Sesriem is little more than a gate, a fuel station with a shop and a handful of places to stay in the Hardap Region. This is where you enter the Namib-Naukluft Park and head for Sossusvlei. From Windhoek via Rehoboth it is 342 kilometres, almost all of it gravel. From the gate 60 kilometres of tar lead towards Sossusvlei; for the last 5 to 6 kilometres of sand you need a 4x4 or the shuttle.
- of tar to the 2x4 car park
- 60 km
- pitches at the NWR camp
- 44
- to Windhoek via Rehoboth
- 342 km
- depth of the Sesriem Canyon
- 30 to 40 m
The state-run Sesriem Camp of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) lies by the canyon with 44 pitches for up to eight people each, plus six overflow sites. Camping costs N$ 670 per person per night, as of October 2026, plus park fees. The camp does not appear in the accommodation listings; you book it directly with NWR, in October 2026 by email, because the online system was down. More lodges lie outside the gate and along the road towards Solitaire.
The fuel station in Sesriem ran dry several times in 2025. Fill up on the way, in Rehoboth or Solitaire, and do not count on topping up here.
The Sesriem Canyon
Sesriem is named after six thongs. That is how many rawhide straps Dorsland trekkers had to knot together to lower a bucket into the gorge of the Tsauchab and haul water up.
The canyon lies about four kilometres from the gate. The river has cut about a kilometre into the sedimentary rock, up to 30 metres deep according to Wikipedia, 30 to 40 metres according to NWR. In places the gorge is only two metres wide, and down at the bottom there is shade even at midday.
You can walk upstream or downstream. Upstream the path ends at pools that hold water after good rains. Animals drink at one stretch that never dries out. Downstream stands a rock. Some see a sphinx in it. When the Tsauchab flows after heavy rain, the water runs on through the canyon to Sossusvlei.
Today, as of Since 1 April 2026 foreign adults have paid N$ 280 a day in the Namib-Naukluft Park, up from N$ 150. From 1 May 2026 the environment ministry tried to stop self-drivers beyond the 2x4 car park, then lifted the rule again on 2 May. With a 4x4 you may once more drive yourself all the way to Sossusvlei, as of October 2026.
- Time needed
- two nights, so a whole morning is left for the dunes
- From Windhoek
- 342 km, 315 minutes
Our tipOn the day you arrive, walk into the canyon in the late afternoon. That leaves the whole next morning for the dunes.
Places to stay in Sesriem and Sossusvlei
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Stofpad Namibia
D1261
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €88per night on 12 May 2027
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Namib Outpost L Ondili
5 km to the crossing to D854
- Pool
- Spa
- Wi-Fi
from €859per night on 12 May 2027
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Elegant Desert Camp
C19 38km from Sesriem, 5km on road D854 from C19
from €214per night on 29 June 2027
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Desert Quiver Camp
On D826 / C27
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €142per night on 19 November 2026
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Desert Camp
Sossusvlei, 5 km from entrance gate
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €145per night on 1 December 2026
Check prices on trivagoSesriem and Sossusvlei: frequently asked questions
How did Sesriem get its name?
Sesriem is Afrikaans for six thongs. That is how many rawhide straps Dorsland trekkers had to tie together to haul water up from the gorge of the Tsauchab.
Can you get fuel in Sesriem?
Sesriem has a fuel station with a shop, but it ran dry several times in 2025. Fill up beforehand in Rehoboth or Solitaire.
How do you book the Sesriem Camp?
The Sesriem Camp belongs to Namibia Wildlife Resorts and is booked directly with NWR. In October 2026 the online system was down and requests went by email to the reservations office.