Sunset at Dune 45

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After the adrenalin rush of Swakopmund, our next destination is a bit more sedate... the rolling red sand dunes of Sossusvlei, in the Namib Naukluft National Park. We drive from camp into the desert, then take a bumpy and cramped ride on the back of a jeep into the vlei. For those who don't know (and who would?), the vlei is a clay pan, formed after rainfall, when the Tsauchab river flooded, creating temporary shallow pools where the abundance of water allowed camel thorn trees to grow. When the climate changed, drought hit the area and sand dunes encroached on the pan, which blocked the river. The trees died as there no longer was enough water to survive, and the result is a clay pan full of tree 'skeletons' - sossus means 'dead'.

Guiding us through the vlei is possibly the highlight of most people's entire trip... Bosman the Bushman, a Namibian who walks faster than anyone thought it was possible to walk, can catch lizards with his hat and knows all about the dangers of little yellow men with spears (the pygmy bushmen who used to live in the area, and caused a bit of a nuisance to the early European settlers). He walks us across the vlei to the centre of the dunes, showing us beetles and plants on the way, and explains how the dead trees in the vlei simply stay in place because they can't decompose. The result is a stunning landscape - bright red sand dunes (the highest in the world, some reaching 300 metres) surrounding a parched plain dotted with tree skeletons. After a quick look around (and a demonsration of how to make live lizard earrings), we head back to the truck, avoiding the long, sharp horns of a gemsbok along the way (Bosman keeps us at least 10 metres away, to avoid us being skewered).

We then head to Dune 45 (apparently all the dunes are numbered to make it easier to navigate...) and climb up along the ridge to watch the sunset over the Namib... pretty stunning as the colours intensify, and we head down as soon as the sun disappears, taking the heat with it. After leaving the Namib, we head south to Fish River Canyon, the world's second largest, then out of Namibia altogether, crossing into our last country on the trip - South Africa.

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Photos

Photo 3
Sossusvlei

Photo 7
Ascending the ridge of Dune 45

Photo 9
Rich and Jean watch the sunset from Dune 45

Photo 19
Taking a rest after the long climb

Comments

[AnnaAdventuring]

Absolutely stunning pictures! Namibia is such a stark, beautiful place. I'd love to be able to visit one day. I'll keep looking at your blogs - looking forward to following your progress through Africa. :) Enjoy yourself.

[SmithyWorldWide]

thanks
Hey Anna, thanks for your comments. I'm glad you're enjoying my blog... I'm certainly enjoying writing it and there are plenty more adventures to come, so please keep reading!!