Desert and dunes, Namibia

1 more image

Namibia is a place of unique places, and Dead Vlei is definitely one of the most stunning ones.... This is an unworldly haunted place with long-dead camel-thorn acacias rising like gnarled fingers from the parched and cracked clay towards the impossibly blue cloudless skies. All this against a backdrop of the reddest and highest of dunes. So stark and desolate, yet amazingly photogenic. It is like stepping onto another planet … the experience is so surreal you automatically walk in silence contemplating the extreme conditions of this arena of death. The heat deters you from spending the whole day contemplating here, as there is not a single scrap of shade. If you are into weird thigs, it doesn't get weirder :-)

I'll put the directions here cuz VT says it is too long - when on earth is there a short way to explain where something in the desert is?? HA HA

Anyway .... Deadvlei is accessed by driving through all the road leading to Sussusvlei, passing Dune 45 (which you would have probably been visiting in the early morning). The road stops at a car park - this is as far as a normal 2WD can go. If you have a 4WD follow the signs to the Dead Vlei, and be prepared to switch on the 4WD and drive in the sand - it is some real fun :-) If on the other hand, you don't have a 4WD, no worry. There are constant shuttle services taking you to and from the Deadvlei parking ... or you can also walk, the scenery is pleasant.

This is the most photographed dune in the Sussusvlei area .... or maybe in the whole of Namibia. It is definitely very photogenic, with its wonderful curves playing with the light, especially at sunrise. Many people who visit also like to climb the dune, which is not as easy as it looks as for each step you make upwards you fall 2 back :-) But the view from the top is definitely worthwhile - you can see dunes upon dunes and the vlei (pan) slowly getting narrower, being stifled by towering sand dunes. It is unmissable if you visit Namibia!

2 more images

Deserts are fascinating places - they are beautiful in their simplicity and in their extreme; but they are also interesting places in ecological terms. The Namib is one of the driest places on earth with basically very little or no rainfall. How can anything possibly survive here? The answer lies within the shores of Namibia, reached by the cold Benguela current all the way from the Antarctic. The cold currents cool the air that condenses into fog as it meets the warmer desert air. The prevailing winds push the moist fog inland, into the desert. Many years of adaptation have allowed plants, to absorb this fog - allowing other creatures to colonise even such a hostile environment. Geckos scramble around foraging for particles of dead matter, snake predate on whatever they may find, gemsbok can survive without water. Animals such as foxes, gerbils and elephants will eat desert melons - a valuable source of water. Beetles will climb on the dunes in the morning, stand on their heads with their backs facing the wind and let the water condense and trickle down their backs and into their mouths. The dunes seem to be alive, in fact they shift at a rate of about 20 cm a year - the desert is indeed ever-changing. The Namib is truly a natural wonder, for its incredible scenic beauty and the story it tells about how nature always finds a way.

The Namib is probably the oldest desert on earth, the other contender being the Atacama in Chile. The Namib's age has given time for the different forms of life to adapt to it.

The Namib desert is spread across the western part of Namibia, with parts of it protected by natural parks and mining areas. The Namib-Naukluft, Skeleton Coast and West Coast Recreational area are all in the Namib.

One can find dune deserts, mountains and gravel plains - so the Namib is not simply just a sea of sand, it is indeed a varied and interesting extreme world of its own.

For more info of places in the Namib refer to my Namib Naukluft pages.

1 more image

While staying at the Kulala Desert Lodge we arranged to visit Sossusvlei with one of their guides, Francis. He was an excellent guide and made sure we got to the best photo stops ahead of the tour groups (although that did mean a very early start to the day, of course!)

The highlight was visiting Dead Vlei. We parked the jeep and walked across several dunes. As we came over the top of the last, Dead Vlei was spread before us. It's an amazing sight and if you're a photographer you'll love it - the contrast betwen the white dried-up clay, stark black trees and surrounding red dunes is out of this world! See my travelogue for more images.

We went to see the desert dunes at dawn. As you can see I had my camera and tripod ready.
The Namibian sand dunes are supposed to be the biggest in the world.
It was pitch black when we climbed to the top of the dune, then every minute the light and the shadows changed, it was so incredible.

Henties Bay is a small coastal village about 70 km from Swakopmund on the way to the Skeleton coast. Not much to do really except for the nice beach. The kids loved it and build tons of castles on the sand.

From what I heard it is the place to go if you are into fishing.

This road is about 30km. It runs between the sea and the desert. It was one of the most amazing visual experiences I've ever had. We drove it one afternoon at about 15:00. There was still fog over the sea. You could see the boats on the water through the fog. It looked like a scene from a pirate movie.
On bright days, like the one on the photo everything seems very light and bright. People drive with their light on. You cannot describe it to anyone. You have to see it for yourself.

The Sossusvlei is part of the Namib Naukluft Park and only about 60 km off the Atlantic coast.
From the park entrance, visitors can follow a street surrounded by dunes towards Sossusvlei.
After approx. 70 km you can only advance by off-road vehicle.

However, you don't need to go all the way to experience the stunning views of the orange dunes. It's gorgeous!