At a glance: quick planning info for Deadvlei and Sossusvlei
Travel times to Sossusvlei by car
The top 10 things to do near Sossusvlei, ranked
Are Deadvlei and Sossusvlei worth it?
How much time do you need for Deadvlei and Sossusvlei Namibia?
Getting into Sossusvlei: gates, prices, opening hours
Driving in Sossusvlei: how to tread all that sand
What are the top 5 best activities in Sossusvlei
One full day in Sossusvlei: my suggested itinerary
Other things to do in the Namib Desert (Namib Naukluft NP)
I hate the desert. It sucks the life right out of me. But I’m not one to hide from things, like the sand. Instead, I go out and find the best frikin sand I can! Hence, Deadvlei and Sossusvlei in Namib Naukluft National Park, inside the oldest desert on the planet. Because the best kind of sand is old, I guess?
Namib Naukluft NP, in particular the Sossusvlei area, is the epitome of Namibia. It’s that place with the famous tree skeletons I'm sure you've seen pictures of, posing on the cracked, dry, pink earth with bright orange sand dunes in the background. So no, even I wouldn’t miss a visit here.
But yeah. So. Much. Sand.
Without further ado, I’ll tell you all about my trip to Deadvlei and Sossusvlei, how I actually did it, and the top 5 activities in Sossusvlei. Ready for sand overload?
Read more in my Namibia travel blog.
Where are Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? They’re both in Namib Naukluft NP. It's literally an 11-minute drive from one to the other. Unheard of in Namibia!
How much time do you need for Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? At least a full day. Of course, more is better to be sure you have time for Big Daddy, Dune 45 Sossusvlei, and Sesriem Canyon.
How to get to Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? My favorite word: driving. I honestly don’t see how it’s possible any other way, seeing as it’s a good 5 hours from Swakopmund or Windhoek. I personally recommend DiscoverCars for car rentals.
Where to stay in Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? I stayed at Burgsdorf Guest Farm and loved every moment I spent there.
When is the best time to visit Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? May through September. Better not to die of heatstroke in Namibia’s summertime.
How much does it cost to see Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? Tickets to Namib Naukluft NP cost NAD 150 (USD 9) per day. If you’re not driving in a 4x4 (aka if you’re crazy), you’ll have to spend NAD 180 (USD 11) on a shuttle bus to get through all that deep sand.
What are the best activities in Deadvlei and Sossusvlei? Taking snaps of dead trees, wildlife spotting, and climbing Big Daddy Sossusvlei (full disclaimer, this is a dune, not a large man).
I ranked these 10 activities near Sossusvlei based on how unique they are, how much effort they require, and whether I’d bother doing them again despite the sand trying to personally ruin me.
I’ve already described my not particularly loving relationship with deserts, so maybe I don’t sound like the best person to ask. But no fear, I can be objective—I think you should go to Namib Naukluft National Park, particularly in the Sossusvlei area, no matter how much you can’t stand the sand. It’s an incredible place.
I needed a full day to cram in all the best sights, but more is definitely better—I spent 2 days there, so I was able to savor those brilliant views just a little bit longer.
I’m generally more into classic sightseeing than adrenaline extracurriculars, but if you wanna ride in a hot air balloon or go quad biking (which I actually did do in Swakopmund), you’ll definitely need an extra day or two.
But I’m assuming you want to fit as much as you can into your Namibia itinerary, so I suggest one full day around Sossusvlei and then making a stop at Dune 7, which is way up north, en route to your next stop (like Swakopmund).
To enter the park, you'll need to go through 2 gates at Sesriem.
And self-driving is the way to go. Because let's face it, spending countless hours in a vehicle with strangers is just asking for trouble. I mean, I can barely handle my own sweaty self, let alone a truck full of other human cootie carriers.
Either way, I spent a few hours bouncing around like a popcorn kernel in a microwave, but nothing beats the flexibility of chauffeuring myself around.
My go-to car rental website: DiscoverCars
Permit prices: NAD 150 (USD 9) per person and NAD 50 (USD 3) per car (permits are valid for 24 hours).
Pro tip: Most visitors are going to file in to catch the sunrise right when the gate opens (more on that next). I recommend getting your permit the day before so you can beat the pack and head into Sossusvlei before the traffic jam at the main gates gets let in an hour later.
The Sossusvlei main gate opening hours are from sunrise to sunset, so about 6:30 am to 6 pm, and it’s where you buy your permits. Permit prices: NAD 80 (USD 4) per person and NAD 10 (USD 0.50) per car (permits are valid for 24 hours).
The inner gate opens an hour earlier (and closes an hour later) than the main gate, and just checks that you already have your permit. Are you thinking that sucks, because you’ll miss the sunrise, because the main gate opens too late? Yeah, you’re right. Unless you are staying inside the park, that is, like at Kulala Desert Lodge or some of the campsites—then you’re in luck. If you get your permit the day before, you can beat the pack and head into Sossusvlei before the traffic jam at the main gates gets let in an hour later.
On our way to Sossusvlei
Yes, you absolutely need a 4x4. No other vehicle stands a chance. You’ll be driving in deep sand from Sossusvlei to Deadvlei, and trust me, sinking is a very real possibility—even with the almighty Toyota Hilux. Sending love to the ranger who helped us out, because I don't think those oryxes would hesitate to turn carnivorous. If you’re not the most confident driver, you can also opt for the driving tour.
Trust me. Get a 4WD to travel through Namibia, and you'll be much happier
There are 2 parking areas at Sossusvlei: the first one can be reached by a gravel road in a 2WD and is about 65 km (40 miles) from the entrance gates. The other parking area at Deadvlei is another 5 km (3 miles) through deep sand, and you need a 4x4 and good driving skills to reach it.
Alternatively, there’s a shuttle service that’ll take you if you want to leave your car right by the entrance gates and not deal with this sand nonsense. There’s also a shuttle that goes from the 2x4 parking area to the 4x4 parking area, so no worries if you don’t want to walk. As always, I still opted for my car, why pay to be crammed into a vehicle with a bunch of random strangers?
This is the “road” to the Deadvlei parking lot
The Sossusvlei area is the absolute highlight of Namib Naukluft NP. If you see nothing else in Namib Naukluft, it’s ok, but don’t skip Sossusvlei. It'd be like taking a trip to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower.
The skeleton trees in Deadvlei
In the Sossusvlei area, there are several of these dried-out salt and/or clay pans where I saw the dry, cracked ground with the skeleton trees and bright orange sand dunes in the background.
Deadvlei is the most iconic one, given the contrast between the white clay pan and the rich hues of the steep sand dunes around it. It’s just super interesting to see white, which isn’t a color I was seeing enough of in the never-ending desert landscape. Man, the life really gets sucked out of me in the desert! But I’m a strong, resilient, and handsome man, I can do this!
Follow the signs to the individual destinations in Sossusvlei
Close by is Sossusvlei, which is a salt and clay pan. Again, dead trees, lots of sand, maybe an oryx or two. Don’t be confused: Sossusvlei is the name of the whole area AND of a specific vleis (salt pan). So be sure to see Sossusvlei in Sossusvlei
Fun fact: Those skeleton trees in all the vleis used to be camel thorn trees, but about 600 years ago, when all the water dried out, the trees died and have since then been so scorched by the sun, they don’t even decay in this dry climate, rather deciding to endlessly pose for your photos.
This is me, posing for my photo
So, learn from their experience and make sure to bring sun protection and enough water. We don’t want this place to turn into some weird scorched zombie apocalypse.
The Big Daddy
Surprise, surprise, there are dunes in the desert! They're a photographer's dream, rich orange or almost pink (depending on how the sun hits them) mounds of sand.
Obviously, the main place of interest in the Namib Naukluft NP is Sossusvlei, so I’ll be talking about the Sossusvlei dunes, but that’s not to say the other parts of the vast park are flat.
Pro tip: Just so you know, there’s no need to go “off the beaten path” searching for better dunes. There’s no point, because what even is a better dune?? Sandier? Oranger? Nicer-shaped? Easier to climb? Just kidding, they will all make you question your life choices once you start trying to scramble up. Also, going off the beaten path in the desert is a really dumb way to die.
The Big Mamma
You can rest assured: Big Daddy and Big Mamma are good enough sand dunes. Climb to the top for some killer views of the Sossusvlei area… But who are we kidding, they’re all the same. Why anyone would stop and climb all the dunes that happen to have been named is beyond me.
Unless you are trying to kill time before sunset, there’s no reason to climb Dune 45, which is a little way out from Sossusvlei.
You should, however, make the time to climb to the highest dune in Africa, Dune 7, which is in the northern part of Namib Naukluft NP closer to Swakopmund.
Besides drying out clay pans, the Tsauchab River has created another interesting natural attraction in Sossusvlei—Sesriem Canyon. It’s a narrow gorge carved out in the rocks close to the main gate of Sossusvlei. I easily made my way over here after climbing the ‘Big family’ dunes.
Sesriem Canyon isn’t very deep, long, or that interesting, but honestly, it was fun to see anything besides sand in these parts of the world.
Besides climbing on the rocks and through caves, I was surprised to find water pools, sometimes complete with tourists hiking on blow-up unicorns. Yes, that happened. (No, I wasn’t one of them.) Just watch the water levels and beware of potential sharp rocks under the surface.
Pro tip: If you love dramatic landscapes and wildlife, don’t miss these incredible South Africa natural attractions too.
If you’re heading to Namibia, you’re probably aware that it’s an animal lovers paradise (if you’re not then you’re in for a surprise!). I basically saw an entire zoo when visiting places like Etosha National Park Safari, but it was also common to rock up and find an oryx or ostrich hanging out close by at random places.
In Sossusvlei, the most common wild animals you’ll see are the springbok, oryx (Namibia’s national animal) and the ostrich—is it just me or is seeing ostriches in the wild totally wild?? Love them.
Of course, there’s a ton happening under the sand, as well, which is where the spiders, geckos, and some snakes like to hang out. Do you want to re-think going barefoot up that dune now?
No big game at Sossusvlei, but choose your acommodation wisely and you see these fellas @ Burgsdorf Guest Farm
We opted to stay outside of the park in the oasis-like Burgsdorf Guest Farm, but as far as animal sightings and amenities goes, we had zero regrets. You can actually have your dinner while spotting wildlife like rhinos and other big animals—unbelievable! I would stay there again in a heartbeat.
There are several good adventure companies that are more than happy to take you on all sorts of trips—and some aren’t even on the ground!
One of those options is gliding quietly through the air in a hot air balloon. Seeing the desert sitting in a basket way above the horrible…ehm, I mean, a beautiful desert must be an experience you won’t forget. I wouldn’t know, because I’m not ready to die yet, but you do you.
Well-rated hot air balloon companies are located close to Sesriem, sometimes operating out of the local lodges.
For example, Sossusvlei Lodge has a variety of trips, including hot air balloons, but if you want to up your cool factor, check out helicopter rides! If you’re into more of a James Bond experience and prefer a helicopter over a balloon (which sounds rather lame in comparison), you can also check out the helicopter offerings at the Kulala Desert Lodge.
Bonus activity: Try quad biking in Sossusvlei! For some reason, it’s ok to go on quad bikes in Sossusvlei, but not on sandboards. Whatever the logic behind that is, ask at Kulala Desert Lodge for quad biking trips.
Get comfortable @ Burgsdorg Guest Farm
If you’re like me and can only experience the desert in shorter increments, you’ll need to extend your stay for enough time to laze in your Sossuvlei luxury accommodation.
I opted to stay outside of the park in the oasis-like Burgsdorf Guest Farm, but as far as animal sightings and amenities go, I had zero regrets. You can actually have your dinner while spotting wildlife like rhinos and other big animals—unbelievable! I would stay there again in a heartbeat.
The absolute closest accommodation to Sossusvlei, though, is, of course, Sossusvlei Lodge. It’s literally right next to the entrance to Namub Naukluft NP, so this is the place to stay to beat those sunrise-watching crowds.
And then of course, there are places inside the park, like the Kulala Desert Lodge or several campsites to choose from. If you stay there, you could spot some foxes, hyenas, and jackals at night. And if you are the chosen one, you might even see an aardvark.
If you’re one of those “I must maximize every second of my time in a place” type of people, this is the itinerary I recommend for you.
Stop 1: Stay at Kulala Desert Lounge to easily enter the park after it opens (early morning start, 5 or 5:30am)
Stop 2: Watch the sunrise at Dune 45 (45 minutes)
Stop 3: Climb Big Daddy (2 hours)
Stop 4: Explore Deadvlei (1.5 hours)
Stop 5: Wildlife spotting at Sesriem Canyon (1 hour)
Time for your next adventure!
The Namib Desert is huge. Namib Naukluft NP is big. It’s not just Sossusvlei, even if the majority of the people traffic makes it look that way. There are a lot of activities you can do besides just walking, taking photos, and trying to drive in the sandy roads (I have to say that was an adventure of its own!).
Here are some other things that could pique your interest in Namib Naukluft NP:
Dune 7
I think climbing more than a couple of dunes is complete overkill unless you’re doing it for the fun of it and not with the expectation that each one will somehow be massively different than the one before (spoiler: it won’t).
That said, one dune you have to make time for is Dune 7, because it is the highest sand dune in Africa and something like the 7th tallest in the world (sand is hard to measure thanks to wind, ok, so it can fluctuate). And sometimes, bigger really is better. Dune 7 measures 383 m (1250 ft).
Dune 7 is up in the northern part of Namib Naukluft NP, closer to Swakopmund. You can read details about visiting it in my Swakopmund article.
Taking a look back at the “parking lot” at Namibia Dune 7
Dune 7 is close to Swakopmund (about a 40-minute drive), so we stopped there on the way from Burgsdorf Guest Farm when moving up to Namibia’s adventure capital for a few days (here’re all the activities you need to try in Swakopmund—I hope you like snakes!).
Mostly available up in Swakopmund are companies that’ll push you out of an airplane for a couple of minutes of adrenaline and then 10 or so minutes of thanking the heavens that your parachute opened while you stare at the desert below you. Again, not for me, but maybe for you?
While it’s not possible to sandboard in Sossusvlei (something about protecting the sand dunes), you can find opportunities to fly down sand dunes in—surprise!—Swakopmund. Namib Naukluft NP ends just to the south of there, but the sand is the same just outside the park’s borders, allowing all kinds of fun activities that aren’t allowed right inside the national park.
Go to Fish River Canyon next! It’s only 7 hours from Sossusvlei! I say that only half-jokingly, because yes, it is far, but what isn’t in Namibia? You will spend half your vacation driving, I promise. It’s a mix of good fun and annoying as hell torture (read my candid tips on driving in Namibia here).
This is us, happy in Burgsdorf Guest Farm
It makes sense to slot Sossusvlei into your itinerary on the way from the second largest canyon in the world—Fish River Canyon—to the best adventure spot in Namibia, Swakopmund. If you follow my brilliant advice and stay at Burgsdorf Guest Farm, you’re only looking at a 5-hour drive between there and Fish River Canyon’s Hobas, which is very doable.
See what I mean in my 2 and 3-week itineraries for Namibia (basically two versions of the same—with and without Fish River Canyon).
I self-drove through the Namib Naukluft NP and lived to tell the tale—a tale that involves lots and lots of thick sand. Pretty sure I still have some in between my toes. And now I see miles and miles of orange nothingness whenever I close my eyes...
Okay, enough with the theatrics. To be totally honest, the desert isn’t all that bad. I have to admit that even for me, the trip through the desert to Deadvlei and Sossusvlei was absolutely worth it.
Those views. Those kinds of creepy but beautiful petrified trees. Those crazy dunes that really deserve their names. Need I go on?
If I enjoyed it, hell, anyone would. That says it all right there, doesn’t it?
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At a glance: quick planning info for Deadvlei and Sossusvlei
Travel times to Sossusvlei by car
The top 10 things to do near Sossusvlei, ranked
Are Deadvlei and Sossusvlei worth it?
How much time do you need for Deadvlei and Sossusvlei Namibia?
Getting into Sossusvlei: gates, prices, opening hours
Driving in Sossusvlei: how to tread all that sand
What are the top 5 best activities in Sossusvlei
One full day in Sossusvlei: my suggested itinerary
Other things to do in the Namib Desert (Namib Naukluft NP)
Hi, I’m Jan. I travel fast and intensely, whether I’m exploring the buzz of Tokyo in 3 days or road-tripping through mountains and beaches on a 3-week Thailand adventure. And no matter where I am, you’ll always find me in a comfortable hotel at night and eating the best food.
If that sounds like your kind of journey, hop on board, and let’s explore the world together!
I started this blog after realizing how tough it can be to find reliable, authentic travel info. You wouldn’t believe how many “travel bloggers” never even visit the places they write about! On Next Level of Travel, you can count on my full honesty and insights drawn from my firsthand experiences.
Here’s the deal: not every destination is all superlatives and unicorns. I’ll let you know if a tourist attraction isn’t worth your time, like skipping overrated stops in my 2-week Spain itinerary. And when I find something truly special—like the perfect mix of culture and nature in Cape Town—you can trust that it’s worth adding to your itinerary.
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