We woke up at 4 in the morning to get on the bus so we could get to Sossusvlei for the morning light. Annoyingly though, the gate man refused to open due to some bureaucratic thing (they had just changed daylight savings time or something) so we waited there till the sun was fully up.
The dunes were stunning even so
The sand dunes here are stationary, unlike in many other places. only their tops move a few meters depending on the wind.
People really like to see the dunes with all the crisp lines
It was very pretty
As the sun rose further, the colors changed from pastes and pinks, to orange
The only tree that survives here is the camel thorn acacia
We went on a little tour led by a man named Bossman. He kindly told us that he walked rather fast, so there was no need to try to keep up with him, he would wait when he got someplace interesting. Ha! I took this picture just moments after he walked away. Barefoot cruiser.
One of our first stops was to see this little lizard
Prince of the desert for sure. Oryx on a dune
This is Deadvlei, a place I really was looking forward to seeing
The white is leftover organic matter and minerals from when there was once water in this place. It was a long time ago though. These trees have been dead for over 800 years.
I think this is one of my favorite pics
I love how you can see the old water paths through this very dry land
Camel thorn
Pretty serious armament.
We went on a little tour led by a man named Bossman. He kindly told us that he walked rather fast, so there was no need to try to keep up with him, he would wait when he got someplace interesting. Ha! I took this picture just moments after he walked away. Barefoot cruiser.
One of our first stops was to see this little lizard
Prince of the desert for sure. Oryx on a dune
This is Deadvlei, a place I really was looking forward to seeing
The white is leftover organic matter and minerals from when there was once water in this place. It was a long time ago though. These trees have been dead for over 800 years.
It was a pretty surreal place
I think this is one of my favorite pics
I love how you can see the old water paths through this very dry land
Camel thorn
Pretty serious armament.
Distances were deceiving. From where I stood to the base of that far dune was about 7 km according to Bossman.
So, when water does come here, these places would thrive. Until a dune blocks it off into oblivion. 
So, when water does come here, these places would thrive. Until a dune blocks it off into oblivion. 
Deadvlei here was the old pan, 
and the main area of the park, Sossusvlei, is the current pan that gets the occasional flow from the highlands. Much happier trees for sure
Dune 45 is reasonably famous because you can climb it. It is by no means the highest. I think the highest is something like 250 meters
By the time we got there at noon, that sand was hot! These guys were in sandals and turned back shortly after, with bright pink toes.
The sand can get up to 70 C reportedly. All I know is that that hot sand blowing against your bare legs hurt.
It was quite a view from up top
It doesn't look nearly so big from below.
and the main area of the park, Sossusvlei, is the current pan that gets the occasional flow from the highlands. Much happier trees for sure
Dune 45 is reasonably famous because you can climb it. It is by no means the highest. I think the highest is something like 250 meters
By the time we got there at noon, that sand was hot! These guys were in sandals and turned back shortly after, with bright pink toes.
The sand can get up to 70 C reportedly. All I know is that that hot sand blowing against your bare legs hurt.
It was quite a view from up top
Here's most of us that braved the burning sands and scorching sun
It doesn't look nearly so big from below.
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