Sossusvlei

The dunes in the Namib Desert were formed over the course of many millions of years. Sand,which was constantly washed into the sea by the Orange River, was transported northwards along the west coast by the cold Benguela Current. The surf pushed the sand ashore. Coastal dunes were formed, which were shifted inland by the wind. The wind is still constantly shifting the sand of the shifting dunes

Namibia’s scenic highlight in the middle of the Namib Desert is the Sossusvlei in the Namib Naukluft Park – is a salt-encrusted clay depression surrounded by mighty sand dunes. In 2013, the area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The dunes in the Sossusvlei sometimes reach heights of 300 meters and more and are therefore among the highest in the world. The record is held by the 350-meter-high “Big Daddy” or “Big Mama”.

The Tsauchab River has created as a gorge millions of years ago with steep and almost vertical conglomerate rock walls rising upwards, sometimes up to 30 meters. The incision is only a few meters wide. This is the nearby Sesriem Canyon. The Tsauchab Rivier supplies the water after a good rainfall, especially from the Naukluft mountains through the canyon to the Sossusvlei. This event is extremely rare.