From Aus you drive just under four kilometres on the B4, then turn north onto the C13. After 55 kilometres the D707 branches off. It runs for just over 120 kilometres along the edge of the Namib and meets the C27 at Betta, which you follow to Sesriem. Fill up in Aus: about 340 kilometres of gravel lie ahead, and the station at the state-run camp in Sesriem ran dry several times in 2025.
Travellers describe the D707 as sandy in places. The C27 is often heavily corrugated. In November 2025 travellers reported the D707 badly washed out between Vergenoegd and Sonop and the concrete at the last gate on the C27 before Betta washed out. In April 2026 rivers burst their banks between Helmeringhausen and Aus. Ask about the D707 in Aus before you set off, as of October 2026.
Allow five and a half to six hours of actual driving. Two longer alternatives run via Helmeringhausen: the C13 to Helmeringhausen and then north on the C27, just over 350 kilometres, or via the C14 and Maltahöhe, about 420 kilometres. Helmeringhausen has a fuel station. Both routes are almost entirely gravel.
Our tipLeave early. Sand and corrugations slow you down more than planned, and you do not want to be on the gravel at dusk.
The route at a glance
- Roads
- B4, C13, D707, C27
- Distance
- 342 km
- Surface
- about 4 km tar, 338 km gravel
- Driving time
- 5.5 to 6 hours
Distances and times as of October 2026, driving time without stops or detours.
Routes that use this stage
- The south and the Namib in 14 days
- The grand loop in 21 days
- From Cape Town through Namibia, as in 2005
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 trivagoAus to Sesriem: frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Aus to Sesriem?
Aus to Sesriem via the D707 and Betta is just over 340 kilometres, almost all of it gravel. Allow five and a half to six hours of actual driving, not counting breaks.
Where can I get fuel between Aus and Sesriem?
Between Aus and Sesriem, fill up in Aus before about 340 kilometres of gravel begin. Helmeringhausen, on the longer route, has one too. The station at the state-run camp in Sesriem ran dry several times in 2025.
What is the D707 between Aus and Betta like?
The D707 is sandy in places. In November 2025 travellers reported it badly washed out between Vergenoegd and Sonop, and in April 2026 rivers burst their banks between Helmeringhausen and Aus. Ask about current conditions in Aus before you drive.