Desert and dunes, Namibia

The sand of the dunes have different kinds of colours from red to beige. Don't miss to climb up one dune. Unfortunately I was to lazy that day and now I really regret it. The view you have from the top of one dune must be increadible.

Nov 2004 - Returned to Sossuvlei a second time! One reason: to climb at least one dune.

Finally I made it to the top of Dune Elin (for sunset) and Dune 45, of course for sunrise:-) Just like everyone :-) For me doing no sports since some month it was quite exhausting :-)

From the bottom it looks easy.
But wait till you start climbing. The kids ran up and down with no effort.
I made it to the top and has a photo to proof it. ( There is no way I will send it out into the world)

Once you got your breath back the view is stunning. Just be careful the sun really burns you up there.

Believe me that is the first thing people asks you when you come back from Namibia.
" Did you climb Dune 7"

So just do it.

Little canyon very near Sesriem's campsite. Its a canyon of great beauty that is worth the visit indeed. Of about 30 meters in deep, I did saw a little pool inside, but I have read that in rain season the canyon gets fill of water "That must be incredible to see"
It is not easy to see cause its appear suddenly.
The day I took a plain to flight over Namib Desert I saw it from the sky, and it was much longer that I imagne from the floor.

After climbing Dune 45 we had breakfast and went to Dead Vlei. It was really cold, very cold, even after walking for long time.

It was a long way to reach the Dead Vlei, over 5 km. We found gemsbok in our way. A white dry lake under our feet, and some more dunes to climb, but little ones. At last you reach where dead trees are, like burn ones, and where the bigest dune in the world is, "bigone".

The way back can be easyer cause you can take a shuttle to the parking. Follow the people to find the shuttle, is over 1 Km from the Dead Vlei.

Of course you must take water, is a long way. And if you want ... do it as I did, with bared feet, it was great.

Namib is one of the oldest deserts in the world. The name means vast, and is really a vast park of orange sand. Is one of the largest conservation area of the world. The sand was swept to Sossusvley from Kalahari Desert by the Orange River.
The landscape are really incredible beautiful. One of the most beautiful I have ever seen? Perhaps.
I spent 3 days here. One of the mornings I took a little plain and flight all over this red world. It was really great.

Dune 45 is over 170 metres above the valley floor, next to the road. Not the highest but easy to climb to.

It was 5 am when you get up at Sesriem Camp to go to Dune 45 to see the sunrise. All the groups of the camp where going to do the same, so at that time there was traffic jam at the middle of the desert :)

We arrive to the dune, it was very cold, but with the first steps the cold disappeared. As the day before I decided to take another way to climb the dune, but this time I took the wrong and more difficult way. My legs buried in the sand in every step but at last I get to the top and share with the others the sunrise.

I was a wonderful experience. After run down over that red sand.

After climbing some groups have champagne at the edge of the dune, I only had a normal breakfast :)

I went to Elim Dune over 5 pm to see the sunset. Everybody comes here to see the sunset cause is the nearest sand dune to Sesriem, about 5 km from it. It was my first contact with these incredible beautiful read dunes.
At the sand only big ants and desert beetles. The first steps to climb the dune are really hard cause your legs will be buried in the sand, try to find the better way to climb it. Some do follow others step, but I did search another way … that was much easier. After you must get down … but that is great fun, just run down.
It is worth the effort cause you will have a wonderful view from the top. Naukluft Mountains looks violet, the land is yellow and the dunes oranges and red, with some green spots … just a beautiful pallet of colours.
Take of your shoes and feel that sand in your bare feet.
It wasn't hot, but you must bring with you water, and have your mouth close ... you will finish with red sand everywhere.

From the Buellsport Guest Farm you can make some very nice walking-trips through the surroundings: Namib Naukluft park.

One of them is the walk through the Quivertree gorge.
By car you are being driven (via a viewpoint) to the beginning of the trail.
You descent into the gorge, you see wild zebras, quivertrees, dassies, antelopes and you find water on the ground. (very rare in this dry surrounding).
The water is so clear you can drink it or bath in it like in a natural bath-tube.
Further down the gorge you get picked up again and driven back.

Start: 7.30 am.
Back around 2 p.m. (depends how fast you walk)

Time to walk: 1.5-3.5 hours

Bring: enough water, good shoes.