Exploring Sossusvlei

Apart from admiring the colours and shape of the desert there is an area called 'Deadvlei' which used to be a lake that has long since dried up with remains of ancient almost fossilised trees poking up through the flat hard surface surrounded on all sides by the desert. Its a fascinating and very photographic area.

On the way back to Sesriem

You got up early, drove into the desert, climbed a huge sanddune, watched the sunrise, wandered around deadvlei, now you are hot, sweaty and covered with sand, it's time to head back. On the way you will see what you missed in the dark on your way into the desert, as you drive back you will see how barren and empty the desert is but if you are lucky you may see some desert animals, Springbok and Oryx and you will pass a the above sanddune called dune 45 (45 miles from Sesriem), it is worth stopping as it is quite a beautiful dune and if you still have the energy climb up for some more desert views.

Then its flat road across the desert

The next part of the journey is quite boring as the desert flattens out and it gets even hotter...

When you do arrive at Sesriem don't leave without visiting the canyon, its just a 3km drive from the desert gate and remains cool even during the heat of the day. It was named Sesriem from the fact that early Afrikaner trekkers had to use six ('ses') leather belts (a belts length is one 'riem') so that their buckets could reach the water far below. They were lucky to arrive at a time when water was in the canyon as it only has water in after good rains fall inland and flood through to the canyon. Its a pleasant walk down into and through the cool canyon, it is not a very big canyon an hour will see you all the way along the main canyon, wear decent shoes as scrambling over the rocks can be tough on the feet.