No Fixed Abode: Name that Dune

Thu 23 Jun 2016 - Sossusvlei Desert Dunes

Why is it when you know you have to get up early you never sleep well? We were very sleepily woken at 0500 and wearily readied ourselves in time to leave at 0615 in the chill morning air. In a race to beat the heat of the day everyone had done the same making the road to the park entrance at Sesriem the busiest we’ve seen in Namibia but as we all arrived just before the 0630 opening time, a queue formed many cars long.

Once inside we joined the procession on, luxury, a tarmac road for the 60km drive to Sossusvlei, just as the sun was rising. For the first 30 km the road follows a broad valley with large dunes embanked at either side and the low rays from the early sun was bathing them in a beautiful light, which combined with the red sand, made them glow ochre. We stopped many times on the road taking photos, admiring the wonderful light and letting the bulk of the traffic past us.

45km from the Sesriem entrance there is a famous dune named, rather unimaginatively, Dune 45 and we had targeted this as our first stop. At 37km we reached a turnoff for a track that led to a large red dune and, although there was no sign, we deduced this must be it. While readying ourselves in the cold wind we could see three people near the summit of the dune, which confirmed our thoughts, so off we set, rucsacs on our backs, primarily to carry our large water bladders.

The short approach track was dispatched in no time and we were soon at the base of the dune, which looked MUCH larger close up. As we set off we were surprised how firm the sand was underfoot and wondered if the climb would be as difficult as we’d thought but before too long the sharp ridge we were following steepened and the sand became loose, as you would find at the beach. It soon became a case of three steps up and two down as the sand deformed beneath our feet and spilled down either side of the ridge although the wind covered our footprints in no time. With the effort of the climb and the power of the rising sun we were soon shedding layers of clothing and working up quite a sweat.

After a long slog interspersed with several stops to rest we reached what, from the ground, had appeared to be the summit but was actually a small mound before the ridge continued on it’s way. By now we must have been at least 150m above the valley floor so we shuffled our bottoms in the sand to make a couple of seats and stopped for a snack and to admire the views, which were awesome. All around us was a 360 degree panorama of dunes as far as the eye could see all with graceful curves carved by the wind continually remodeling them. While we sat we chatted about the amazing places we have visited on our travels and this is right up with Mount Cook in New Zealand and Phong Nha in Vietnam - a real highlight.

For some time we discussed going further, as we’d seen the three earlier climbers shuffle down the side from where we were now, but the real summit didn’t seem that far away and it might be different to walk in virgin sand - so off we went. With the same exhausting shuffle we made steady progress up and along but we soon realised that the point we were heading for was still not the top so we stopped for a breather then began our descent.

Dropping straight down the side, partly running, partly sliding, was way easier than the climb up and we were back at the valley floor in no time. We soon found a patch of rock to sit down on and empty the sand from our boots, which had become so full our feet were completely jammed and did not move at all. After much boot banging and sock shaking we followed the Gemsbok tracks back to the car park and revelled in our adventure, Yvonne recounting how she’d seen a small scorpion. Back in the car we drove on a little further and at 45km we found a car park with a sign for Dune 45. Oh, well, ours was bigger and less popular and we named it, following convention - Dune 37.

As we drove further into the dunes the valley became narrower and narrower until we reached the 2WD car park. From there the remaining 4km to Sossusvlei can only be made either by 4WD, on foot or by catching a shuttle provided by the park. We managed to park in the shade of a large tree (goodness knows how it and its companions were growing in the middle of a desert) and ate an early lunch - although it was only 1030 we were both starving following our exertions and the fact we’d had breakfast so early. Then seeing all the parked buses considered that Sossusvlei would be packed so opted for the 2km walk to Hidden Vlei (Vlei is Afrikaans for a flat plain).

The guidebook states that the path is marked with white posts but we could find nothing apart from a hand made ‘Hidden Vlei’ sign pointing into the sand so seeing a trail of footprints we followed them assuming they were going to the right place. By now it was almost midday and getting hot and the path took a direct line across the desert over a couple of small dunes, which made hot work. We stopped now and then as we noticed some of the many creatures that live in this seemingly inhospitable place: large ants with black and white abdomens, small lizards that shot across the sand at speed and even the odd bird.

Eventually we came to a small plain, which, according to Glenn’s phone GPS, was about 2km from the road, and was surrounded by dunes so we assumed it to be Hidden Vlei, although there were no signs. Other than being very quiet and very hot it wasn’t terribly impressive so we retraced our steps back until we came to a long low dune with a cornice, similar to the ones formed in the mountains from wind blown snow. A short scramble brought us to the top and watched in wonder as the sand backfilled every step in a most intriguing way by collapsing from the top and causing a small chain reaction that worked up the hill. It was so fascinating to watch that we took turns jumping in the sand making larger and larger impressions just to watch the effect.

Finally we crossed to the sunny side of the ridge and sat down in the considerably warmer sand to admire the vista for a very short time before returning to the car to get out of the sun and head for our lovely chalet. On the way we stopped at Elim Dune, which is littered with little tussocks of grass giving it the appearance of a seaside dune. At the bottom a small group of people were sitting at a picnic table set out in the shade of a tree, eating a grand looking lunch that had been prepared for them by their driver, who had left them to it and was wandering off to a small wooden shack that are long drops here. This is a place of many contrasts.

Back at the park entrance we bought our permit, as the office had been closed when we arrived, deciding it prudent to buy tomorrow’s at the same time - we have unfinished business at Sossusvlei itself. At the gate the friendly official checked us off his register then addressed Glenn as Simon asking if we’d had a nice day. When we corrected him he told us with a big smile that the morning guy had recorded us as Simon and perhaps it should become Glenn’s Namibian name - “uncle Simon from Namibia”. Maybe it should.

During the day a couple of people had mentioned that our front tyre was flat so we called in at the fuel station - yup, in the middle of the desert - to fill up and ask the guy to check the pressures. Sure enough it was at half pressure even though it had been checked only a week ago in Springbok, South Africa. Something to keep an eye on as we certainly don’t want it failing on some of the remote journeys still ahead of us.

As we pulled into Desert Quiver Camp we noticed that it was just opening time at the bar and we both had a powerful thirst so we parked at reception, exchanged a few words with the Eva who we’d met yesterday and went to the open air bar. Two cold beers, wonderful desert views and an interesting conversation with Ursula, the bartender named after a German friend of her mother, about tribes,careers and family life in Namibia, passed an enjoyable half hour before returning to our chalet to repeat yesterday’s rest, sunset, gemsbok walk past, visit from the friendly fox and dinner.