The Namib Sand Sea

On the way to Sossusvlei we passed the Tropic of Capricorn and some spectacular geological formations as well as home decorating schemes.

The Namib Sand Sea in the Namib-Naukluft Park

In June 2013 the Namib Sand Sea was named as a World Heritage Site for

-  superlative natural phenomenon and outstanding natural beauty

-  exceptional example of natural ongoing geological processes

-  globally significant ongoing ecological and biological processes

-  in situ conservation of species of outstanding universal value

The Namib-Naukluft Park, covering an area of nearly 50,000 square kilometers, is one of the largest nature reserves on our planet.  At Sossusvlei, in the park’s southern reaches, drifting, mountainous sand dunes cover the Namib Desert, the world’s oldest desert in grandeur and glory.

A road tracks the course of the dried up Tsauchab riverbed from Sesriem through a valley of soaring sand peaks to reach the most famous of the dunes at Sossusvlei.  Here, mighty ridges reaching 300 meters and higher encircle a parched greyish-white clay pan or vlei.

The wind dictates the contours of the dunes, constantly rearranging the razor-edged slopes and corrugated plains, while the sun plays artist with colors and shadows.  Richly tinted flanks, from pale pink and apricot to vivid red and orange, make this a magical, moody landscape, particularly at sunrise when the color transformation is most dramatic.

Known as star dunes because they are formed by equally strong winds from different directions, the Sossusvlei dunes are reputed to be the worlds highest.  In fact, they are not free standing but rest on the 30 million year old Tsondab Sandstone terraces which are, themselves, the petrified remnants of a much older dune field from an ancient Namib.  Thus the landscape at Sossusvlei epitomizes two distinct desert epochs separated by a long period during which a more humid climate prevailed.