Namibia's desert appeal lies in its soothing stillness, its sheer beauty and fascinating wildlife at every turn.
Here you still experience total isolation thanks to the seemingly endless freedom, and get lost in your own thoughts as you drink in the stunning landscapes set under incomprehensible azure skies.
These attributes have compelled repeated Namibia visits for me and I get positively cranky if I do not get my "sand fix" at least once a year.
Nowhere is the vast expanse and rugged topography of Namibia better experienced than in the desert that gave the country its name: the Namib. Sossusvlei, in particular, possibly the heart of the Namib, is easily accessible, making it one of the world's easiest desert biomes to visit.
From the capital city, Windhoek, you have two options to get to Sossusvlei - light aircraft charter or driving. Although obtaining an aerial perspective of the red dunes of the Namib is certainly worth it, we opted to drive.
One must be adequately prepared for this, though - extra spare tyre, sufficient drinking water, a packed lunch and ample time to take it all in. There is no better way to get under the skin of a country than driving through it.
Another plus is that Namibia has some of the best gravel roads anywhere and most key tourist areas are accessible by normal sedan car.
You don't even need a GPS if you have a good map as the roads are so well marked.
First steering our little Toyota Yaris through the spectacular central escarpment of the Khomas Hochland, we eventually stopped at the dramatic Spreetshoogte Pass in the early afternoon to enjoy our packed lunch.
Here one certainly gets a feel for the immensity of the countryside as it stretches out on the gravel plains far below.
This followed our already countless stops for birds, flowers, springbok, chatting to a local farmer, gemsbok herd, "just have to photograph that landscape", and losing track of time simply sitting in the shade of a roadside camel thorn tree enjoying a cold drink.
After tip-toeing our Toyota down the Spreetshoogte, the land took on a very different guise.
Blonde grassy plains were now interspersed with huge granite inselbergs as we continued west in total awe at the spectacular vistas.
Yet another pleasant stop (OK, we like stopping!) has to be the small settlement of Solitaire - perfect for a leg stretch, refuel, possible tyre repair and darn good apple crumble.
You might even be served by the bearded Moose McGregor himself - the helpful, if eccentric, proprietor with a colourful history.
We arrived at our camp, The Desert Homestead, in the early evening just as the sky turned a beautiful pastel blue.
We probably would have arrived way earlier, but spotting a cheetah just after entering the Namib-Naukluft Park was the final nail in the proverbial coffin to us keeping to any schedule.
Poised in a pretty grassy valley and shielded by the Nubib, Tsaris and Naukluft mountains, Desert Homestead offers affordable yet elegant accommodation in thatched well-spaced chalets arcing in a sweeping curve that was designed with the fragile beauty of this area in mind. The interiors are tastefully decorated with dark furniture, white linen, a lavish long shower room and a few art works - and pleasantly lacking general clutter. Some chairs on the terrace made a great spot for solitary reading or simply admiring the view.
A pleasant dinner of fresh farm-style cooking was enjoyed at the elevated central area, and as we walked back to our room the faint call of barking geckos echoed around us.
We arose early the next morning, well before sunrise. "Armed" with a flask of fresh coffee and a packed brunch, we headed for the dunes to make the most of the early morning light.
Sossusvlei is situated within the 50 000km178 Namib-Naukluft National Park, protecting the oldest desert in the world. Its huge red dunes and flat valley floors make up the archetypal view of the Namib that is world-famous.
Desert Homestead is 35km from Sesriem Gate, where we entered the park. As one drives through this immense valley floor, red sand dunes start to tower on each side.
A walk at Elim Dune in the still morning air was memorable - the rattling call of a dune lark, fresh tracks of tenebrionid beetles, finding a rarely seen white lady spider, and endless views over plains and distant dune crests.
The narrow tarred track then crosses the camel thorn-fringed Tsauchab River before leading to the base of some of the dunes, numbered according to their distance from the main office - Dune 45 is certainly spectacular. It was difficult to judge the scale of these dunes, and walking along the sharp ridge lines to its summit was a tad more strenuous than I had expected, but worth it owing to the views from the top.
Sossusvlei culminates in the surreal Dead Vlei, where mosaic patterns of dry, cracked clay are dotted with ancient, dead camel thorn trees surrounded by huge dunes, disputed as the world's highest.
This barren pan is mostly dry, but occasionally fills with water in years of exceptional rains when the waters of the Tsauchab River reach down into the dunes - effectively forming a delta in the desert never to reach the sea. (The drive from the park gate to the vlei is approximately 65km. All 4X2 vehicles can only go as far as the 4X2 parking area, from where you can either walk the 5km to the vlei, rather strenuous due to the heavy sand, or make use of the shuttle service - for a fee.) Some people I spoke to said "Sossus" means "place of no return" while others say it comes from the Nama word for "a gathering place of water".
The Tsauchab originates in the nearby Naukluft (meaning "narrow gorge") Mountains, a rugged wilderness area in sharp contrast to the desert it abuts below. Its cool, clear pools and red cliffs support strangle plants such as quiver trees, and it is ideal for hiking. Originally intended as a sanctuary to preserve the endemic Hartmann's mountain zebra, this area towers 1 000m above the desert plains.
On the drive out of the park we stopped in at Sesriem Canyon - an intriguing site that got its name from early settlers who required six lengths of leather thongs (rieme) to haul the water from the canyons below. At Sesriem, the Tsauchab River has cut out a spectacular gorge 40m deep into layers of schist deposited there millions of years ago.
Back at camp, gin and tonics with nibbles were enjoyed with yet another magical desert sunset and casual conversation with some other guests from England. Their day was very different from ours as they left at the crack of dawn on a hot-air balloon trip about which they could not stop talking.
This is a very different way of exploring the surrounding dunes and mountains as you float slowly over the desert. The suspended basket was also ideal for landscape photography - and after seeing their pictures I was certainly jealous. Their trip culminated in a champagne breakfast set up by the support team wherever the balloon landed. These balloon trips are not cheap, and for good reason. The balloon costs the same as a luxury car but only lasts a few hundred hours, consumes 200 litres of gas an hour and involves a crew of five.
While my wife went on a final early morning horse ride on a beautifully groomed steed (another good reason for staying here), I contemplated this place of solitude.
This landscape moved me, and challenged my very existence. I just hope that fragile ecosystems such as these will be adequately conserved for future generations to enjoy and find solace in as we did.
Our trip to Sossusvlei was about the journey and the destination, highly recommended for a self-drive holiday off the beaten track.
