Namibia
Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei means ‘the gathering place of water”. Finding water here, though, is a very
seldom occurrence. Instead, you’ll find the highest sand dunes in the world, Namibia’s most
outstanding scenic attraction.
The dunes are part of the Namib Desert and have developed over a period of millions of
years. Climbing to the one of these dunes provides breath-taking views of the whole area,
including Deadvlei, a large ghostly expanse of dried white clay punctuated by skeletons of
ancient camelthorn trees, carbon dated between 500-600 years old.
The best time to view Sossusvlei is close to sunrise and sunset when the dunes refract
spectacular colours, ranging from burnt orange to deep reds. It’s a photographer’s dream.
At the entrance to Sossusvlei is the Sesriem Canyon, where centuries of erosion have incised
a narrow gorge about 1 km in length. At the foot of the gorge, which plunges down for 30m
to 40m, are deep pools of water which become replenished after good rains.
Skeleton Coast
The Skeleton National Park stretches along the northern Namibian shoreline for 1570km.
The landscape in the park ranges from wind swept dunes to rugged canyons with walls of
richly coloured volcanic rock and extensive mountain ranges. Temperatures vary from warm
to mostly cool and misty conditions.
The park’s ominous name is well earned given the scores of shipwrecks littering the beaches
as a result of the Benguela Current, dense fog and rough surf. Bleached whale and seal
bones are visible dating back to the days when the whaling industry was still active. But
despite its appearance, the Skeleton National Park supports a great variety of species with
its borders including big cats, desert-adapted elephant, black rhino and smaller creatures.
A Fly-In safari is a great way to view the vast display of shipwrecks. You can als