Sossusvlei Sesriem
Entrance Gate

Sossusvlei Long Weekend

Sossusvlei is such an awesome place, each visit has revealed another side to that unique place on this earth. This was a dad and kids long weekend road trip, quality time on the road with not much else to do on the long drive from Cape Town but connect.[vc_single_image image=”3735″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Orange River

First night on the trip North from Cape Town was spent in a bungalow overlooking the Orange River at the Felix Unite camp on the Namibian side of the river. Next morning was an early start for the drive through Namibia, much of it on gravel roads, to Sossusvlei.[vc_single_image image=”3736″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Road Tripping Namibia

Next morning was an early start for the drive through Namibia, much of it on gravel roads, to Sossusvlei.[vc_single_image image=”3737″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Sossusvlei Lodge

Being winter it was pretty cold, but descending from the high plateau to the desert saw temperatures rising steadily into the mid 30’s by the time we arrived at the Sossusvlei Lodge in the late afternoon. Time for a cold beer and an excellent buffet diner with every kind of game meat on offer, along with tasty accompaniments and mouth watering desserts.[vc_single_image image=”3738″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Sossusvlei Dunes

The dunes of Sossusvlei are at their best at sunrise and sunset, gates to the park open at 6AM and it’s a 60km drive down a good tar road to the start of the dunes proper. An off road vehicle is needed to go further into the dunes, there are vehicles available to take visitors who don’t drive a 4×4 further. Climbing the dunes is an awesome experience best done early in the day before it gets too hot.[vc_single_image image=”3739″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Climbing the Dunes at Sossusvlei

Climbing the dunes is an awesome and “must do” experience best undertaken early in the day before it gets too hot.[vc_single_image image=”3740″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Deadvlei

Views from the top are well worth the effort, so is the 1km odd walk through the dunes to Deadvlei with it’s ancient petrified trees.[vc_single_image image=”3741″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Flight Over Sossusvlei

If budget allows a flight over the dunes all the way to the coast at sunset is well worth the expense. What an awesome experience seeing the vast expanse of the desert from the air, with dunes stretching to the horizon.  Skimming the waves as the pilot takes the plane down to sea level as you fly along the desolate and deserted Skeleton Coast is about as exhilarating as it gets.[vc_single_image image=”3743″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]

Sesriem Canyon

Sesriem Canyon is another natural wonder worth visiting. It is a natural canyon carved by the Tsauchab river in the local sedimentary rock, about a kilometre (0.6 mile) long and up to 30 meters (100 feet) deep. The name Sesriem is Afrikaans and means “six belts”, given by settlers returning from the Dorsland Trek who had to attach together six belts (made of oryx hides) in order to reach buckets down into the canyon to scoop up water. The Sesriem Canyon is only two metres (6.5 feet) wide in some places, and has a portion that permanently contains water, which many animals use. (Source: Wikipedia)

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