Travel guide: Sesriem, Namibia

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At a glance

Local facts

Travel essentials for Sesriem, Namibia — what to expect on the ground. Sesriem sits in Namibia (Africa), in a subtropical climate band — subtropical southern-hemisphere band with mild winters and warm summers. Nearest airport: SZM serves the area. Local timezone is Africa/Windhoek, which matters for arrivals and check-ins. It sits at -24.58°, 15.83° — useful for weather, daylight, and route planning. Use the live tools below to plan around these facts.

RegionNamibia, Africa
Climate bandsubtropical southern-hemisphere band with mild winters and warm summers
Nearest airportSZM
TimezoneAfrica/Windhoek
Coordinates-24.58, 15.83
Located in the Southern Hemisphere

Sesriem is a small settlement in the Namib desert of Namibia, the gateway to Sossusvlei, one of the most spectacular landscapes in Africa. The Sesriem gate is the main entrance to the Sossusvlei area of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, home to the enormous red sand dunes for which Namibia is famous, some of the tallest in the world. From Sesriem, a road runs into the park past the great dunes, including the well-known Dune 45, to the clay pans of Sossusvlei and the haunting Deadvlei, with its dead camel-thorn trees against white clay and orange sand. Nearby is the Sesriem Canyon, a narrow gorge carved by the Tsauchab river. Sesriem is reached by road across the desert, and by a small airstrip for fly-in visitors. The climate is hot desert, with very hot days, cold desert nights and very little rain.

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Tours & experiences

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Frequently asked questions

What is Sesriem?
Sesriem is a small desert settlement in Namibia that serves as the gateway to Sossusvlei. The Sesriem gate is the main entrance to the Sossusvlei part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, so almost every visitor to the great dunes passes through Sesriem, where much of the area's accommodation is also based.
What can you see near Sesriem?
From Sesriem you can reach the highlights of the Namib dunes: the towering red sand dunes of Sossusvlei, the much-photographed Dune 45, and the white clay pan of Deadvlei with its ancient dead trees. Close to the gate is the Sesriem Canyon, a narrow gorge cut by the Tsauchab river through the desert rock.
How do you get to Sesriem?
Sesriem is reached mainly by road across the desert of central Namibia, often as part of a self-drive or guided safari, and it also has a small airstrip for fly-in visitors. From Sesriem it is a further drive of about an hour into the park to reach the dunes of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei.

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