Sossusvlei - heading for the highest Even if the idea of getting up at 5 a.m. is not part of your holiday fantasy, watching the rising sun bathe the Sossusvlei Dunes in golden-red light will make you glad you did. Gravel and tarred roads through the Namib Naukluft Park lead you into one of the oldest deserts in the world. The sand gets its red colour, by the way, from the large amounts of iron oxide present in the Namib Desert. The last five kilometres into the dunes can only be tackled with a 4 x 4, so a transfer service in an open truck is available throughout the day for those who don't have their own pick-up. You can spend the whole day in Sossusvlei, exploring the desert and climbing up and down the dunes.
Standing on the white pan at the bottom and looking up is like being in an ancient amphitheatre with reversed roles. The acoustics are so good that tourists "on stage" at the top of the dunes can chat away normally and be as audible as if they were standing next to you. When you've climbed to the top, you might like to celebrate with a picnic, but be prepared for a little bit of grit between your teeth: Even the slightest breeze will lift the fine sand and scatter it like copper-coloured sugar over sandwiches and salads.
There are also hot air balloon trips conducted from Sesriem on a daily basis at sunrise.The adventure begins before sunrise when you are collected from your accommodation, and driven to the take-off area. Once the balloon is airborne you drift silently over the dunes for about an hour. On landing (wherever the wind has taken you) there is a champagne breakfast, before you are returned, in a 4x4 vehicle, to your accommodation.
The balloon trips are run from Camp Mwisho at NamibRand Nature Reserve and at Sesriem a few kilometers away. A minimum of two passengers is taken per flight and departure is either from Kwessiegat or from the Kaross Sossusvlei Lodge. A balloon trip costs 2.500 N$ (315 US $/ 292 Euro) and can be booked through African Desk.
A trip to Sossusvlei can be booked separately or as part of a tour package by African Desk. Send your ideas to
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