From sunrise to sunset: Sossusvlei in 16 photos

You get to Sossusvlei along a 60km tar road from Sesriem. The tar ends 5km before the end and you’ll need a 4×4 to get through the last section of deep sand. 

And the sand is deep. The park does provide a 4×4 taxi service for this section, but it’s best to have your own vehicle if you want to be there for sunset and sunrise.

And dawn/dusk are definitely the best times to be there. We got up before dawn to make the 60km drive to the Deadvlei parking area, and then jogged as quickly as we could to get up Big Daddy dune for sunrise.

Up to the top of Big Daddy Dune (which divides Sossusvlei and Deadvlei).

The early rise was definitely worth it.

From Big Daddy Dune we slipped our way down the steep dune face into Deadvlei and watched the light creep slowly across the pan.

It was a good opportunity to capture the pans iconic dead trees in the contrasting light.

It’s hard to imagine the pans with enough water to let these trees grow so big.

The tree trunks are so hard and dry they seem almost petrified.

I also loved the texture of the dry pan. With your shoes off it’s like walking on some kind of etched plastic laminate.

The textures and patterns of the unspoilt sand ripples were another favourite.

Sand and pan, side by side at Sossusvlei.

We returned to Deadvlei at around 4pm to capture a very different, warmer evening light as it slipped across the pan.

A wider shot of the lengthening shadows at Deadvlei.

The last rays of light across Deadvlei pan.

But let me leave you with this, lest you think that Deadvlei and Sossusvlei are empty playgrounds with not a soul but you in sight. If you get there early and can stay a little late then you definitely will find plenty of opportunity for quiet, solitary reflection. But the crowds do come as evidenced by this well-trodden pathway from the parking area to Deadvlei pan.