Big Mama dune: height, climb, view of Deadvlei

From the walking car park at Deadvlei you see two big dunes. One is Big Daddy, the taller one, with a line of climbers strung out along its crest every morning. The other, to the north, has a broader, rounder back and far fewer tracks in the sand. That is Big Mama, the second large dune above the pan.

Height: over 200 m
Position: north of Big Daddy
Climbing time: no source
Type of dune: Star dune

Only one of the usual sources puts a number on it: more than 200 metres. The site visitsossusvleinamibia.com compares that to a 60 storey building. Nobody has published the kind of competing measurements that circulate for Big Daddy, and no source gives a climbing time at all. What is certain is the relationship between the two: Big Mama stays below her neighbour, which takes one and a half to two hours.

At the top the pan lies under you, white and cracked, with the black stumps of the camel thorn trees on it. It is the same view most people climb Big Daddy for, seen from a different angle and with a lot less height to gain. If you want the pan from above without the two hour slog, this is the dune.

A rounded dune ridge in warm morning light with a strip of grass in front — A broad, rounded back instead of a narrow crest. That is how you tell Big Mama from below.

Time needed: no documented figure, less than Big Daddy
Cost: covered by the park entry fee
When: early morning, before the sand heats up
From Sesriem gate: 65 km, 75 minutes

Our tipThe climb starts from the same walking car park as the path into Deadvlei. The last five kilometres are deep sand, so without a proper four wheel drive you take the shuttle from the 2x4 car park.

Big Mama: frequently asked questions

How high is Big Mama dune?

Sources give more than 200 metres for Big Mama at Deadvlei. That keeps it well below Big Daddy, for which figures between 325 and 380 metres above the pan are quoted.

How long does it take to climb Big Mama?

No reachable source gives a climbing time for Big Mama at Deadvlei. Since the dune is lower than Big Daddy, which takes one and a half to two hours, you will need less, but there is no documented figure.

Where is Big Mama at Sossusvlei?

Big Mama stands north of Big Daddy at the edge of Deadvlei, around 65 kilometres past Sesriem gate. The final five kilometres to the walking car park are deep sand.

Can you see Deadvlei from the top of Big Mama?

Yes. From the summit of Big Mama you look down on the white clay pan of Deadvlei with its dead camel thorn trees and on the dunes all around it.