Spreading across Botswana, South Africa and Namibia, the Kalahari meaning 'the great thirst' is an exceptionally beautiful living desert. The landscape is characterised by a large semi-arid sandy savannah draped over a gently rolling inland sea of sand covering most of Botswana and large parts of Namibia and South Africa. It is also the last bastion of the indigenous San people with the modern world having enveloped all the other areas they once roamed. The Namibian portion is made up of red sands covered in thin, wispy, mostly golden grass and dotted with acacia trees and wide-ranging wildlife including gemsbok, impala, jackals and cheetah.
Spanning an area of 172,200 hectares and encompassing four distinct ecosystems, the NamibRand Reserve of southern Namibia is among the largest privately owned game parks in Southern Africa. Founded to conserve the unique environment and wildlife species of the Namib Desert, the park’s mix of dunes, mountains, rocky outcrops, sandy flats, and gravel plains provides habitats for a diversity of mammals, including hyenas, jackals, foxes, antelopes, and various wild cats. A plethora of bird species, reptiles, insects, and frogs also have their home here, alongside an array of plant species. Discover the mysterious ‘fairy circles’, unexplained bare patches in the sand, or enjoy a night of sublime stargazing - having been named Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, it is one of the least light-polluted areas in the world.
The best time to visit Sossusvlei is in the early morning. The park gates open at dawn and the golden light just after sunrise is perfect. Take along enough drinking water, sunscreen and a hat.
Situated in the largest conservation area in Africa (the Namib-Naukluft National Park), Sossusvlei is possibly Namibia’s most spectacular and best-known attraction. Characterized by the large red dunes that surround it, Sossusvlei is a large, white, salt and clay pan and is a great destination all year round. The dunes in this area are some of the highest in the world and provide photographic enthusiasts with wonderful images in the beautiful morning and evening light. Sossusvlei literally translates to “dead-end marsh”, as it is the place where the dunes come together preventing the Tsauchab River to flow any further, some 60km east of the Atlantic Ocean. However, due to the dry conditions in the Namib Desert the River seldom flows this far and the pan remains bone-dry most years.
Close to Sossusvlei, Deadvlei is a clay pan characterized by dark, dead camel thorn trees contrasted against the white pan floor. The pan was formed when the Tsauchab River flooded, and the abundance of water allowed camel thorn trees to grow. However, the climate changed, and the sand dunes encroached on the pan, blocking the river from reaching the area. The trees are estimated to be approximately 900 years old, however they have not decomposed due to the dry climate. Deadvlei is at least 1km walk from the parking lot so be sure to take drinking water with you.
Sesriem Canyon is located approximately 4.5km from the entrance gate of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The Tsauchab River has shaped the Canyon over millions of years and it is one of the few places in the area that holds water all year round. The early Afrikaans explorers in the region named the canyon after the fact that they had to use six (“ses”) leather straps (“riem”) tied together to create a rope long enough to lower buckets into the canyon below, in order to fetch water.
Do not forget to carry enough water and protect yourself from the extreme sunlight.
Respect the delicate ecosystem of this region and be sure to stick to the path marked with stakes.
Since the dune area of Sossusvlei is only open during the day - from sunrise to sunset - you have to inquire about the exact opening hours.
🚫 No More Self-Drive Access Beyond 2x4 Parking Area
From 01st of May 2026, self-drive visitors will no longer be permitted to drive beyond the 2x4 Parking Area into the 4x4 section leading to Deadvlei and Sossusvlei.
This measure supports visitor safety and the long-term environmental protection of the UNESCO-listed dune landscape.
A new, professionally guided hop-on / hop-off excursion service will operate daily from 07:00 to 17:00 from the 2x4 Parking area to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei.
Rates for 2026:
• N$ 260 per adult
• N$ 130 per child under 12
✨ Additional Visitor Services:
- A Ticket Sales Counter at the MEFT Gate Entrance
- A Refreshment Lounge at the 2x4 Parking Area
Set along Namibia's spectacularly scenic coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide-open avenues, colonial architecture, and its surrounding otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South-West Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laid-back atmosphere and cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination. Visitors can look forward to a number of exciting activities including: quad biking, horse riding, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing and fascinating desert tours.
Set in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia, Twyfelfontein is a spectacularly scenic area, featuring one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa. The name ‘Twyfelfontein’ translates to ‘Fountain of Doubt’, which refers to the perennial spring situated in the impressive Huab Valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain. It was this spring that attracted Stone Age hunters over six thousand years ago, and it was during this time that the extensive group of rock engravings and paintings were produced. Visitors can look forward to basing themselves at some wonderfully shady campsites along the Aba-Huab riverbed, while exploring over thirty different sacred ritual sites of the traditional hunter-gatherer communities.
Where Kaokoland meets the Skeleton Coast, in western Namibia, the 270-kilometre-long Hoanib River is one of the last water oases in the country, providing a haven for numerous animals. Home to 75% of Namibia’s endemic species, including the largest numbers of desert-adapted, free-roaming elephants, lions, and rhinos in the world, as well as zebra, kudu, and giraffe, this is a truly exceptional and awe-inspiring place. Visitors can enjoy taking a wonderful four-wheel-drive route, going on adventurous hiking trails, running down enormous sand dunes, or climbing massive, strangely shaped rock formations as well as several guided nature walks.
Set just outside the south-western border of Etosha National Park, Etosha Heights Private Reserve offers enthralling landscapes, a huge variety of flora and fauna, and a wide range of thrilling activities. Vast savannah, rivers, forests, Mopani woodland, salt pans and dolomite hills spread themselves over the 60,000-hectare area. Numerous safaris and game drives offer the chance to see kudu, lion and the elusive mountain zebra (in the hills) and sable, black-faced impala, giraffe, aardvark, elephant and many more (around the waterholes). Visitors can also take night drives and bush picnics. A double-storey photography hide allows close-up encounters with an incredible diversity of gorgeous birdlife and animal life. Fantastic luxury facilities are provided by the accommodation options.
Situated east of Etosha, bordering Fisher's Pan, Onguma Game Reserve is one of Namibia's best-kept secrets. The reserve offers visitors the opportunity to experience Africa in all her beauty and diversity. Onguma Game Reserve features over 35 480 hectares of protected land scattered with a variety of wildlife including plains game, black rhino, kudu, giraffe, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard and more than 300 bird species. The seasonal rains attract thousands of migrating birds to the Fisher’s Pan wetland area. The neighbouring Etosha National Park is home to a rich array of wildlife, including 4 of the Big 5. Visitors can enjoy game drives, guided walks and rhino research drives within the private reserve as well as wildlife safaris into Etosha National Park to view abundant game in the largest national park in Namibia.
Situated just 30 minutes east of Namibia's Windhoek International airport, Zannier Reserve stretches for 900 square kilometres. It is known for its scenic savanna-covered landscapes inhabited by a vast variety of wildlife. Commonly spotted species include: leopard, giraffe, warthog, antelope, ostrich and jackal. It is also home to the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary which provides a refuge for injured or abandoned rhinos and elephants. Visitors can look forward to spotting an array of wildlife, soaking up the beautiful views, and enjoying a guided safari to track the animals.
