Sossusvlei is a salt and clay plan which is located in the southern part of the Namib Desert, in the Namib-Naukluft National Park. Sossusvlei is surrounded by soaring red dunes, offering the exquisite desert experience of Namibia, with its never-ending sea of dunes.
The name “Sossusvlei” is of mixed origin which means “dead-end marsh”. The word “sossus” means “no return” or “dead end” while Vlei is the Afrikaans word for “marsh”.
The smouldering-ochre Sossusvlei dunes rise up over 320m tall, making them one of the world’s highest sand forms. These forever-shifting dunes are continuously restructured by the winds into the sandy valleys, peaks and slopes of the ancient Namib. The reds, oranges, yellows and caramel browns of the sandy dunes, and the blanched whites and washed-out pallid shades of the pans, are constantly changed as the seasons turn and the light plays on the desert landscapes – glowing at dusk and dawn.
The magnitude and grandeur of these technicolour sceneries, with their ever-shifting shapes and colours, will undoubtedly transport you to the different world together.
Sossusvlei s located within the Namib-Naukluft National Park. It is accessible by roadways.
During your visit to Sossusveli, you can do a number of activities, such as:
Sossusvlei has a number of wonderful attractions around it which can be enjoyed. However, Sossusvlei is well-known for its majestic, warm red, star-shaped dunes contrasting against the stark white floors of the pans.
Other attractions close to Sossusvlei are Sesriem Canyon, Dune 45, Hiddenvlei, Big Daddy and Deadvlei. All these attractions can be easily reached from Sossusvlei.