,000-year-old trees of Deadvlei, and the Sesriem Canyon providing a stunning area to explore for a few days.

I did just that on a recent trip to Namibia. Although I have visited the country a number of times before, this was my first trip to Sossusvlei, which is 350km south of the capital Windhoek and just over 400km from the seaside town of Swakopmund where we were staying.

The five-hour drive from Swakopmund was an adventure in itself, primarily on gravel roads and enveloped in stunning desert and mountain scenery. When I say mountains, Namibian mountains are very different to mountains in other parts of the world such as Europe, with the landscape resembling a lunar scene rather than one from The Sound of Music.

The journey takes you through canyons and passes, including the Kuiseb Canyon, Kuiseb Pass and Gaub Pass, across desert plains and over the Tropic of Capricorn where everyone stops to take a photo (including me). The scenery is varied, stunning and utterly unspoilt.

Between Walvis Bay and Sossusvlei, Solitaire is the only place to refuel your car. You can refuel yourself at McGregor’s Bakery, with its apple pies well known throughout the country. Percy Cross McGregor, aka “Moose” McGregor, was a Scottish adventurer and baker who somehow found his way to Solitaire and stayed for more than 20 years. Although Moose died in 2014, his legacy continues, in the form of giant slabs of apple pie based on his recipe. The pie is actually crossed with a crumble as it features a streusel top. While you are there, look out for ground squirrels and mongoose and check out the vintage, decaying cars. From Solitaire, it’s on to Sossusvlei.

There are numerous accommodation options around Sossusvlei, from camping to very expensive luxury lodges. Some are a long drive to Sesriem Gate and the entrance to the Namib-Naukluft National Park and the sights within, so we opted for Sossusvlei Lodge which is next to the gates of the park. The lodge’s units were exceptionally clean (apart from the inevitable sand creeping in), well-furnished and equipped, and the perfect location for us to enjoy the desert on the doorstep. The lodge has a pool, bar, sundowner deck, beer garden and an alfresco terrace with views of a floodlit waterhole. Dinner at the lodge was superb, and made even better while watching oryx at the waterhole and the ears of bat-eared foxes appearing over the top of the lodge’s perimeter wall.

Sossusvlei Lodge Adventure Centre located within the Lodge provides a range of activities including guided excursions to Deadvlei and Sossusvlei, Elim dune walks, sundowner trips, hot air ballooning and scenic flights. We went on a fabulous sundowner trip, watching the sun set behind the surrounding mountains, with oryx grazing, wildebeest roaming, ground squirrels popping up from holes and giant weaver nests precariously hanging from the trees.

But the main reason we were there was for the giant red dunes and salt and clay pan of Sossusvlei, and the clay pan of Deadvlei with its barren forest of 1000-year-old camel thorn trees. To get to the dunes and Deadvlei, you pay an entry fee and drive 60km on a tarred road through the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Africa’s largest conservation area at almost 50,000 km2. The final 5km to Sossusvlei is via a sandy track accessible only by 4WD vehicles. If you don’t have a 4WD or, like us, don’t feel confident tackling the sand track, there is a regular shuttle service.

Sossusvlei, meaning dead end, refers to the salt and clay pan at the end of the Tsauchab River, 60km inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The river rarely flows as far as the pan and if it did, its onward journey would be blocked by the towering red dunes surrounding it, formed over millions of years. The area is one of complete unspoilt natural beauty, with the stark contrast of the white pan against the red (high iron oxide content) dunes.

If you are feeling adventurous, a dune climb is well worth the effort for the stunning desert views from the top. Big Daddy is the tallest dune in the region at 325ms. Opposite, Big Mama is slightly more manageable at over 200m, or you can warm up with Dune 45, which is 45km from the gates of the park, and a mere 170m.

The dunes are star dunes, with the wind shaping them from all directions. Unfortunately, the day we visited was incredibly windy and our attempts at climbing Big Daddy were thwarted by being sandblasted from all directions and unable to see, but even three-quarters of the way up, Big Daddy provides stunning views of the desert and Deadvlei below.

Deadvlei is a clay pan featuring camel thorn trees which have not decomposed due to the dry climate. The white pan contrasted with the blackened trees and the red dunes surrounding it work together to create a stunning image.

A visit to the area should also include Sesriem Canyon, 4.5km from the gates of the park. The canyon and its amazing rock formations can be explored from both the top and the bottom. Beware of the local baboons, however, which will explore around your cars for any forgotten items, especially food. We returned to the car park to find baboons sucking on baby wipes, having found an unseen pack in the back of our LandCruiser.

While the day-time views are spectacular around Sossusvlei, stargazers are in for an absolute treat, thanks to cloudless skies and a complete lack of light pollution. NamibRand Nature Reserve, just south of Sossusvlei, has been designated a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark Sky Association.

“Look at the sky” became my mantra both nights we stayed at Sossusvlei. Never before have I seen the Milky Way so clearly, streaking across the sky, with a never-ending carpet of stars laid out in every direction. Unfortunately, the scene couldn’t be replicated by phone cameras, but the magical celestial vision will stay with me for a lifetime.

fact file

+ Sossusvlei Lodge: sossusvleilodge.com

+ Cost to enter the Namib-Naukluft National Park at Sesriem Gate: N$100 per person for non-residents ($8.40) plus N$200 ($17) per vehicle.

+ Sossusvlei Shuttle Service, N$180 ($16) per person.