Deadvlei

2 days in Sossusvlei and Deadvlei

Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are perfect examples of places you just can’t skip when visiting Namibia. They are both located in the Namib desert inside the Namib Nauklauft National Park.

Below, we’ll describe our perfect two days to get the most out of your time in this beautiful part in Namibia without paying too much.

Arrival at the entrance of the Namib Nauklauft Park (afternoon)

After a long day in the jeep, we arrive at the gates of the park, just next to the Sesriem Campsite just inside the park. You do pay a little more compared to the Sossus Oasis campsite that lies just outside of the park, but it’s worth the extra, trust us.
Take the rest of the night to set-up the tent, take a dip in the clean pool and have a delicious Oryx steak in the camping restaurant.

Day one: Dune 45, Sossusvlei and Deadvlei

On day one, take the only road in the park straight to dune 45. It’s a 40 minute drive, so there’s plenty of time to check out the first dunes rising from the sand. Dune 45 is on your left, and it’s the only one that you’re allowed to climb yourself. Do take water and don’t underestimate the climb.

Tip: fill an empty bottle with some desert sand and take it back home as a reminder of your trip.

Walking on Dune 45

When back in the car, follow the road signs through Sossusvlei to Deadvlei. When arriving there, you’ll immediately spot the big tour buses. You pay a little entry fee, and since the last kilometer is through loose sand, the locals will ask if you want them to give you a ride to the magical spot. It’s not free however, and although it’s not the most comfy ride we’ve had in Namibia, it is doable. Just take some air out of the tires and keep your pace on the loose sand (don’t go under 15km/h). Having survived that, don’t think of the way back yet. Do think of bringing enough water, cause it’s still a 20 minutes walk to Deadvlei itself.

Deadvlei
Deadvlei

Take your time to take plenty of pictures and to get used to this strange part of our planet. Some people are brave enough to climb on top of the surrounding dunes to get the perfect picture. I suggest taking a drone instead. Temperatures can go through the roof in this place and lots of people forget to bring enough water.

Just a few kilometers before re-entering the gates of the campsite, there is a road sign and a small gravel road going left. It lead to a great picknick spot and you can climb one of the smaller dunes to get an awesome sunset view as well. That’s where we took this picture.

Day 2: sunrise at dune 45

Only visitors that stay within the park, are allowed to enter the desert at 5am to go and watch the sunrise at dune 45. Take some breakfast on the road, pick a spot high up in the dune where there aren’t too many people and enjoy the uniqueness of the sun rising through the dunes.

Taken just after the sunrise

Before leaving for your next destination, take a morning swim in the pool to feel completely awake to prepare for driving another couple of hours.

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