Start: Little Sossus Lodge
Destination: Sossuvlei/Dead Vlei
Region: Hardap
Distance: 100 km to Sossusvlei, 150 km to Naukluft Campsite
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes to Sossusvlei, 2 hours 30 minutes to Naukluft Campsite
Route Profile: GPaved road in the park, gravel road
Accomodation: Naukluft Campsite
Our Rating: 6/10
Fauna: Antelopes, oryx, jackals, Tok Tokkies, kudu, birds, baboons, various lizard species, ostriches, springboks
Shopping: SnaSnacks and water at the gas station in Sesriem
Food: Muesli, bread, peanut butter, banana, snacks, pasta

Route to Sossusvlei and Naukluft Campsite

At 6:30 AM, we wake up to the song of a bird. It is a cool 5°C outside, so we put on our down jackets and experience a breathtaking sunrise. We enjoy our breakfast at 7:00 AM in front of the camper in the first rays of sunshine, warming ourselves with freshly brewed coffee and watching as the savanna slowly comes to life. By now, it’s 15°C, and we pack everything up and leave for Sossusvlei at 8:30 AM.

Little Sossus Lodge to Namib-Naukluft Park (Sossusvlei/Dead Vlei )
Namib-Naukluft Park is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any trip to Namibia, and we are very excited about it. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and the entrance is located in Sesriem. It is only a 30-minute drive from Little Sossus Lodge to the gate. Entrance permits can be purchased on-site and cost 150 N$ per person plus 50 N$ per car as of September 2022. Important: Bring water and food!

We drive into the park and quickly encounter oryx antelopes and ostriches. On both sides of us, the dunes rise and display beautiful shades of color. We pass the famous Dune 45 and drive 60 kilometers (1.5 hours) on the paved road to the Dead Vlei 4x4 parking lot. At this parking lot, you have the option to leave your own car and switch to a shuttle vehicle. However, since we want to speed through the sand ourselves, we drive directly onward. Vehicles typically only get stuck if they are moving too slowly or stop on a sand dune. The tire pressure should also be appropriate. We start off, and after just a few meters, we have only sand under our wheels. Here we go! At a considerable speed, we get thoroughly shaken as we make our way to the Dead Vlei parking lot. We made it! What an experience.

From this parking lot, it’s only a 1.1 km walk to Dead Vlei. The dried-up salt pan, the dark, dead trees within it (500 - 700 years old!), and the surrounding red sand dunes create a wonderful, unique scene. We are quite fortunate to be almost alone in Dead Vlei. On the way to Big Daddy Dune, which stands in the background, we spot a few people. The temperature has now risen to over 30°C. We take numerous photos, then return to our car and enjoy a sip of cold water from the fridge.

Not far away is Sossusvlei. We drive there (through sand again, but this time it's a bit less deep) and park our camper under a camel thorn tree. In the shade, we have a picnic of bread and cheese while a jackal leisurely lies down just a few meters away from us in the shade. We then leave the camper and reach Sossusvlei on foot in 5 minutes. What first appears to be a dried-up ground turns out to be a lake upon closer inspection. In the middle of this barren environment! The water in the salt pan is milky, and bright yellow flowers grow around the shore. We climb Big Mama Dune and, after a short time, spot a herd of antelopes on the other side. The climb is a bit strenuous, but now a pleasant wind is blowing and the view makes up for all the effort. We look down on Sossusvlei, even see Dead Vlei in the distance, and see nothing but sand, sand, sand. Earlier, two other people climbed the dune, but now we are completely alone. We enjoy the tranquility.

Now comes the best part. 3, 2, 1, and go! We run down the dune towards the lake, almost having to be careful not to fall in. Amazing! Sand now sticks to us from top to bottom, on our clothes, and especially in our shoes. We wade through the water for a few meters, enjoying this unique environment and experience. Back at our camper, we wash off the sand as best as we can, observe the jackal sneaking around again, and then drive off.

The first stretch back through the sand goes smoothly, but on the second stretch, where the sand is a bit deeper, we are shaken up quite a lot. A guide overtakes us in his vehicle, shouts something to us, and points to our back door. Eventually, we realize that it has popped open due to the heavy shaking. So, we stop, and I close it again, hoping that the lock (which occasionally sticks) is now fully secured. Fortunately, we manage to continue without getting stuck. We navigate through the sand once more until we reach the front parking lot and have solid ground under our wheels again. What a great trip!

Namib-Naukluft Park to Naukluft Campsite
Due to the relentless heat, we decide not to descend into the Sesriem Canyon, which is also in this park, and instead continue our journey directly to our next campsite. Our destination is the Naukluft Campsite, where we plan to do the Olive Trail hike. We trust our GPS and realize too late that we are taking a significant detour. The road is rocky, and we are thoroughly shaken. After driving 180 km, I am completely exhausted and hand over the wheel for the last few kilometers to the campsite.

In the Naukluft National Park, we find ourselves once again surrounded by impressive vegetation. Overwhelmed by the beauty of nature (and likely also from exhaustion), a tear rolls down my cheek. From the gate, it is 10 km to the reception of the Naukluft Campsite. Along the way, we spot kudus, and at the campsite itself, there are very loud baboons.

Our campsite is small but charming, located near a stream, surrounded by rocks, and fully shaded by trees. The toilet facilities are a bit less maintained than those we’ve encountered so far. No matter. We prepare our dinner (pasta with bacon and tomato sauce) and enjoy it despite the somewhat intimidating roars of the baboons. Fortunately, they don't seem interested in our food, but we are meticulous about not leaving anything around the camper. (The people at reception warned us not to leave food or dishes lying around, as this could attract the baboons.)

After a short evening walk and marveling at the starry sky, we settle into our sleeping bags and drift off to sleep by 9:00 PM.