Climbing Big Daddy Dune At Sossusvlei, Namibia

Big Daddy is the tallest sand dune in Sossusvlei at 325 metres and one of the highest in the world. Climbing to the top is a tough but rewarding experience in this magical destination in Namibia.

My feet are sunk deep into hot sand.

I’m standing on the narrow ridge at the top of Big Daddy Dune, 325m in the air, with the vast landscape of Namibia’s Namib Desert rippling away from me like an ocean of sand.

The sand here originated in the Kalahari. Over the years, it was carried out to sea by the Orange River, pushed north by strong currents, and dumped back on land, where it forms the iconic Sossusvlei dunes.

It’s a magical landscape of sweeping red-orange dunes separated by white salt pans dotted with black petrified trees.

Visiting Sossusvlei is easily one of the best things to do in Namibia.

In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about climbing Big Daddy Dune, including how to get there, where to park and how to see Deadvlei afterwards.

WHAT IS BIG DADDY?

Big Daddy is the tallest sand dune in Sossusvlei, an area of remarkable sand dunes and salt pans in Namibia’s Namib Desert.

Big Daddy is 325 metres high, and the views from the top are sensational.

Strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean, combined with the dry, arid climate in the area, helped shape Big Daddy to its extraordinary size.

Big Daddy is known as a Star Dune, which is a dune with 3 or more arms. They are formed by frequently changing wind directions, which is also the reason they can grow so high.

WHERE IS BIG DADDY?

Big Daddy is the largest sand dune in Sossusvlei, which is 350 kilometres southwest of Windhoek in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Sossusvlei is one of three salt and clay pans in the Namib Desert, considered the oldest desert in the world.

However, most people refer to the entire area comprising Dune 45, Big Daddy Dune, and the other two salt pans, Deadvlei and Hiddenvlei, as Sossusvlei.

HOW TO GET THERE?

Accessing Sossusvlei’s dunes and salt pans is via the tiny settlement of Sesriem.

From Windhoek, the drive to Sesriem takes around 4-5 hours.

We suggest taking the Spreetshoogte Pass via the C24, then the D1261 and D1275 via Solitaire. The views from the pass are excellent, and Solitaire has a great bakery and a few rusty old cars in the desert, which make a great photo opportunity.  

ENTRANCE GATES & PERMITS

At Sesriem, there are two gates you need to go through to access the Sossusvlei section of the Namib-Naukluft National Park:

• Main Gate (Outer gate) – opens from dawn till dusk.
• Desert Gate (Inner Gate) – opens an hour before dawn and one hour after sunset

You need a permit to enter Sossusvlei Namib Naukluft Park. The fees are:

• Adults: N$150 per day
• Children: N$100 per day
• Vehicles: N$50 per day

Permits last 24 hours and are purchased at the Main Gate in Sesriem.

You can buy a permit on the day of your visit. But if you arrive the afternoon before, we recommend getting your permit when you arrive to avoid any queues. If you do this, make sure you let them know you want the permit to start the following day.

Permits can be paid for with cash or card.

You need to provide photo ID at the park entrance, so make sure you have your driver’s licence or passport with you.

HOW TO GET TO THE BIG DADDY TRAILHEAD

Access to Big Daddy trailhead is from the Deadvlei Hiking Trail Parking Lot.

From the Sesriem entrance gates, you need to drive 60 kilometres on the paved road to the Sossusvlei 2WD Parking Lot.

From the Sossusvlei 2WD Parking Lot, it’s another 6 kilometres to the Deadvlei Hiking Trail Parking Lot. However, this section of the road is not paved and passes through deep sand.

The best way to get here is to take the regular shuttle bus, run by About Africa, which costs N$200 for adults and N$100 for children.

From the parking lot, it takes around 20 minutes to walk to the base of Big Daddy.

HIKING BIG DADDY

From the parking lot, it took us around 90 minutes to get to the top of Big Daddy.

The walk is a little challenging because of the deep sand, but providing you have a relatively good level of fitness, it’s not a difficult climb.

The path is very easy to follow because you are just walking up the ridge of the sand dune. I actually took my shoes off and found it much easier and more comfortable to walk barefoot. But the sand might be too hot if you start the walk later in the day.

Once you get over the first ridge, you get incredible views of the Deadvlei Pan beneath you.

The last climb to the top was the steepest, but after a bit of huffing and puffing, we eventually made it.

On the summit, there’s just enough space to spread out, get a few selfies and have a sit-down.

GETTING DOWN

You can either walk back down the ridge the way you came or slide down the dune to Deadvlie.

We went for the fun way.

Stepping off the ridge and down its steep side, you start gaining pace pretty quickly. It’s such a fun way to get back down and much quicker than it took to get up in the first place.

DEADVLEI

The pan of Deadvlei used to be flooded by the Tsauchab River, creating a marsh that sustained the camel-thorn trees.

As the climate changed, a drought caused the sand dunes to spread and block the river’s path. 

The result is Deadvlei, a barren landscape that resembles a Dali painting. Petrified black trees stand defiant in the desert, where not even death is enough to topple them.

It’s a great thing to do after hiking Big Daddy.

The harsh landscape of Deadvlei works well in harsh light conditions, so you’re better off being up the top of Big Daddy for the best light of the day before heading here. 

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU?

• Water – First and foremost, you need to take plenty of water with you on the hike. It can get very hot and dusty, plus you’ll be working up a sweat so it’s important to stay hydrated.
• Sun protection – There’s no shade whatsoever on the hike, so take a hat and sunscreen with you.
• Warm Clothes – If you hike early in the morning, it may still be cold from the night before, so a warm top is a good idea.
• Wind Protection – It’s possible it will be windy at the top with a lot of sand flying around, so take something to keep the sand out of your face and out of your camera.
• Snacks – Take some snacks with you for a bit of extra energy when you get to the top.
• Trainers – wouldn’t recommend heavy hike boots for the Big Daddy Hike. Instead, I’d wear lighter trainers that you can take off if the sand is not too hot. I wouldn’t wear flip-flops because there are lots of prickly things to step on in the salt pans.

WHERE TO STAY?

You can either stay inside the national park or just on the outskirts. The benefit of staying inside the park is that you can enter before sunrise.

However, there are limited options inside the park, and if you would prefer more comfort, you might prefer to stay just outside the main gates.

We have more details and lodging recommendations in our guide to visiting Sossusvlei.

MORE NAMIBIA GUIDES

• See the amazing Namibia coastal scenery on a Walvis Bay Tour.
• Read about driving the Skeleton Coast to see if it’s for you.
• Sefl-drive in Etosha National Park with our detailed guide.
• Plan your trip with our 2-week Namibia itinerary.
• See the amazing conservation work at Okonjima Nature Reserve.
• The very best things to do in Namibia as we see them.
• Trophy hunting and Namibia’s wildlife challenges.
• How to climb Big Daddy Dune in Sossusvlei.