Just after six, the light comes in low from behind you. A dozen cars stand at the roadside, two camel thorn trees at the foot of the dune throw long shadows across the sand. Up on the crest a row of small dots is moving. The climb takes 20 to 30 minutes and counts as easy.
- Height, depending on source
- 80 or over 170 m
- Ascent
- 20 to 30 minutes
- Age of the sand
- about 5 million years
- Type of dune
- Star dune
The name is nothing but a distance marker: the dune stands at kilometre 45 of the road from Sesriem gate to Sossusvlei. Height is where it gets messy. English Wikipedia and agamalodge.com say more than 170 metres, while the NASA Earth Observatory writes 80. That is a factor of two on one well documented dune, and we are not going to split the difference: the 170 metre figure turns up in several independent sources, the 80 metre figure in a single short NASA description.
The sand under your shoes is around five million years old. It began as debris the Orange River carried out of the Kalahari to the coast; the current moved it north from there, and the wind pushed it inland. Dune 45 is a star dune, built by wind from several directions, and that is exactly why it still stands where it formed.
- Time needed
- a good hour for the climb, a break and the way down
- Cost
- covered by the park entry fee
- When
- at sunrise, while half the crest is still in shadow
- From Sesriem gate
- 45 km, 40 minutes
Our tipIt is 45 kilometres to get here, so a good 40 minutes from the gate. If you sleep outside and only pass through at sunrise, you will not be on the crest for the first light; for that you need to stay inside the gate.
Dune 45: frequently asked questions
Why is Dune 45 called that?
Dune 45 on the road from Sesriem to Sossusvlei carries its position in its name: it stands at kilometre 45 of that road.
How high is Dune 45?
The figures contradict each other. English Wikipedia and agamalodge.com give more than 170 metres for Dune 45, while the NASA Earth Observatory gives 80 metres. The 170 metre value appears in several independent sources, the 80 metre value in one short description.
How long does it take to climb Dune 45?
Climbing Dune 45 in the Namib Naukluft Park takes 20 to 30 minutes and counts as easy. The route follows the crest rather than the open flank.
How old is the sand of Dune 45?
The sand of Dune 45 is around five million years old. It started as debris the Orange River brought down from the Kalahari, which was later blown inland as sand.
Do you have to climb Dune 45 to photograph it?
No. The familiar picture of Dune 45, the curving crest with the camel thorn trees in front of it, is taken from the foot of the dune, right beside the road.