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Written by: Webmaster on 9 January 2019

A morning in the driest swamp on earth: The Deadvlei – a travel report

Camelthorn trees in Deadvlei classic photo

We had seen so many photos: bright orange dunes sharply contrasting the radiant blue sky. In the foreground, dead and almost black tree trunks, breaking through the white dusty ground. Surreal. The Deadvlei in Namibia. A short travel report.

When our Namibia trip finally leads us here, it is just as impressive as we had imagined.

But first: the sunrise

We get up and out of our tent very early in the morning – as so often on our tour across Namibia – and embark on a tour to explore the area. The only sunrise we will certainly never forget in our lives awaits us in the Namib on Dune 45. Our feet in the cold sand, we watch the first rays of sunshine crawl across countless dunes, colouring everything they touch in their magical light.

Dune at sunrise in Sossusvlei

We don’t linger too long and continue further. Mornings turn into middays quickly, and these we have learned on our trip by now, should be spent in the shade not on a dune. Along the way, an oryx appears, galloping on the side of the road through the cool morning air.

Oryx on side of the road towards Deadvlei

Arriving at the Deadvlei parking, the decisive question: shoes or no shoes. Potentially burning your feet or having sand in your socks? We’re brave and give it a go, trudging barefoot through the still cool sand. To our left, the ascend to “Big Daddy”, the highest dune in Sossusvlei.

Cloudy morning sky people walking towards Big Daddy dune

If you make it up here, you can run, jump and roll down the more than 300-metre high dune. Destination: Deadvlei.

Big Daddy dune leading towards the Deadvlei

The pan is not as deserted as many of the photos make it look. Probably around one hundred people walk across the dried up swamp. The gigantic dunes and almost mythical aura absorb the presence of the others. We hardly even notice them.

The thought that a few hundred years ago the Tsauchab River washed small lakes and swamps into this hot desert sand – we can hardly believe it. On the other hand: nature makes the impossible possible. This much we have learned on our trip at this point.

Close-up of clay pan in Deadvlei

Most visitors make their way back to the parking after only a short walk and a few quick pictures. We stay behind. It’s getting quiet. Deep scores carve into the dead and almost black sunburned tree trunks.

Closeup of camelthorn tree in Deadvlei

Their roots break into the dusty, hard soil. The water they were hoping to find in the deep has long gone.

Roots of tree in clay pan

We continue further, deeper into the Deadvlei. Back here, there are neither trees nor people. Just silence and solitude as you will only experience it in Namibia.

View of Deadvlei from the back

The soil underneath our feet is slowly getting hot. It is almost ten thirty. When we leave the Deadvlei, we almost burn our feet in the hot sand. Quick now!

Embark on your own individual Namibia safari with us and experience the magic of the Deadvlei. Get in touch and we’ll plan together.