Luxury Small Group Journeys 2024

Africa
The Stark Beauty of
Sossusvlei, Namibia
Namibia’s Sossusvlei is a salt-and-clay pan (or dried-up
lake bed) found among the spectacular red-sand dunes
of the Namib Desert, which stretches for 1,200 miles
along southern Africa’s Atlantic coast. This region’s
vistas of austere, almost otherworldly beauty are never
on more vivid display than during the hot air balloon
ride included during your three-night stay here.
The pale color of the pan, punctuated by gnarled
black tree trunks, contrasts vividly with the Marslike
red of the dunes surrounding it, prompting the
feeling you’ve been magically transported to another
planet. “Fairy circles” — naturally occurring, ringlike
depressions in the earth that dot the landscape
— only add to Sossusvlei’s uncanny sense of place.
Nighttime offers its contrasts as well, with daytime
desert temperatures cooling significantly after sunset.
And since Sossusvlei is part of a dark-sky reserve, a
marvelous display of astronomical wonders awaits
anyone willing to brave the chill. Let a resident
astronomer guide take you on a tour by telescope
of the southern constellations.
Far off the beaten path, Sossusvlei is usually a standalone
destination, yet A&K is able to include it as part
of a broader portrait of Southern Africa, thanks to
privately chartered air.
30 2024 Luxury Small Group Journeys