Sossusvlei and Solitaire

14/01/2020

For reservations please visit our website or click on book now: http://www.temba.co.za/namibia/sossusvlei.html

The Namib Desert, Sossuvlei dunes and the hotels, lodges and self-catering accommodation of Sossusvlei, Sesriem, Solitaire and Helmeringhausen in Namibia

04/10/2019

CROSS BORDER DOCUMENTATION FOR RENTAL VEHICLES:
There are many travellers who like combining a trip to various countries in Southern Africa. Self-drive safaris are becoming more and more popular and it often makes sense to pick-up a rental vehicle in Johannesburg and then drive to Botswana, Zimbabwe or Nambia. In this case it is essential to let the car-rental company know where you will be travelling to. There is a fair amount of documentation that must be prepared by the car-rental company for the vehicle to cross the borders. Cross-border fees might also be applicable. It is advisable to plan your route well ahead and let your travel agent know exactly where you will be travelling to so that they can assist you and advise you on documentation and the fees involved. You will also need to send a copy of a valid driver’s licence and your passport to the rental company.

If you are travelling in your own vehicle the following is necessary:
• A valid driver’s licence
• Proof of ownership
• If you are driving with someone else’s vehicle you will need a letter from them giving you permission to drive the vehicle in another country and a copy of their ID.
• It is always a recommendation that you take a proof that the vehicle is insured
• The registration documents of the vehicle
• Remember to let your insurance know you will be travelling in another country

03/10/2019

Taking meat into Botswana and Namibia
We receive regular questions about taking meat and other fresh produce into Botswana and Namibia from South Africa. Due to the FMD (Foot and Mouth Disease) outbreak in Limpopo, no meat may cross the border from South Africa to Namibia or Botswana. This regulation includes biltong, animal hides, dairy products and eggs. At some of the border posts you might even find they confiscate fruit and vegetables. This means that canned products and UHT products are the best option until this ban is lifted.

14/06/2016

The best way to watch the sunrise in sossusvlei is in a hot air balloon.

17/02/2016

Sossusvlei is a large salt and clay pan, situated in the southern region of the Namib Desert. Undoubtedly Namibia’s most iconic landscape; the rust-red dunes, bleached white pans and deep blue sky are instantly recognisable, and symbolise the country's vast, dry, uninhabited expanses.

13/07/2015

09/06/2015

Planning a visit to Sossusvlei Dune Lodge next year? Familiarize yourself with 2016's rates at http://www.temba.co.za/namibia/sossusvlei_dune_lodge.htm (click on "Bookings/ Rates" to view).

03/06/2015

19/03/2015

MORE ABOUT THE NAMIB DESERT - THE WORLD’S OLDEST

Namibia is one of the driest places on earth - and also home to the oldest desert in the world. It is a place where wildlife has adapted to the environment and a place where travellers marvel at the desolate expanse. Here are some interesting tidbits about the desert.

1. The dunes are massive and widespread: Dune 45 is just one of many gigantic dunes in the Sossusvlei area. It stands at 170m high. Some dunes are 32km long.

2. There is plant growth: Even though it is a pretty extreme environment, some plants are able to grow, like the lichens, succulents and shrubs. You will even find acacia trees here.

3. It looks like the Moon in some places: Deep in the desert some terrain start resembling the surface of the moon and there is even an area named the Moon Valley.

4. It’s a great place for hiking: Treat yourself to a hauntingly beautiful experience and do a hike in the Sossusvlei. The dunes here reach as high as 274m.

5. Deadvlei: This area near Sossusvlei, in the Namib-Naukluft Park, consists of white clay pan. It is so dry here that wood can’t decompose.

6. Plenty of wildlife here: Gemsbok (or oryx) are regularly observed in the Namib Desert. The can withstand the heat of the area due to a complicated system of blood vessels and nasal passages. The Namib Desert is also home to little guys like the desert beetles. One of the most interesting creatures here is the web-footed gecko. It is nearly translucent and easily blends in with the sand.

7. Sossusvlei’s Elim Dune: This is probably the most commonly photographed dune in the area. It is pretty easy to climb.

8. Wild Horse paradise: Even horses adapted to the harsh environment. They live in the barren plains around Garub, on the eastern fringe of the desert.

9. Spitzkoppe: The Spitzkoppe (German for “pointed dome”) are a group of granite peaks between USakos and Swakopmund. The granite is estimated to be over 700 million years old.

10. Hotspot for stargazing: The Namib Desert offers uncompromised views of the night sky. One of the best places to go is the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, which has its own observatory.

Source: afktravel.com (17 Feb)

26/01/2015

AWARD FOR NAMIB DESERT LODGE

German tour operator TerraVista-Erlebnisreisen has chosen Namib Desert Lodge as its most popular category B lodge in Namibia. Presenting the award during a visit to Namibia in December, the company's managing director, Kai Wolfermann, said: "Our clients chose this lodge. They mentioned the amazing hospitality as one of the outstanding features there, which is quite remarkable for a lodge of this size. They felt that they were given the same individual attention and care that can be expected at a boutique-style guest farm."

TerraVista, based in Lower Saxony, arranges Namibia tours for self-driving travellers and small groups. Last year a total of 670 clients were asked about their experience. Regarding Namib Desert Lodge they mainly praised the incredible location, the wonderful opportunities for excursions, the great service and the high level of customer proximity. The Gondwana lodge is ranked in the Vista B category for beautiful, selected mid-range accommodation establishments.

Namib Desert Lodge at the foot of the fossilised dunes of the protomorphic Namib is a perfect base for excursions to Sossusvlei with the highest dunes on earth and to Sesriem Canyon. An unrivalled adventure is a guided hike from Namib Desert Lodge to Namib Dune Star Camp where guests can wheel out their beds for a night under the star-studded splendour of the southern sky.

(PHOTO: TerraVista’s Kai Wolfermann presents the TerraVista Award to Anja von Reeken of Namib Desert Lodge)

02/01/2015

Solitaire: one of Namibia's most iconic 'towns'

(via / RT'd by - from Twitter)

24/07/2014

NEW DESERT RETREAT OPENS IN NAMIBIA

Namibia just got another addition to its tourism industry. The Kanaan N/a’ an ku sê Desert Retreat, 35km from the Namib-Naukluft Park, was officially introduced last week.

The retreat, formerly a farm in the Sossusvlei region, offers 33 000 hectares of unspoiled nature, contrasting landscapes and many photographic opportunities. Dr. Rudie and Marlice van Vuuren are the owners and also run the popular Utopia Botique in Klein Windhoek. Van Vuuren said the retreat will focus on the rehabilitation of the land to serve a further purpose of conservation and protection of wildlife. The reserve is home to mountain zebra, kudu, springbok, ostrich, oryx, hyena and jackal.

There will also be a focus on research. The projects at Kanaan will be ecological and conflict research on the large carnivores within the territory.

The owners also pointed out that the retreat won’t be a typical mass tourism destination. "We try to do things as ecologically sustainable as possible therefore electricity is provided by solar power. Guests are welcome to take a dip after a hot day in the desert, in the icy cold water of the farm dam close to home," Van Vuuren said.

Facilities include a warm water shower, toilet and basin. Guests are invited to climb the Tiras Mountains and visit the Quiver Tree Forest, or visit the endless magical red dunes during the sundowner drives.

Source: ‘New desert retreat opens for tourism’, New Era (22 July)