Dune 45
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Dune 45
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
1 within 5 kms
Attractions
2 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Alessio MVerona, Italy615 contributionsbeuatiful placeBeautiful place in the desert, The dune are marvelous you can climb easy. The climate is very dry (only 10% humidity) carry water with you. Is at middle from the park entrance gate and the park to dead forestVisited August 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 21 October 2023
- dianedinkyDunfermline, United Kingdom1,346 contributionsDoable but is hard work and prepare to get lots of sand in your shoes!I don't see the point in visiting such sites just for a look, so up I climbed. It was easy at first and I felt I could almost run up....but 10 minutes in and the tired legs kick in! The slower you go, however, the deeper you sink and the more effort it is to make progress so I actually found fast walk jogs to work well in short bursts at a time. Some people were doing it barefoot but there are a few beetles and other things scuttling about so I kept my shoes on. Ending up getting half the dune in them mind. I'd say to give it a go and allow 30-40 mins. You can sit under a tree in the shade if want to just watch others. I think you climb it for the sense of achievement though as the actual views from the top are nothing to write home about. Rather bleak round about.Visited September 2023Travelled soloWritten 31 December 2023
- Dewald RCape Town Central, South Africa3,224 contributionsBeautifulEn-route to Sossusvlei on the main tar road you will find Dune 45. At the base of the dune there are some trees offering a bit of shade and there are also bathroom facilities located nearby. The dune itself is beautiful, very accessible, and although I didn't climb it (saving my energy for the Big Daddy Dune) I still think it is worth a visit if you have the time.Visited August 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 30 January 2024
- Hans LLudwigsburg, Germany194 contributionsBest ideaOur favorite as once we passed the first peak we were completely by ourselves. Most people do not go any further than that. Go very early morning as once the sun does get up it becomes hot! Good shoes recommended some people walk without but it is a risk! And latest when going back it is required And at some point you simply burn your feet if too late in the day.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 February 2024
- Sands and Sunshine263 contributionsWarmup before DeadvleiGood warmup before visiting Deadvlei. Rising about 170 meters, it's easily accessible and offers a rewarding climb with panoramic views of the Namib Desert. The best time to visit is at sunrise or sunset, when the light casts dramatic shadows, highlighting the dune's vibrant colors!Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
594 reviews
Excellent
398
Very good
146
Average
43
Poor
6
Terrible
1
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
gsxr
New York City, NY533 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Well, climbing it was nice, but why the hype? It is far from the biggest dunes, but many are not allowed to be climbed...
If you have a choice go to Deadvley, there is a larger dune there you can climb and better views too.
Go early or enjoy scorching heat that melts your shoes.
If you have a choice go to Deadvley, there is a larger dune there you can climb and better views too.
Go early or enjoy scorching heat that melts your shoes.
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dianedinky
Dunfermline, UK1,346 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
I don't see the point in visiting such sites just for a look, so up I climbed. It was easy at first and I felt I could almost run up....but 10 minutes in and the tired legs kick in! The slower you go, however, the deeper you sink and the more effort it is to make progress so I actually found fast walk jogs to work well in short bursts at a time. Some people were doing it barefoot but there are a few beetles and other things scuttling about so I kept my shoes on. Ending up getting half the dune in them mind.
I'd say to give it a go and allow 30-40 mins. You can sit under a tree in the shade if want to just watch others. I think you climb it for the sense of achievement though as the actual views from the top are nothing to write home about. Rather bleak round about.
I'd say to give it a go and allow 30-40 mins. You can sit under a tree in the shade if want to just watch others. I think you climb it for the sense of achievement though as the actual views from the top are nothing to write home about. Rather bleak round about.
Written 31 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emerina_bakkes
Cape Town Central, South Africa201 contributions
Sept 2021
There is a belief that you have to climb Dune 45 at sunrise to see its beauty. However, it is such a rush to get there in time (and quite impossible if you live outside the gates) just to stand in the queue to get up in time. If you do make it in time, I'm sure it's beautiful, but we climbed the dune just after 7am and it was still extremely beautiful. The sand was still cool under your feet and we had the whole dune to ourselves for almost an hour. I also have the most amazing pictures. We spent three nights and two days in Sossusvlei (staying at Desert Camp). The first morning we drove straight to Big Daddy to climb that and see Deadvlei. The second morning we climbed Dune 45. After Big Daddy Dune 45 was a breeze to climb, although our legs were quite sore from the previous day. My kids, aged 6 and 4, also climbed with and had such a lot of fun in the sand.
Written 13 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carl Stuart
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK20 contributions
Dec 2022
We did the sunrise at Dune 45, the climb was great but still tough especially when climbing the steeper part of the dune. Murder on the quads!! That said, it was all worth it to watch the sunrise over the dunes when we got to the top. Definitely a photogenic place for landscape photos and selfies. If you want to save yourself some time on the descent, run down the side of the dune to the bottom - really fun!
Written 22 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hans L
Ludwigsburg, Germany194 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Our favorite as once we passed the first peak we were completely by ourselves. Most people do not go any further than that. Go very early morning as once the sun does get up it becomes hot! Good shoes recommended some people walk without but it is a risk! And latest when going back it is required
And at some point you simply burn your feet if too late in the day.
And at some point you simply burn your feet if too late in the day.
Written 10 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sands and Sunshine
263 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Good warmup before visiting Deadvlei. Rising about 170 meters, it's easily accessible and offers a rewarding climb with panoramic views of the Namib Desert. The best time to visit is at sunrise or sunset, when the light casts dramatic shadows, highlighting the dune's vibrant colors!
Written 29 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ManoCCC
Lyon, France3,882 contributions
Aug 2024
We stop at Dune 45 (because 45km from Sossusvlei).
Stop where tourists are allowed and can climb the 180 meters of elevation.
Possibility to run down the sides in the soft sand.
This sand can be harder in some places. Watch your ankles!
It climbs in the early morning, when the sand is not yet burning.
Stop where tourists are allowed and can climb the 180 meters of elevation.
Possibility to run down the sides in the soft sand.
This sand can be harder in some places. Watch your ankles!
It climbs in the early morning, when the sand is not yet burning.
Automatically translated
Written 19 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larry H
San Diego, CA30 contributions
Oct 2019 • Friends
No trip to Namibia is complete without a trip to Sossusvlei. The mountainous dunes are unlike anything you will ever see. Dune 45 was my favorite. It reminded me of the movies filmed in the desert amongst the giant dunes. I would go back to Namibia just to visit the dunes again.
If driving from Windhoek be aware it’s about a 4-5 hour drive and most of the time you are on unpaved roads.
I don’t recommend driving at night. There are very few lights once you get off the main highway past Rehoboth and no gas stations until you are almost to the park. We drove back after sunset and nearly hit a zebra a few miles from the gate. Although seeing the milky way made it all worth it.
If driving from Windhoek be aware it’s about a 4-5 hour drive and most of the time you are on unpaved roads.
I don’t recommend driving at night. There are very few lights once you get off the main highway past Rehoboth and no gas stations until you are almost to the park. We drove back after sunset and nearly hit a zebra a few miles from the gate. Although seeing the milky way made it all worth it.
Written 14 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gustova_69
Pereslavl-Zalessky, Russia3,588 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
Our guide led our group to the dead valley through the top of the dune. Only later did we appreciate how cool this route turned out to be. The ascent is, of course, not very easy, but the descent is a complete delight. It turned out that the simplest and easiest way is to run away from the dune, it’s safe and you get an unforgettable experience, like on an attraction. When our group descended, some on their feet, some running, it turned out to be a lot of fun. And when our guide made a mini video about our descent, everyone was shocked when watching it. Having descended from the dune, we found ourselves in a dead valley, in a stunningly beautiful place.
Written 2 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alessio M
Verona, Italy615 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
Beautiful place in the desert, The dune are marvelous you can climb easy. The climate is very dry (only 10% humidity) carry water with you. Is at middle from the park entrance gate and the park to dead forest
Written 21 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What do you mean? It is 3 hours on dirt roads from Windhoek or Walvis Bay, but once inside to national Park the main road is sealed. The Dune itself is just of the sealed road and takes about 1000 - 1200 steps in the sand to reach the top, depending how fit and strong you are. So an hour up and 30 mins down, but my son did it all in half that time.
Written 22 May 2018
Hello,
I would like to visit the Namib-Naukluft Park, can anybody indicate a budget way to visit the zone? How can I get there from South Africa?. How long does a visit to the park?.
Thank you for helping me,
Ricardo
Written 22 February 2016
Showing results 1-2 of 2
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing