Deadvlei

I had hoped to keep up to date with Blipfoto while on this trip, but it has not been possible. I’m having a great time, but any spare time is taken up with sleeping or packing for the next lodge. I will back blip as soon as I can.

Today we were up very early for a 5 a.m. departure. Our lodge is within the valley but there is still an hour’s drive to Deadvlei and the famous acacia trees and enormous sand dunes.

We were first in the queue to enter via the second gate, so we had time in the magical landscape on our own.

I’m posting an image from later in the day by which time we were leaving and a lot of tourists arrived to see the valley and walk on the dunes. It was in the mid 30s yet plenty of people attempted to walk to the tops. (I found the deep sand very tiring.)

You are allowed to walk on only a few of the dunes. People are not allowed in most of the vast and fragile environment of this desert National Park.

Later in the day we returned in the general direction of Deadvlei but stayed amongst some of the dunes. The orix were wandering peacefully as we drove by. One comes very close to our lodge for water.

My head is full of all the stupendous experiences on this trip. I will try to share more soon,