Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei is a common tourist destination in the southern part of the Namib Desert, Namibia. The word vlei is an Afrikaans word that means "marsh" and Sossusvlei is in a small valley between the dunes which sometimes gets snow! The name of the 'town' (i.e. petrol station) is Sesriem, also the name of a nearby canyon.

Understand

The Namib

Deserts, though they are very harsh, are a delicate ecosystem with a surprising amount of life living around and underneath the dunes. Keep this in mind when roaming around and driving in the area.

The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and stretches over 1,500 km from the Orange River in the south into Angola in the north. There is a wide range of landscapes in the Namib, from gravel, to rocky mountains to huge dunes in varying colours of sand.

Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei is a mud pan created by a river that flows through the Namib every 5 to 10 years. Even in very wet years it does not reach the Atlantic Ocean but drains away between the dunes of Sossusvlei. Sossus means "place of no return" (note: there are other explanations, this is the one given by local guides).

Dead Vlei

The mud from the river stacks up at Sossusvlei and after some 1000 years the river searches its way through the next row of dunes. This is how the place called Dead Vlei was created, here the river used to drain away many years ago. Because of the lack of water all the trees in this valley have died, so the meaning of "Dead Vlei" becomes clear.

What makes the sight of the Dead Vlei so remarkable is that there is not even moisture enough for normal decomposition to occur. So all the trees here, though dead, have been nearly perfectly preserved for centuries.

Getting there

Sossusvlei is the better part of a day's drive from Windhoek. There are some rather difficult mountain passes on some secondary roads, so you'll have to choose your route wisely if you don't bring a high-clearance vehicle (there are several routes from Windhoek). The best route without nasty mountain passes would be from the south-central town of Mariental. On the other hand, the passes provide excellent viewpoints.

The road from the accommodations in Sesriem to Sossusvlei itself is tarred almost all the way, although this was the worst tarred sealed road in Namibia. The road is now well maintained and in good condition. On the last 5 km you have to drive through sand, so you will either need an all-wheel-drive, or take one of the local shuttles which run regularly. Several tour companies operate tours from Windhoek and Swakopmund to Sossuvlei, so then you don't have to worry about the driving at all.

See

• Sesriem Canyon A small canyon just south of the petrol station. It's a nice place to watch the sunset, and you can easily climb down into the canyon and walk along the dry riverbed. The old Dutch name means the place where six thongs are required to get water, ses meaning six, and riem meaning thong.

• The Namib Desert All around, dunes ranging from 100m-450m, including some petrified dunes.

• Sossusveli and Dead Vlei in two valleys side-by-side in the Namib. One has living trees, and on rare occasions gets snow or rain. The other is completely cut off from all water sources and the trees are just dead stumps.

Things to do

• Watch the sunrise. This sounds like a see activity, but is actually very much a do thing. Climb dune 45 (or any other) in the dark and then watch the sunrise in the world's oldest desert.

• Hike in the Namib. Hike from the end of the tarred road in to Sossusvlei. Get some nice close contact with dried mud flats, dunes, and the odd animal. Don't get lost.

Eat

The only place to get food, other than at fancy resort restaurants, is from the small general store at the Sesriem petrol station.

Drink

There is a bar at the Sesriem campground where most people hang out after a hard day of hiking in the desert.

Sleep

There are a number of luxury resorts in the surrounding area, as well as a government-run campground with good facilities which is very close to Sossusvlei.

Safety

Don't get lost while wandering in the desert. And remember to drink plenty of water (as you should be doing throughout your time in Namibia, as it is a very dry country).