This 3-day Sossusvlei Namibia Safari takes you on a short Namib Desert adventure at an amazing price!
Spend two nights camping at Sesriem Camp in the ancient Namib Desert. Highlights of this very affordable Namibia Camping Safari include the surreal Deadvlei and Sossusvlei, sunrise at Dune 45 and Big Daddy Dune, sunset from Elim Dune, Sesriem Canyon, the Tropic of Capricorn, Kuiseb Canyon, and Walvis Bay Lagoon.
The Namibia Budget Safari to Sossusvlei departs from Windhoek every Wednesday morning and ends in Swakopmund on Friday afternoons.
This short Sossusvlei Namibia Safari departs from Windhoek early on Wednesday mornings. Your driver collects you from your pre-tour accommodation at 07h00.
After a short tour introduction, we leave Windhoek and drive southwest into the Namib Desert to Sesriem. Our drive takes us up and over the central plateau of Namibia through rugged mountain scenery. Along the way, we pause for supplies in the little town of Rehoboth and pass through the small settlement of BűellsPort. From there we venture into the Namib Desert getting our first glimpses of this ancient desert landscape.
At about lunchtime, we arrive at our Sesriem campsite. We set up camp under a big, old camelthorn tree surrounded by the harsh desert. After setting up camp we tuck into a late picnic lunch, admiring the tall red dunes in the distance.
Then, in the late afternoon, you have the option of visiting Elim Dune. A short drive brings us to Elim Dune where we marvel at the mesmerizing desert scenery in the glowing light of sunset. After our first breathtaking desert sunset at Elim Dune, you can embark on the relatively short walk back to camp or hop onboard the safari vehicle.
Back at our Sesriem camp, we relax around the campfire and enjoy a hearty dinner prepared by the crew. At the end of our first exciting day on safari in Namibia, retire to your cozy tent and fall asleep under starry desert skies.
On day two of our Namibia Camping Safari, we get a very early start. We wake up before dawn and head to the towering dunes of the world's oldest desert. Setting off in the dark, we drive to Dune 45. An iconic Namibian landmark this famous sand dune is called Dune 45 because it lies 45 km from Sesriem.
We climb Dune 45 as the day begins to break, witnessing the changing colors of the desert landscape in the early morning light. Sunrise and sunset are the best times for photographing the Namib Desert because the colors are more intense in the golden light which contrasts strongly with the deep shadows cast by the low sun.
From the top of Dune 45, we catch the sunrise over the undulating dune fields below. Stop to soak up the glowing red-orange hues of the silent sand dunes and capture the serene scene on camera.
After marveling at the views from the peak of Dune 45 we have a tasty breakfast back at the vehicle, before continuing on our Namib Desert adventure. Our next stop is Sossusvlei. We drive a few kilometers to the 2x4 parking lot where we transfer to a 4x4 vehicle remaining 5 km journey to the vlei. The 4x4 shuttle takes us through the sandy Tsauchab Riverbed to Sossusvlei. This dry riverbed was formed by the Tsauchab River which once flowed through the desert into the Atlantic Ocean during floods. The seasonal river still floods on the rare occasion (once a decade or so) but no longer reaches the Atlantic. The ancient dune fields that began forming about 5 million years ago now block the flow of the river, even when the Naukluft Mountains receive heavy rain and the river floods. On these rare occasions, Sossusvlei turns into a shallow lake for up to a few months.
The shuttle takes us to the surreal Sossusvlei area of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, where we take a walk on the dry pans. We also visit the nearby Deadvlei clay pan and walk on the cracked white earth. Take a wander through the gnarled dead trees some of which have been here for over 1000 years. You're sure to get stunning photos of the stark desert pans surrounded by vivid orange dunes under wide blue skies.
After exploring Namibia's most famous desert landscape on foot we head to one of the highest sand dunes in the world. You have the option of climbing this towering dune, called Big Daddy. At over 300 m tall, the views are breathtaking and well worth the effort. Leaving the Sossusvlei area behind we drive back to Sesriem and our camp for lunch and a rest. Freshen up and take a dip in the swimming pool before our afternoon desert adventure. Later, we drive to the nearby Sesriem Canyon to explore this deep gorge on foot. The Sesriem Canyon was carved out of the landscape through erosion by the Tsauchab River, starting some two million years ago. We walk down to the cool floor of the rocky canyon to see the incredible rock formations up close.
Then, we drive back to our camp in Sesriem where we have dinner around the campfire and settle down for a peaceful night under the stars.
Day three of our Sossusvlei Namibia Safari kicks off with an early breakfast at camp. Then we pack up and venture west into the Namib Desert. First, we cross open gravel plains where the horizon seems endless. We drive through barren terrain scattered with massive inselberg hills. When we reach the little hamlet of Solitaire we stop to stretch our legs and explore. Try the famous apple pie and take some photos of the photogenic old car ruins dotting the homestead.
Next, we drive on to the Tropic of Capricorn, stopping to take photos of the crossing at 23.5 degrees south of the Equator. Landmark crossing complete we continue into the Kuiseb Mountains where two mountain passes await. First, we traverse the Gaub River canyon and then the larger Kuiseb Canyon. The Kuiseb Pass takes us over rugged mountain peaks and down into the deep canyons carved by the Kuiseb River and its tributaries through impressive terrain. From Kuiseb Canyon we travel down to the Atlantic coastline, meeting the ocean at Walvis Bay. Here we visit the Walvis Bay lagoon and stop for lunch at this birding hotspot.
After lunch, we drive on to Swakopmund, the top seaside holiday spot in Namibia. Arriving in coastal Swakopmund you are dropped at your post-tour accommodation where it is time to bid farewell to your guides and fellow travelers. Although our Namibia Camping Safari ends upon arrival in Swakopmund we recommend that you spend at least one night enjoying the town, after your tour. Swakopmund features an array of excellent restaurants and accommodation options, as well as plenty of adventure activities.
This tour does take children.
Children aged 5 years and older are allowed on this Namibia Camping Safari.
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