Dunes, Desert and Dust: Explore the Namib Up Close and Personal
The echoing landscape of Sossusvlei encapsulates the heart of the Namib Desert, her dunes creeping across the ancient landscape in a surreal display that steals your breath away. Savage and beautiful, it’s also one of the world’s most photographed and celebrated landscapes, famous from holiday snaps and advertising campaigns alike.
Perch on the crest of one of her famous dunes, and watch the sunrise unfold before you, humbled by the majesty of this ancient landscape. Or take yourself even higher, and see the surreal landscape from hot air balloon or prop plane. Adventure lovers will have the chance to conquer the dunes by 4×4 or other action adventure, too. Thought to be anything up to 5 million years old, the sands surrounding the Sossusvlei pan stretches well over 3200 square kilometers, providing a blinding display of orange sand, achingly blue sky and cracked white land that pulls at the heart and imagination alike.
Or venture out to the ominously named Deadvlei, a clay pan ringed with dark and brooding camel thorn trees. The victim of changing climate, the pan was once a thriving source of water, but as the Tsauchab River retreated and the dunes approached, the trees dried out where they stood. Thought to be about 900 years old, their skeletons remain perfectly preserved in the dry climate. Embrace your inner photographer and go wild on this untamed and compelling landscape.
Whether you crave the thrill of bouncing over the sand dunes in your own buggy, or the chance to contemplate life from the crest of these awesome formations, the Sossusvlei area offers everyone the chance to be awed and humbled by one of nature’s most staggering creations. Leave your mark on this ancient landscape today, and take home unforgettable memories of one of the most unique landscapes in the world.
Image: http://www.siyabona.com/sossusvlei-mountain-lodge-namibia-desert-accommodation_location.html
