Sossusvlei to Tinkas Plains, Namibia D3
Day three in Namibia had us setting out from the dunes of Sossusvlei and headed to our first wild campsite in the Tinkas Plains. Our path brought us through Solitaire, a “settlement” that consists of a general store, a small lodge, the only gas station for miles, and the world famous “Moose McGregor’s” bakery. Located on the crossroads of long dusty roads from Sossusvlei, Swakopmond, and Windhoek, Solitaire was the perfect spot for the scottish adventurer and baker Percy “Moose” McGregor to open a bakery and begin to sell, among other delicious desserts, his (soon to be legendary) German style apple pie made from an old family recipe. After hours of dusty and bumpy driving on endless rutted desert roads, a piece of his pie (à la mode, of course!) came in as one of the most delicious and gratifying meals (yes, meal) that I have ever eaten. Pie score: 11 out of 10.
Little Sossus Campsite
Upon our arrival to Namibia, we were immediately whisked away for our first big drive into the Sesrium region of the Namib desert. Our first two nights were spent camping at the Little Sossus Campsite, where sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding Namib plains provided an exciting introduction to wildlife watching as well as a few epic happy hour sunsets. Click images to open hi-res version.
Our travel vehicle was a Unimog, a German vehicle built by Mercedes Benz which is designed to withstand the most challenging drivable terrain in the world. Ours had been totally stripped down to the chassis and built back up to be a super long-distance safari machine capable of driving days between fuel refills in the most rugged terrain in Southern Africa. Inside was passenger space as well as food, a small fridge, a freezer, and our luggage. Behind we pulled a trailer with all the cooking and camping gear.
Our accommodations ranged primarily between campsites like Little Sossus Campsite, which had running water and washing facilities, to remote wilderness camping, where for as far as the eye could see, there were no signs of civilization. We did make sure to finish the two weeks off with a few nights in proper beds.
Watching a small nearby watering hole adjacent to the campsite
Namib plains
Blue wildebeest visit the watering hole
Epic Namibian sunset
Springbok and Oryx on Sossusvlei Flats
The drive from Sesriem, the gateway to the region, to Sossusvlei takes slightly over an hour and the park gates are only open between sunrise and sunset. As expected, every km/mile of the drive is breathtaking.
Springbok
Oryx
Oryx
Eerie Skeletons and Towering Red Dunes of Deadvlei in Sossusvlei, Namibia
Deadvlei (Dead Marsh) is a white clay pan in the Sossusvlei area of the Namib desert, Namibia. Surrounded by the highest sand dunes in the world, Deadvlei was formed when the river Tsauchab flooded it’s banks and formed shallow pools. Camel thorn trees once grew in abundance here, but decades of drought and the advancement of the nearby dunes ultimately blocked the water source, and the trees in the vlei were unable to survive. The trees are believed to be up to 900 years old and have been dead since the 14th century. Scorched black by the intense sun and able to stave off decomposition due to the arid climate and lack of insects, these bizarre skeletons along with the white clay pan and surrounding red dunes together make for one of the most unique and beautiful landscapes on earth. Click on any image to view Hi-Res version.
- Epic view from the top of Big Daddy dune of the Deadvlei pan and surrounding landscape.
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Entering the Deadvlei pan
Skeletal remains of long since dead camel thorn trees
Skeletal remains of long dead dead camel thorn trees
Some life stubbornly persists in the pan
Scorched black by the intense sun
Too dry to decompose
Barren forest amongst towering red dunes.
Hjo Harbor Lighthouse, Sweden
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