The Sossusvlei, or Sossus Vlei, is a salt and clay pan in the southern part of the Namib Desert that is surrounded by some of the world's highest sand dunes. It is part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Its name is a combination of the Nama word of Sossus, which means 'no return' and the Afrikaans word of Vlei, which means 'marsh'. This Sossusvlei means 'marsh of no return', or dead-end marsh'. It is an endorheic drainage basin for the ephemeral Tsauchab River.

The Sossusvlei is 66 km southwest from Sesriem. The last 6 km are 4WD vehicles only and 2WD cars have to be left at the 2x4 parking.

Along the way you will see the isolated Elim Dune (5 km from Sesriem) and Dune 45, which is a high sand dune, 45 km from Sesriem (hence its name).

Close to the Sossusvlei is a 325 m high dune named Big Daddy, the highest dune in the Sossusvlei area. Deadvlei is another clay pan, some 2 km from the Sossusvlei. It used to be an oasis, but when the river changed its course, all the vegetation died and the only things that stand there now are the blackened remains of the camelthorn trees that used to grow there. Another vlei in the vicinity is Hiddenvlei, 4 km from the 2×4 parking. There are also lithified dunes in the area, which are sand dunes that have solidified to rock.

Sossusvlei ©Joshua Kettle

Deadvlei ©Martin Gasiorek

Deadvlei ©Felipe Labate

Dunes ©Dimitri Simon

Dunes ©Kurt Cotoaga

Deadvlei ©Parsing Eye

Sossusvlei ©Joshua Kettle