Overview: Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion
The Hoodia trip is run at a slower pace than most, in contrast with the sometimes crowded, often rushed and occasionally chaotic feeling of some of the alternatives. While the slower pace does mean that travellers will miss out on the earliest photos of Deadvlei, we believe that this is a compromise worth making. As this trip fills up quickly, it requires pre-booking; speak to us for more detail.
The details
You’ll be woken well before sunrise, giving you time to enjoy breakfast before leaving the lodge. Then jump into an enclosed safari vehicle for the 22km drive to Sesriem and the gates of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, arriving just before they open at sunrise.From the park gates, the 65km drive to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei is full of interest and colour. As the sun climbs above the Naukluft Mountains your guide will find a scenic spot where you can stop and enjoy the spectacle. He/she will explain a little about the geological processes that formed the unique Namib Sand Sea and tell you about the desert-adapted animals that call this desiccated environment home. Keen birders should keep their eyes peeled for Namibia’s only true endemic bird, the dune lark.
From here you will continue your leisurely drive to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, keeping a lookout for springbok, oryx and other larger wildlife along the way.
Once at the 4WD car park you’ll explore on foot, taking a route that your guide considers appropriate to the fitness of the group. Generally, you will take a relatively quiet route over some of the smaller dunes into Deadvlei, which usually allows some great photo opportunities of the iconic trees without crowds of people in the way. More adventurous and fitter groups will then have the chance to climb the dune known as ‘Big Mamma’ before returning to the vehicle for a tea break.
From here your guide will take you back towards the park entrance before diverting to Elim Dune, a picturesque area that is often missed by the casual visitor. This is the setting for your ‘Out of Africa style' lunch, a scenic sit-down meal set up in the shade of a camelthorn tree, complete with tablecloths and spectacular views.
The last stop on your trip takes you to Sesriem Canyon, some 30m deep in places and carved out over time by the Tsauchab River. From here, you’ll return to the lodge in time for afternoon tea.
Please note: Expert Africa can only arrange this desert and dune excursion as part of a full, Expert Africa itinerary including at least two nights staying at Hoodia Desert Lodge. See the Holiday ideas, below, for examples of such itineraries.
- Start location
- You’ll generally be woken up an hour before leaving Hoodia to get to the park gates in time for sunrise. This gives you time for breakfast before you leave.
- End location
- You'll return to Hoodia
- Meals included
- Picnic lunch is included
- Duration
- Full day, including lunch
- Maximum group size
- Customised Land Cruisers are used for this excursion, which can carry up to six passengers.
Photo gallery
What to look forward to.
Explore the iconic apricot dunes of Sossusvlei...
...your expert guide will teach you about the flora, fauna and geology of this unique park...
...you may even get up-close and personal with some of the deserts residents.
...before climbing some dunes...
...and admiring the view.
Once you've worked up and appetite enjoy an 'Out of Africa' breakfast.
And finally explore the unexpected Sesriem Canyon.
Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion reviews
25 independent first-hand comments from our travellers.
Ideas for holidays which can include Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion
Add this experience to these trip ideas or contact us to start planning your own tailor-made holiday to Namibia.
Brown Hyena Self-drive
14 days • 8 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT
The perfect trip for those who want to mix the adventure and freedom of a self-drive with some of our favourite luxury camps in Namibia and a great mix of activities.
US$5,920 - US$7,570 per person
Black Wildebeest Self-drive Safari
19 days • 10 locations
CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT
Journey from South Africa’s cosmopolitan Cape Town to central Namibia’s Okonjima Nature Reserve during this self-driven safari. The route passes through a stunning variety of landscapes, offering access to this beautiful continent’s rich diversity.
US$3,160 - US$3,640 per person
Pelican Fly & Drive Safari
10 days • 5 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT
A unique itinerary visiting the must-see highlights combining the adventure of a classic Namibian self-drive with the ease and spectacular views of a fly-in safari.
US$5,520 - US$7,340 per person
Chongololo Self-drive Safari
21 days • 11 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT
This self-drive safari focuses on the best walking experiences in Namibia. Get your boots ready for the apricot dunes of the Namib Desert and the ancient hills of Damaraland.
US$5,770 - US$7,170 per person
Dune Lark Fly & Drive Safari
14 days • 8 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT
A combination fly-in self-drive exploration of Namibia, with quick, easy and scenic flights in and out of Sossusvlei before a classic road trip adventure of the country’s rugged north.
US$4,340 - US$5,580 per person
Other excursions in Namibia
Inspiration and great ideas for other experiences in Namibia to include in your holiday.
Coast and Sandwich Harbour
Full day
Experience this usually inaccessible part of the Skeleton Coast, where the dunes of the Namib plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. One of our top recommendations, this is an adventurous 4WD trip, guided by experts. You'll explore the Kuiseb Delta and (tides permitting) traverse dunes and the beach to reach Sandwich Harbour, a remote freshwater lagoon with abundant birdlife.
More about Coastal tour
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Morning incl. tea, coffee & sandwiches
Get up close and personal with a colony of Cape fur seals on a kayaking excursion from Walvis Bay. Enjoy a gentle morning’s paddle in Walvis Bay Lagoon as seals surround and interact with you and your kayak. If you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of some Heaviside’s or bottlenose dolphins.
More about Kayaking with seals
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Half day, including breakfast
Ballooning over the world’s oldest desert is an experience you shouldn’t miss. Enjoy spectacular views as the sun rises over the dune-covered plains and rocky mountains of the Namib Desert. You may even spot the occasional oryx or black-backed jackal punctuating the landscape below.
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Dolphin and seal cruise
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A boat cruise around Walvis Bay lagoon is a must for lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors. Seek out the ‘marine big five’ – from Cape fur seals to bottlenose dolphins – and marvel at the range of bird species for whom this haven on the Skeleton Coast is home. Then round off the morning with an oyster brunch.
More about Dolphin & seal cruise
Desert tour
Variable, depending on the tour
Discover the unexpected on a trip into the desert surrounding the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. A must for wilderness lovers, this extraordinary landscape encompasses the Welwitschia Plains, sculpted dunes, the magic of the Kuiseb Delta – and much more. There are plenty of options, each with its own unique focus.
More about Desert tour
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2 hours
Climb aboard the comfortable catamaran Zeepaard in search of the marine life of Namibia’s wild coastline – among them Cape fur seals, Heaviside dolphins, African penguins and perhaps even humpback whales.
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Scenic flights in Namibia
Variable, depending on the flight
Namibia is famed for its stark beauty and boundless desert vistas and there is no better way to soak these in than from the air. A scenic flight gives you a unique perspective on this stunning and varied country, and may even provide a bird’s-eye view of areas that are out of reach to those restricted to terra firma.
More about Scenic flights
Sperrgebiet tour
Full day, including lunch
Discover the hidden gems of the Sperrgebiet National Park on this exceptional all-day trip. There may no longer be diamonds for the taking, but in their place you’ll find ghost towns, the rusting relics of the diamond industry, geological formations, and extraordinary desert flora, largely untouched for generations.
More about Sperrgebiet tour
Fish River Canyon day trip
Half-full day (starting early morning)
An exhilarating descent down into the canyon, marvelling at the stunning geographical features of this vast canyon, followed by lunch and a dip in the natural rock pools – this day trip is exciting and enlightening!
More about Fish River Canyon tripNamibia fact file
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