Located in the southern part of the Namib Desert, the Sossusvlei is arguably the most famous landmark in Namibia. The name means "the gathering place of water", and this is because it is actually a clay pan that holds rainwater to form a lake. Being in the desert, this is a rare sight. Officially, the name only refers to the clay pan, but it is generally taken to include the mighty sand dunes that enclose it. Some of these spectacular hills of sand reach heights of 984 feet (300 metres), making them the tallest sand dunes in the world.

The dunes vary in colour - ranging from light red to orange to almost pink in colour. Their colours appear to alter throughout the day due to the changing position of the sun. Despite being in the desert, there are actually some rich sections of vegetation amongst the dunes. The greenery adds another colour to the scene, which affords excellent photo opportunities.