Despite being Namibia’s number-one tourist attraction, Sossusvlei still manages to feel isolated. Towering waves of sand with their warm hues ranging from apricot to orange, red and maroon – the highest dunes in the oldest desert. Hiking through the dunes is a somber experience and the landscape is constantly changing- winds are forever altering the shapes of the dunes while colours shift with the changing light. The best time to visit the dunes at sunrise when the colours are at the peak of their brilliance. Stay in or near Sesriem (the gateway to Sossusvlei) if you want to witness the sunrise and sunset over the dunes, otherwise you can’t pass the gate early enough to reach Sossusvlei before sunrise.