Dune 45 is a long, curving ridge of red sand in the Namib, forty-five kilometres from the Sesriem gate on the road to Sossusvlei, and the numbering explains its name. It stands about 170 metres high and its sharp crest has become the best-known dune in Namibia. The red colour comes from iron in the sand, which oxidises over time, so the older the dune, the redder it is. In the first light of the morning, it glows orange against a blue-black sky, and in the late afternoon the shadow side turns the colour of charcoal. The dune is not the tallest in the desert, but it is the one most people climb, because it is the easiest to reach.
The paved road that brings you here is a long, quiet, straight one with a few gentle bends, running through a flat, pale desert plain. On both sides you see the dune sea rising in the distance, and you pass solitary camel thorn trees, springbok, oryx and, if you are lucky, an ostrich. Because the park gates open at around sunrise and close at sunset, most visitors arrive together in the morning. If you arrive earlier or later, the road can be almost empty. Wind picks up through the morning and sand can blow across the tarmac in streaks, so watch for patches of drift when the gusts are strong.
The Namib is considered one of the oldest deserts in the world, and its dunes are shaped by winds blowing in from the Atlantic. Fog rolls in off the cold ocean, and the plants and beetles that live here have learned to drink it. The climb up Dune 45 takes a bit of effort in soft sand, and it is best done at sunrise before the heat sets in. Take water, wear sun protection, and leave the helmet and riding boots at the bottom.
Sesriem, at the gate, offers fuel, and Solitaire, on the road to the north, is a well-known stop with a petrol pump and a famous apple pie; even so, it is wise to arrive with a full tank and some spare, because distances are large. Temperatures swing from cold at dawn to very hot by midday. A buff or scarf against the dust is a good idea.