Sossusvlei
A white clay pan hemmed in by huge red dunes in the Namib Desert. Visitors reach it from the final car park, and many climb a dune at dawn for the colours.
Sossusvlei
In the Namib Desert, red dunes tower over white clay pans; visitors climb Dune 45 at sunrise and see Deadvlei's dead trees.
Attractive locations
Namib-Naukluft National Park
A huge desert park along the Atlantic side of Namibia, home to some of the tallest sand dunes in the world. The red dunes and white clay pans around Sossusvlei are what most visitors come to see.
Sesriem Canyon
A narrow gorge cut into the rock by the Tsauchab River, near the entrance to the dune area. Visitors can climb down and walk between its high walls, which are cooler and shadier than the desert above.
Deadvlei
A white clay pan dotted with black, long-dead camel thorn trees, framed by tall orange dunes. The strong colour contrast makes it popular with photographers.
Dune 45
A star-shaped red dune beside the road to Sossusvlei, named for its distance in kilometres from Sesriem. Visitors climb the ridge on foot at sunrise for views across the desert.
Airports
Walvis Bay International Airport WVB
It is about 206 km in a straight line from Sossusvlei.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Namibia page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan22.5 °C7 mm
- Feb23.6 °C11 mm
- Mar24.2 °C11 mm
- Apr23.2 °C8 mm
- May21.1 °C3 mm
- Jun18.2 °C1 mm
- Jul18.1 °C1 mm
- Aug17.1 °C2 mm
- Sep19.6 °C1 mm
- Oct21.1 °C3 mm
- Nov21.6 °C3 mm
- Dec21.7 °C3 mm
Driest months: Jun, Jul, Sep. Wettest months: Feb, Mar, Apr.
Costs
Prices here are about 41% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 10111. 112 from a mobile phone. Ask your hotel or operator for the nearest ambulance number.
local government
Namibia Tourism Board
Helps with: Namibia's national tourism board. Contact its Windhoek head office for visitor information. It also lists offices in Swakopmund, Rundu, Ongwediva and Luderitz.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Namibia or planning a trip there.
Phone: +264 61 290 6000
Email: info@namibiatourism.com.na
Address: C/O Haddy and Sam Nujoma Drive, Windhoek, Namibia
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Namibia
Helps with: The UN migration agency, in Namibia since 2011. It works on anti-trafficking referral, labour migration, migration health and resettlement or voluntary return for remaining refugees.
Who qualifies: Migrants, trafficking victims and refugees. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +264 61 231 639
Address: 38-44 Stein Street, Klein Windhoek, UN House, Ground Floor, Windhoek, Namibia
local government
Police emergency number 10111
Helps with: Reaches the police. UK government travel advice lists 10111, 999 and 112 together for ambulance, fire and police; the Canadian government page also gives 10111 for police.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 10111
local government
Medical emergency number 10177
Helps with: Reaches medical assistance (ambulance). This number comes from Government of Canada travel advice for Namibia.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 10177