Namib Naukluft National Park
Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft encompasses both a large section of the great Namib Desert and the spectacular Naukluft Mountains to the East and is one of the largest and most beautiful reserves in Africa.
Highlights of the Namib Naukluft include the great sand dunes of Sossusvlei and Sesriem, the varied desert scenery of the NamibRand Nature Reserve and the trekking opportunities in the Naukluft Mountains.
Accommodation in the Namib-Naukluft ranges from exclusive luxury lodges to simple and great value camps and many visitors incorporate a few days in a luxury lodge into a self-drive Namibia holiday.
A balloon ride over the dunes at Sossusvlei in the early morning is one of the most memorable experiences of any tour of Namibia.
Discover Namib Naukluft National Park
Zebra River Lodge
Great value 13-room traditional farmhouse, perfectly located for hiking trips in the Naukluft and within reach of Sossusvlei.
Tailor Made Namibia Holidays
Traditional Farmhouse
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Desert Camp Sossusvlei
20 self-catering units offering comfortable accommodation and facilities in Sossusvlei, ideal for those on a self-drive Namibia holiday.
Great Value Self Catering
Hoodia Desert Lodge
Owner-managed boutique camp a short distance from the park entrance, offering superb excursions and comfortable accommodation.
Superb family-run lodge
Wolwedans Dunes Lodge
Just 9 fixed tents perched on top of a dune plateau, with panoramic views and canvas blinds for viewing the African night sky.
Tailor Made Namibia Holidays
Includes Full Board & Activities
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
Silence & tranquility are the cornerstones of this 10-villa luxury lodge in a specatcular setting in the NamidRand National Park
Tailor Made Namibia Holidays
Luxury Boutique Lodge
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Wolwedans Boulders Camp
Wolwedans Boulders Camp is a cosy luxury 'satellite' camp with just four spacious tents by massive granite rocks.
Tailor Made Namibia Holidays
Includes Full Board & Activities
Little Kulala
Located on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, Little Kulala is one of the most luxurious places to stay in Sossusvlei.
Tailor Made Namibia Holidays
Luxury Boutique Camp
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Namibia Family Holiday
2 week adventurous Namibia self-drive family holiday including Etosha, Damaraland, Swakopmund & Sossusvlei.
Tailor Made Family Holidays
Flight Inclusive Price from UK
Classic Namibia
See the best of Namibia including Windhoek, NamibRand, Damaraland & Etosha. Guided private tour of Namibia.
Tailor Make Your Trip
Best of Namibia in style
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Cape, Desert, Wildlife, Falls
A truly unique and unforgettable trip including Cape Town, Namibia's desert and widlife and spectacular Victoria Falls.
Luxury Camps & Boutique Hotels
Varied, Unique, Unforgettable
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Sossusvlei Balloon Safari
Experience the flight of a lifetime, soaring at sunrise in a hot air balloon above the spectacular sand sea of the world’s oldest desert. At landing, come back to earth with an ‘Out Of Africa’ style Champagne breakfast set up in the middle of nowhere.
Soar with the winds in perfect silence above the Namib Desert’s oceans of sand and mountains, with its endless vistas of shadow and light.
Gigantic orange dunes, dramatic shadows, undulating plains and rocky mountains create a magical kaleidoscope of colours and shapes.
This magical trip above the dunes at Sossusvlei in Namibia’s Namib Naukluft National Park lasts between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on conditions.
A balloon safari in Namibia’s Namib Desert is a truly unforgettable experience and the perfect compliment to a honeymoon in Namibia.
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From £245pp
Sossusvlei & Sesriem
An overnight stay in Sossusvlei is a ‘must do’ on any Namibia holiday as the sand dunes of Sossusvlei are rightly amongst the most famous dunes in the world - a magnet to photographers and romantics alike.
Sossusvlei’s dunes tower around a clay pan and are at their best in the early morning and late afternoon when the light is at its most dramatic.
Colours range from apricots to rich maroon as the light shifts and cast shadows across the sands.
The area is dissected by two rivers which flow westwards towards the Atlantic, but which never reach the sea, petering out instead into white pans dotted with greenery and surrounded by the dunes.
Whichever way you choose to experience the sand dunes at Sossusvlei, be sure not to miss one of the best sights in Namibia.
How to see Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei can be experienced in several ways; on foot, on horse-back or even by hot air balloon.
It's possible to do Sossusvlei as a day trip from Swakopmund or Walvis Bay but this really isn't ideal and not the best way to experience the magic of the setting.
Self-driving to Sossusvlei is practical and popular but bear in mind that it's quite a distance driving from the park entrance to the actual dunes (60 km or so). From the park close to the dunes the closest dune is 500 metres away, but allow for an hour or so walk to the furthest pan.
En-route to the main dunes area there are several places to stop off including Elim Dune, the photogenic Dune 45 and the starkly beautiful Hidden and Dead Vlei's containing skeletal trees.
Entrance to the park is on a permit basis which is designed to limit access to reasonable numbers. In theory, limits may be exceeded but in reality this seldom happens.
Where to stay at Sossusvlei
There is a great selection of accommodation at Sossusvlei ranging from basic self-catering lodges to exclusive luxury camps.
Sossus Dune Lodge is an excellent choice for photographers or for those who want to be at the dunes before most visitors arrive, since this is the only lodge in Sossusvlei's park boundaries, meaning there is no need to go through the park entrance in the morning.
Staying at Sossus Dune Lodge also allows guests to be at the Sossusvlei Dunes for sunset, another bonus of staying here.
Great value and popular with self-drivers in Namibia is Sossusvlei Desert Camp which consists of 20 self-catering safari-tents with an outdoor kitchen set-up. Cooking equipment is rented on arrival.
At the other end of the scale, Little Kulala is a stunning very modern and chic lodge, one of the most luxurious lodges in Namibia.
Sky-beds on the roofs of the 'villas' offer the chance to sleep in comfort under the wied desert skies.
Naukluft Mountains
To the East of Sesriem and Sossusvlei, the Naukluft Mountains form a plateau separating the Namib from the central Highlands of Namibia.
'Naukluft' means 'Narrow Ravine' which captures the essence of the landscape well. A stay in the Naukluft Mountains is a good compliment to a night or two in the Namib Desert.
Trekking is a popular option here with several established hiking trails.
The Naukluft National Park was established initially to protect the resident Hartmann's Mountain Zebra and the Nauklfut is home to a surprising range of animals, birds and plant species.
Accommodation in the Naukluft Mountains
Accommodation in the Naukflut is more limited than at nearby Sesriem and Sossusvlei although there are one or two great places to stay.
Zebra River Lodge is a great base in the Naukluft Mountains and is also close enought to Sesriem and Sossusvlei to act as a base for visiting the desert.
Zebra River Lodge is an owner run lodge and offers superb value as well as being a great location for hiking in the Naukluft.
