Sossusvlei is a popular tourist destination in the southern part of the Namib Desert, Namibia. Amongst the high dunes of the enormous sea of sand there is a clay pan, which was clearly formed by water.
Sossusvlei is a unique mud-pan created by a river that flows through the Namib every 5 to 10 years. Even in very wet years it does not reach the Atlantic Ocean return and refers to the river. The mud from the river stacks up at Sossusvlei and after some 1,000 years the river searches its way through the next row of dunes. This is how the place called ‘Dead Vlei’ was created. The river used to drain away many years ago and due to the lack of water, all the trees in the valley have died and so the meaning of ‘Dead Vlei’ becomes clear.
What makes the sight of the ‘Dead Vlei’ so remarkable is that there is not enough moisture for normal decomposition to occur, so all the trees, though dead, have been almost perfectly preserved for centuries. Swimming in Deadvlei at fullmoon, an occasion which is only possible once every few years, is the ultimate experience in Namibia.
No trip to Sossusvlei is complete without hiking though the mud flats, climbing the dunes to watch the sunset and the spectacular view of the sea of sand and exploring nearby Sessriem Canyon with its dry riverbed.
Deserts, although very harsh, are a delicate ecosystem with a surprising amount of life living around and underneath the dunes.
An unforgettable and most beautiful experience would include a balloon safari over the Sossusvlei area, drifting across this magic landscape at sunrise towards an unknown destination.
