Deadvlei is a clay pan. When it rains, the last time in 2011, the water stays for a few months. The trees are dead Acacia trees, estimated to be 900 years old. Pretty amazing! It is strictly prohibited to touch the trees.
From Deadvlei we had a 1 km, fairly flat, hike in the sand to get back to the car. Kind if like walking on a sandy beach. We then went to a picnic site for our breakfast. Yoghurt, fruitsad, sandwiches, egg, juice and coffee. It tasted really good by then, we had been up since 5, a long drive, and a hike up Big Daddy’s arm. At least we had some cereal this morning before we took off. The time was now 10.30.
We also drove by Sossusvlei pan, another clay pan, before heading off toward our next stop.
Sossusvlei is a combination of two languages, nama and afrikaans. Sossus – is the nama language for a gathering of water, the dunes stopped the water from the river here.
Vlei – is the Afrikaans word for valley or wetlands.