About
Deadvlei is a white clay pan in the Hardap Region of Namibia, in southern Africa. Its pale, cracked floor is set against a ring of red sand dunes, and scattered across it stand the skeletons of camel thorn trees, bleached and blackened by time. The contrast of white ground, red sand and dark wood gives the place a strikingly unreal look.
What a visit is like
Deadvlei is best approached as a walk rather than a quick stop. The pan is reached on foot across the surrounding dunes, and the sand is soft, so the going is slow and tiring, especially in the heat of the day. Visitors tend to spend most of their time simply looking: at the trees standing in the stillness, at the patterns of the cracked clay, and at the shifting colours of the dunes as the light changes.
- Plan for a walk over loose sand, and bring water and sun protection.
- Photographers often find the early and late hours of the day most rewarding for the light.
- The trees are part of a fragile setting, so it is worth keeping to the marked ways and leaving them undisturbed.
Around the pan
Deadvlei lies within the Namib landscape of southern Namibia, and it is usually visited as part of a wider desert trip. The surrounding dunes, the open plains and the vast sky are as much a part of the experience as the pan itself. Visitors planning a trip should check the practical arrangements for the area before setting out, since the region is remote and facilities are limited.
