Sossusvlei means something like the dead-end marsh, and that is exactly what it is: a clay pan where the Tsauchab river, in the rare years when it flows, runs out of strength and disappears into the dunes. For most of the time the pan is white, cracked and dry, surrounded by some of the tallest sand dunes on earth, including the one known as Big Daddy, rising roughly three hundred metres above the floor. Everything about the place is on a giant scale, and the silence is huge. The smell, if you stop and stand still, is of warm dust and nothing else.
The tarmac road leads about sixty kilometres from the Sesriem gate and finishes at a car park, from which the last few kilometres are soft sand that needs a four-wheel drive or a shuttle. A big road bike should stay at the car park, and so should anything that depends on a good grip. Some riders walk the last stretch, which takes an hour or so each way in heat, and there is no shelter. Take water, a hat and sunscreen, and do not underestimate the sun. The Namib offers a lot of beauty but little forgiveness.
Close to the pan lies Deadvlei, a smaller white clay pan where the skeletons of camel thorn trees stand, black against the red dunes and the blue sky. The trees are said to be around nine hundred years old and have been dead for a long time, preserved by the dry air. It is among the most photographed places in Africa, and with good reason. Go early, when the shadows are long and the crowds are small.
Distances are the thing to plan. Sesriem, at the park entrance, has a fuel station and a small shop, but supplies can be limited, so carry what you need and fill up whenever you can. The nearest big towns are very far away. Wind blows sand across the road in the afternoons, so ride with care, and be wary of oryx and springbok that step out onto the tarmac. The park is dark at night and no place to be riding after dusk. Sleep at Sesriem and wake before sunrise.