Temperatures:
Winter months are preferred by most visitors as the daytime temperatures
are usually below 30C. (unless the east wind is blowing). However,
during winter the night time temperatures can go below freezing. The
Temperatures in the summer months are often in excess of 35C.
The Sun:
On a cloudless day in the desert you will be
subjected to 90% of the sun's radiation. In humid areas you would only
experience 40%. You
can become sunburned very quickly, even during the winter months. The
sun also reflects upwards from the sands. Wear sensible head covering and a
high factor sun-block. This is not the time or the place to be trying
to improve your tan. You can buy 100 factor in
Namibia.
Equipment: Ideally, you
should wear good quality hiking or trail boots. If
you intend hiking to Hiddenvlei cross trainer or running type
shoes are not really suitable and will take in a lot of sand. On a hot
day the sand temperature can be 70°c plus.
Health:
Please be advised that you should be reasonably fit to
take the hiking trails to either Hiddenvlei or Deadvlei. Walking
through soft sand is tiring. The best times for these hikes is in the
winter months. During the summer months try to complete your visits
before 10h00 by which time the temperatures are getting quite high.
You should
The Sossusvlei:
Following rains in the nearby Naukluft
Mountains the waters run into the Tsauchab River and begins its
journey with a relatively high volume rate of flow which can wash
deep cuts through the C19 road. If visiting Namibia during the rainy
season you must always be careful not get caught in a river-bed in
the path of a flash-flood. The results could be fatal. Only 2 years
ago the Sesriem Camp was flooded as the river banks are shallow in
that area. The wide and shallow deluge carried with it light
coloured silt the 60km plus to Sossusvlei before being completely
consumed by the desert.
The word 'Sossus' is
from Bushman and Nama origin
and is thought to mean, 'A gathering place of
water'. The word Vlei is Afrikaans meaning a
shallow lake, or a shallow area that becomes flooded during the rainy
season. Following a good inflow, the vleis can hold water for some
months. There is 4 x 4 parking area at Sossusvlei where you can get
some shade sitting under some of the enormous camel thorn trees, of
which the area has plenty.
There's a lot to see in
the area and sadly most people just drive in have a quick look
around, make a bee-line for the Dead- Vlei and leave, after which
they'll blithely inform you, "Been there, seen it". But they missed so much.
On your visit you'll also see plenty of Nara plants. These have no leaves and
bear a round spiky fruit once a year that grow to the size of a
grapefruit. It serves as a food source for certain birds, gemsbok
(Oryx), hyenas, jackals, mice, porcupines and even humans.
