Since it can be a little hard to enter the Namib Desert and reach Sesriem, Sossusvlei, and Deadvlei, we will first explain how the two-gate entry system works, where all the accommodation at Sesriem is found, and the good and bad sides of staying inside or outside Sesriem National Park.
Namib-Naukluft National Park, which includes Sesriem Canyon, Sossusvlei, Dune 45, Elim Dune, and Deadvlei, is reached through two entrance gates. The first gate is at the meeting point of the D826 road (coming from Windhoek in the north) and the C27 gravel road (coming from the south).
The main gate: Sesriem entrance gate
- Opening hours: 6:00 am to 6:00 pm from September to April
- June to August: 6:45 am to 6:00 pm
If you are staying outside the park fence, you will need a permit to enter. The cost is €0.5 (N$10) per vehicle per day and €4 (N$80) per person.
Staying outside the park
If you arrive at the first gate close to sunrise, you will still see the early morning light, but not the actual sunrise. This is a slower drive because there will already be some daylight, and you can enjoy watching the sun come up as you enter the desert. (If you are staying inside the first gate and leave before sunrise, the whole drive is done in the dark.)
Another option is to arrive at the gate early, drive the first 45 kilometers to Dune 45 (see the photo below, taken three hours after sunrise), climb the dune to catch the early morning light, and then continue to the Sossusvlei and Deadvlei areas.
