Dead Vlei, a most hauntingly beautiful scene

Without doubt, one of the must-see destinations on any trip to Namibia are the colossal, spellbinding dunes at Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert. But just a few kilometres away lies a scene so surreal, so haunting, and so extraordinary as to almost become more memorable than the shifting dune sands themselves - Dead Vlei.
Sossusvlei has, of course, been well documented over the years and many tourists visiting will doubtless already have a picture in their mind's eye, a preconception of this extraordinary sand washed destination. But be assured that to view these scenes in the flesh soon after dawn, when the very appearance, the colours and hues, the nuances, shades and silhouettes of the plains, the dunes and the sky change inexorably with every moment as the burning sun climbs higher through the rarefied morning air, is almost more than the senses can absorb.

So, as soon as the main gates to the park (locked overnight) are opened at sunrise, let your voyage of discovery begin. Driving along the plains that flank the Tsauchab River, with the huge orange dunes seemingly guarding your progress on either side, is an experience in itself. This ephemeral water course, on rare occasions, will come down in flood and then can reach Sossusvlei itself - most recently in 1997, 2000 and 2006 - where its progress is finally halted by the vast dune sands. The course to Dead Vlei was thus dammed by sand several centuries ago. So after some sixty kilometres, you will reach the parking area; a further 4 km of deep, soft sand can only be traversed by 4x4 vehicles. Those in normal sedans can take the regular 4x4 shuttle service provided or hardier, nature-loving souls might choose to walk. Take plenty of water with, though, and apply a high factor sun block. Temperatures will soar as the sun reaches ever higher.
If reveille was early enough, you will now witness the simply stunning scenario that first light brings. Dark shadows are still thrown across seemingly sculptured deep dunes, their crests carved into sharp angles by the feisty desert winds. Imperious dunescapes - some of the highest in the world - that majestically unfold in a formidable sand sea stretching afar to the distant Atlantic coastline. Mauve becomes red, red is transformed to burnt orange and orange then to gold, as the light grows strong and bright. But this is about Dead Vlei, and so you might choose to leave your vehicle under a cluster of shady acacia trees at the separate, clearly marked area, and then on foot follow the line of small wooden markers set into the sand. Just 1,1 km to walk, hard work in the soft, sliding sand but the adrenalin is surely coursing now. One last steep climb and on that dune's soft summit is the view that will inscribe itself on your memory forever, Dead Vlei.

Words can barely describe the scene: an oval dish of white hardened clay and sand, dried by the wind and scorched by the sun, is ringed by majestic, towering golden dunes standing sentinel, bearing witness to time stood still; and in the very midst of this extraordinary Vlei rise the sharp, stark skeletons of acacia trees denied water for centuries, spearing upwards as parched monuments of a bygone age. Dry, darkened wood on a pure white pan encircled by gold - your mind is dwarfed by the very magnitude of such a spectacle. And yet in this harsh, still and silent landscape, life can yet be glimpsed all around. A lone Oryx may gently meander in search of forage, beetles bask on dune crests sucking in the moisture of earlier advective coastal fog, and insects scurry in search of wind blown detritus whilst occasional succulents and desert grasses subsist in this sublime but ethereal paradise. Nature simply unparalleled.

By Neil Digby-Clarke