Sossusvlei Scenic Flight

Often described as "the flight of a lifetime", this trip takes you from the Swakopmund airfield along the Kuiseb River bed and over the impressive Kuiseb Canyon, which forms the natural border between rocky desert and dune formations.

You will also be able to see the desert research station Gobabeb. Although the Namib is just as dry as the Sahara, it has a much greater variety of fauna and flora, attracting researchers from across the world.

The flight continues over the Tsondabvlei heading towards the world's highest and awe-inspiring dunes at Sossusvlei. The colours and shadows of these gigantic mountains of sand change by the hour, turning from beige to rust-red to purple, dazzling the spectator. his is undoubtedly the most fun you can have with sand! With Sossusvlei lingering in the mind's eye, you fly over the forbidden diamond area, where remains of old diamond camps can still be seen. The flight continues over the 'sea of sand', approaching the shore at Conception Bay.

Soaring along the coastline you fly over the shipwreck of a German passenger liner, the Eduard Bohlen. The vessel stranded in 1909 and shifting sands moved her inland, as it were, and make it appear as though she were sailing through the desert. Then the wreck of the Shaunee comes into sight, the remains of a stricken fishing trawler.

As you continue northward on your way back to Swakopmund you can witness the never-ending battle for supremacy between sand and sea, especially impressive in the shape of the Lange Wand, a 500-feet high dune rising from the water's edge.

Approaching Sandwich Harbour, your pilot will ascend to 1.500 feet. Sandwich Harbour is a large saltwater lagoon and home to an incredible variety of bird life and one of southern Africa's greatest natural bird sanctuaries. From Sandwich Harbour your flight takes you over the salt mines and Namibia's major harbour, Walvis Bay.

Next you fly over the wooden guano-collecting platform, where thousands of seabirds settle and leave their droppings. Periodically these are collected and turned into fertiliser. The recreational resorts of Dolphin Beach and Longbeach pass underneath your plane and as Swakopmund comes into sight, your pilot will prepare for landing.

Duration: ± 2 hours 20 minutes. Passengers are advised that the planes have no restroom facilities.