The Namib Desert is one place that you have to see to believe it is real.
Rusty red dunes as far as the eye can see, sands that shift and change as the wind blows to and fro across the landscape, and a whole hidden world of wildlife, that you can only see if you are truly patient and observant, this strangely out of place desert is a fascinating place.
And yet, for many travellers, even the most intrepid out there, the desert might not be the first destination that springs to mind when one thinks about an African holiday. For many, the desert is a stereotypically dry and desolate place, devoid of life, dry, hot, uncomfortable, and, well, just boring.
This generic description could honestly not be further from the truth.
If you are to ever have the opportunity to travel to Africa, Namibia deserves to be high up on your travel list.
This is an epic destination in every sense of the word, and the magnificent Sossusvlei is just one of the many destinations within the Namib Desert that will have you entranced.
For most travellers who have been lucky enough to come here, their experience in Sossusvlei has left a profound mark on their lives.
There is something soulful about this place.
It could be that this is the sort of destination that is just so remote and away from it all, that one leaves it with a sense of utter peace and tranquillity, hearts and minds still, maybe for the first time in years.
And there is certainly no denying that this is a beautiful destination. The landscape is surreal, with many travellers describing it as almost Martian, alien-like. This feeling becomes even more pronounced when night falls, and the sky fills up with more stars than you could imagine the heavens could hold.
The Sossusvlei is a worthy Namibia tour destination, and we have 15 excellent reasons why you should book a Sossusvlei tour.
- Walk a land that is as old as time
Southern Africa is famous for having some of the world’s oldest landscapes and geological wonders.
The Namib Desert is considered the oldest living desert in the world, having formed some 55 million years ago, which, when you do the math, also makes it the oldest desert on the entire planet.
And given its ancient age, walking here can be an almost overwhelming feeling, when you consider that the sands beneath your feet were already formed when creatures we can’t even imagine roamed the earth.
- Find the life amongst the sand grains
On the surface, the sands of Sossusvlei seem completely devoid of all life.
The desert heat and the extremely dry conditions will have anyone believe that nothing could survive, let alone thrive here.
But if you look closely, you will see that the desert is home to remarkable things.
The reason why critters and creatures are able to live here is down to the winds. Blowing in from the east, the desert winds carry with them debris that feeds the critters while the wind blowing from the west brings with it moisture.
The animals that you’ll see might not be the biggest, and the plants might not be the most vibrant, but everything that is desert-adapted is fascinating. In particular, you should keep an eye out for the unusual-looking Welwitschia, which can live to be around 1500 years old.
Sossusvlei also has a variety of animals that are endemic and there are 7 species in particular worth trying to find; the white lady spider which dances over the hot desert sands, the sidewinding adder called Peringuey’s Adder, the barking gecko, Grant’s golden mole, the dune lark, FitzSimons’ burrowing skink and the extra difficult to see southern harvester termite.
- See the desert from above
One way to be treated to a whole new perspective of the desert is to see it from a hot air balloon. Floating peacefully and quietly above the red sands, you will be treated to an unobscured 360-degree view of the Namibian landscape.
The ideal time to enjoy such an excursion is in the early morning, just before the sun rises. A dawn hot air balloon ride will give you the best light and cool weather, the perfect combination for seeing the deserts mountain tops and dunes that are always changing in the wind.
While up in the air, you can tuck into delicious breakfast croissants and relax with a warm cup of tea or coffee.
- The scenery is simply spectacular
Sossusvlei is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Namibia and in the right light, with shadows playing across the mountainous landscapes, the overall look is rather dramatic.
This is quite appropriate for such a beautiful place, as the Namib Desert is well known for being a place of contrasts.
Many lodges in the area take full advantage of Sossusvlei’s natural beauty. These lodges have been built in such a way that they allow guests to enjoy a full, 365-degree view of the surrounding dunes, mountains and endless desert sands.
- Climb the biggest sand dunes
The Namib Desert is home to some huge dunes, some of which are as tall as 400 meters.
Two of Sossusvlei’s dunes also happen to be Namibia’s most famous. They are called Dune 45 and Big Daddy, and they are popular among tourists who want to challenge themselves with a climb to the top.
This is a fun experience, not just because you get to go home with bragging rights, but also because the easiest way back down is to slide.
While these two dunes are the most famous of the lot, they are surrounded by smaller dunes that are just as worth the time and effort to climb and explore.
- See the fairies
There is a part of the desert that has baffled visitors for years and it has been affectionately christened the fairy circles.
These natural formations are quite literally grass-ringed patches in the dry desert sands and they are evenly scattered in the desert, never touching or overlapping.
Of course, such landmarks have been the subject of folklore and tall tales of dragons, but no one actually knows what has created them. All we know is that they are a fascinating place to visit.
- Visit an ancient tree graveyard
Another sighting that if we didn’t know the origins of would also be called mysterious is the 900-year-old skeleton trees.
They can be found at the foot of Big Daddy, in the Deadvlei. These skeletons were once camel thorn trees which grew when the Tsauchab River flooded and left behind life-giving pools of water.
For hundreds of years, the trees grew lush, until a drought killed them and the sun turned them black.
This is a graveyard of sorts, for the ancient trees that once grew here and now, as they stick out against the white clay that they have been baked into, they have become a popular attraction and one absolutely worth seeing.
- The sunsets alone are dreamy
Sossusvlei tours are a great excuse to get that sundowner (slang for a late afternoon drink), find a comfortable spot on the deck and watch the sunset. The light of the setting sun, when it shines out on the desert sands is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
- The skies are endlessly clear
For those who want to see the Milky Way with the naked eye, the Namib is the place to be. There is a reason why Namibia tours harp on about star gazing, and once you are deep in the desert, with not a city light in sight, you will see why.
Namibia is the ultimate destination for amateur astrologers. And it helps that most evenings there is not a cloud in the sky for kilometres around. Some lodges even offer what is called a star bed, for those who want to sleep safely outside, with nothing but the stars above them.
- The Sossusvlei is the place to simply be
The demands of our busy lives can be dreadfully heavy. And amidst the rush, the noise and the demands, it can be hard to find a quiet place to relax.
A Sossusvlei tour can be the remedy your soul is looking for, as it is the one place in the world where there’s no rush, barely a noise, and time to just be.
Visit a place where time has stood still. Visit Sossusvlei.