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- Destinations
- Africa
- Namibia
- The Namib Desert
- Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei
One of Namibia's highlights is the clay pans of Sossusvlei, in
the Namib Desert, enclosed by magnificent ochre sand dunes. The
Sossusvlei dunes are among the highest in the world, reaching more
than 960 feet (300m), and are a wondrous sight of endless rolling
shapes and sharp wind-sculpted crests. Although they have been
developed over a period of millions of years, their forms are
constantly changing, rising and falling at the mercy of the wind. A
climb to the top of one of these 'hills' is well worth the effort,
especially at sunrise or sunset, when the view of shifting sand,
stretching as far as the eye can see, is an ethereal landscape of
shapes and colours. The most impressive pan is Dead Vlei, a vast
hollow depression of dry cracked mud scattered with ancient
camel-thorn trees. The colours and contrasts here are a
photographer's delight. The pans (vleis) are only ever filled with
water after heavy rainfall, which happens only every couple of
years, but the solid clay layers hold the water for a long time,
providing a habitat for countless water birds and a drinking hole
for animals. The beautiful black and white Oryx (a large,
spiral-horned antelope) is occasionally spotted in the meagre shade
of the thorn trees, lizards leave their tiny trails on the pristine
mounds of sand, and the black 'tok tokkie' beetle is commonly seen
stumbling over the sun-baked jigsaw puzzle pieces of the red clay
surface. The area is also home to ostriches and springbok.
Visitors should note that the sand dunes of Sossusvlei are
located roughly 37 miles (60km) from the Sesriem Gate, which is the
entrance to the park. The drive from the gate takes about an
hour.
Information & Facts
Admission
Language
English is the official language, but many people also
speak Afrikaans and German. There are also several indigenous
languages spoken, mainly in the rural areas.
Money
The official currency is the Namibian Dollar (NAD) divided into
100 cents. Its value is equal to the South African Rand, which is
also accepted as legal currency in Namibia. Major credit cards are
accepted. Travellers cheques and foreign currency can be exchanged
at any bank or bureau de change, though cash is more expensive to
exchange than travellers cheques. ATMs are available in larger
towns only.
Opening Times