Sossusvlei and Sesriem Namibia
How Much Time do you Need to Visit Sossusvlei?
How long does it take to visit Sossusvlei? Want to know if you should you spend one, two, three nights or longer in the Sossusvlei and Namib Desert area? There is no one right answer but this page will help you decide how much is the right length of time for your trip to Sossusvlei.
How long do you need to Visit Sossusvlei?
Deadvlei in the Namib Desert near Sossusvlei Namibia
How to Get To Sossusvlei?
The most popular way to visit Sossusvlei is by driving yourself. You can find lots if useful information about how to go about this including how to book your accommodation, what activities are available at Sossusvlei, road conditions and distances between tourist locations in Namibia on our self drive safari planning guide.
If you don't feel confident about driving yourself through Namibia their is a new "hop on hop off" style bus connecting a number of Namibias tourist hotspots for 2022.
There are scheduled guided trips to Sossusvlei departing from Windhoek each week, and Sossusvlei is included on most scheduled guided trips around Namibia.
Other methods of getting to Sosssusvlei include flying in or taking a road transfer.
Getting to Sossusvlei
Group tours are very popular in Namibia, and usually run on scheduled departures on set days of the week. These tours may be a short 3 day tour from Windhoek or as part of a longer trip exploring more of Namibia and run to a set schedule.
Some people prefer to have their own private guided tour rather than join a scheduled group tour, these tours can be more flexible.
Flights are available to select private airstrips mainly in private reserves, where your lodge can usually arrange to transfer you. A good option if you are short on time.
While there is no public transport available to Sossusvlei, from 2022 there are some scheduled transfers aimed at tourists from Windhoek, Swakopmund or the Kalahari.
Private road transfers can also be arranged from most locations by hiring a vehicle and a driver, often in these cases you will also need to cover the cost of the accommodation for your driver/guide.
Red sand dunes in the Namib Desert near Sossusvlei Namibia
When to Visit Sossusvlei?
To determine the best time of year to visit Sossusvlei you need to take into account the seasonal weather as well as when the high and low seasons are which will affect the budget and the number of people visiting Sossuvlei at the same time as you.
In addition, the time of day you visit Sossusvlei can also affect your overall experience.
Also important to take into account when planning your visit to Sossusvlei are the park opening and closing times.