Planning your visit
Entrance fee
Around N$150 per adult per day (foreign visitors), N$50 per vehicle. Rates vary by nationality and are updated periodically — confirm current pricing at Sesriem gate.
Gate hours — the sunrise advantage
The outer (Sesriem) gate opens exactly at sunrise. The inner gate — for guests staying at Sesriem Campsite or Sossus Dune Lodge — opens a full hour before sunrise, getting you to the dunes for first light before the day-trippers arrive.
2WD vs 4x4
The tarred road to the 2x4 parking area suits any car. From there, a very sandy track to the final Sossusvlei/Deadvlei parking needs 4x4 or the shuttle service (per-person fee) that runs the last stretch.
Best time to visit
Cooler months (May–September) make the dune walk far more comfortable — summer midday heat on the sand is serious. Sunrise is best year-round for light and temperature both.
Beyond the dunes
Dune 45 & Big Daddy
The two most-climbed dunes — Dune 45 is closer and shorter, Big Daddy is the tallest in the immediate area, both reward the climb with dune-sea views at sunrise.
Deadvlei
A short walk from the 4x4 parking — a white clay pan holding 900-year-old dead camel-thorn trees against red dune walls, one of the most photographed places in Africa.
Sesriem Canyon
A narrow gorge carved by the Tsauchab River, near the gate — an easy add-on walk on the way in or out.
Two real itineraries through Sossusvlei
Part of our full Best of Namibia circuit, or a dedicated 8-day route pairing Sossusvlei directly with Etosha.