Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei

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The sight of popular Hollywood and Bollywood movies, this vlei is short of life.
The skeletons of trees still remain in the clay pan surrounded by some of the areas highest dunes.
The clay pan was formed when the Tsauchab River flooded , creating shallow pools of water which then allowed for camelthorn trees to grow.


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The trees are believed to be 900 years old.
The trees don't decay because of the arid climate and are colored black because the sun has scorched the wood.

In seasons of heavy rains, the dunes give life to weeds and grasses running up the slopes.


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It's a 6 km from the 2WD parking area to Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei, following the 4WD road through deep sand.
The excursion is definitely worth it has the place is immaculate.
Remember, lifts are available from the parking area to Sossusvlei.

Climb the dunes, wonder the vlei and explore the ancient life that once lived here.


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Sossusvlei (4)

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RED SAND: a theory suggests that the red sand of Sossusvlei originated in the Kalahari Desert and was washed out to sea, where the Benguela current than deposited the red silt back onto Namibian shores, eventually creating what you see today.


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DUNE 45: exactly 45 km from Sesriem, thus appropriately named Dune 45, this is the most accessible of all of Sossusvlei's dunes.
It rises over 150 m above the desert floor, and also provides some fantastic photographic apportunities.

HIDDEN VLEI: a short 4 km hike to a vlei that is rarely visited.
Beginning at the car park, follow the white painted fence posts, sporadically marked to the vlei hidden behind all the sand.
It's a beautiful dry vlei surrounded by desolate dunes.
Be sure to take water and your camera !



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Sossusvlei (3)

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Sossusvlei dunes are often referred to as star dunes because of their crescent shape.
Best seen from the air, the multiple merging crests meeting at the highest point are the result of multidirectional winds blow at the vlei, blankets of sand form off the crest into the air.
This is commonly termed the "smoking dunes".
Pay particular attention to the ancient camelthorn trees that line the dry Tsauchab River all the way to the vlei.


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The tarred road, accessible by 2WD vehicles, finishes about 4 km away from Sossusvlei at a parking and picnic area.
From the parking area, the road disappears into deep, thick sand.
The remaining distance can only be completed by a 4WD vehicle or on foot.
There are shuttles to and from Sossusvlei and the parking area.

Walking is difficult and strenuous, and can take nearly an hour.
It is, however, well worth the effort as it gives you the chance to freely explore the area, catch sight of roaming animals, and get a good idea of the scale and sheer size of the Sossusvlei surroundings.


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Sossusvlei (2)

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Although rare, it takes an unearthly amount of rain to fill the Tsauchab River and penetrate the dune area, bringing water into the vlei.
During this rare time, the vlei takes on a life of its own, much different than in the absence of water when life is given to new vegetation and aquatic birds, including flamingos discovering a new haven.


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The dunes surrounding the vlei are some 1,120 ft (350 m) high when measuring from the base up; having a reputation as some of the highest in the world.

Essentially, they are nothing more then huge piles of sand that have formed at the end of other longitudinal dune ridges bordering the erosional trough of the Tsauchab River.

Sossusvlei lies at an altitude of 1,824 ft (570 m) above sea level.
Some of the dune crests stand tall at 3,072 ft (960 m) above sea level.


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Sossusvlei (1)

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Sossusvlei is one of Namibia's top destinations.
The monumental red sand and the magnificent display of different shades, colours and depressions, fadind and deepering throughout the day make Sossusvlei a place for photographers and romantics alike.

The Tsauchab River, long ago, emptied itself into the sea but gradually became blocked by mountainous dunes of wind blown sand, forming the marvelous end vlei as we know tody.


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Beginning in Sesriem, the road to Sossusvlei is lined by exotic, brightly colored dunes.
Each our of the day is unique and as the day carries on, new colors are constantly presenting themselves.



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The dunes display vibrant colors of orange, maroon, and pink, and the Tsaris Mountains show blue and deep purples.
In addition to the yellows and tans of the dancing grasses.

It is easy to feel enlightened while visiting Sossusvlei.
It is also home to ostrich, springbok, and orix who roam the area like some prehistoric creatures living on another planet.



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Sesriem Canyon

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Only 4 km south of Sesriem entrance gates, the canyon (1 km long and 30 m deep) was carved out by the Tsauchab River.
It was an essential water collecting place for the early settlers who tied six lenghts of rope together to pitch down the canyon for easy retrieval.


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Each lenght of rope known as riems, was the beginning of its present name, Sesriem.

Take a short trek upstream and discover beautiful wading pools waiting for you to cool yourself down and escape the day's unrelenting heat.
However, at certain times of year the pools are stagnant and not so inviting, so use your common sense.


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NamibRand Nature Reserve, Flora and Fauna

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The same plants and animals found in the western areas of the Namib-Naukluft National Park can be found in the NamibRand: oryx, Hartmann's mountain zebra, springbok, red hartebeest, bat-eared fox, spotted hyena, Cape fox and the African wild cat.


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In the more rugged territory, kudu, klipspringer, baboon, and leopards are found.

In the dunes, there is a rich diversity of lizards, beetles, spiders, and the elusive golden mole.

There are approximately 100 birds species, including the rare and endangered lappet faced vulture, black eagle, and the endemic dune lark.


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NamibRand Nature Reserve (2)

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Conservation on a sustainable basis is the reserve's foremost priority.
Tourism is strictly limited and controlled, with entrance fees and bed levies going directly into a fund to maintain and preserve the reserve.


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In 1992, the NamibRand Nature Reserve was registered as a non-profit private reserve.
With the registration, all current landowners signed an agreement and adopted a constitution which sets the land aside for conservation from that paint onward.
The reserve is self-sustaining through high quality eco-tourism.


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NamibRand Nature Reserve (1)

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The NamibRand Nature Reserve was established to help protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the southwest Namib Desert.
It is one of southern Africa's largest private nature reserves, stretching over 2,100 sq. km.
Just south of Sesriem, the NamibRand shares a 100 km border with the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the west and Nubib Mountains to the east.


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Nearly all facets of the Namib Desert are found on the reserve, creating a kaleidoscope of living colors.
The Reserve originated in 1984 with Windhoek businessman Albi Bruckner's dream to extend the frontiers of the Namib Desert by incorporating a number of former sheep farms into a land specifically used for a wildlife sanctuary, free from farm fencing and other farming paraphernalia.

Several drought years proved to be too difficult for livestock ranching, and the poaching of wild game increased considerably, however decreased with the oncoming of plentiful rains in the following season.


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Kuiseb Canyon

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Along the Gamsberg Pass on the C14 from Walvis Bay to Solitaire, Kuiseb Canyon is home to the ephemeral Kuiseb River.
Although there is water in the area for most of the year, it rarely flows in the dry season and is more like much of Namibia's other rivers that simply aren't any thing but a sandy river bed.


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During the rainy season, however, the story can be quite different.
The river can fill and flow except for around Gobabeb where the water begins to lose momentum and seep back into the earth.

This is the area that Henno Martin and Hermann Korn went into hiding during the Second World War.
They resisted their Nazi governments call to fight and went into the wilderness where they learned to live off of the land, killing, slaughtering, and dressing animals.
Their story is rather intriguing and is told in Henno Martin's book "The Sheltering Desert".


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