Dune 45 in the Namib desert

The dune 45 is something special because it belongs e.g. to the few dunes in the Namib that can be climbed. There is a good reason why the ascents are regulated, because footprints on the magnificent dune ridges take a long time to be leveled by wind and weather. A terrible thought, imagine the attached photos littered with traces ...

The dune is at km 45 from the entrance to this part of the Namib in Sesriem, but it is called dune 45 because it is the 45th dune from the Atlantic. A nice coincidence that shouldn't be known to many.

The play of colors in the dunes depends on the position of the sun and the moisture content of sand and air. Contours and warm tones are particularly evident at the "golden hour" in the morning and in the evening. However, it is not easy to be on site at the appropriate times, because 45 km from the entrance to the dune world have to be managed by car and then ascended about 170 meters on foot to get the wonderful views. We therefore left the camp before dawn in order to get a good starting position at the still closed gate with the first rays of sun: 3rd place made - at least. The effort was more than worth it and we were able to see and take pictures of the wonderful play of colors on the dunes alternating between red and yellow tones. Most of the attached pictures were taken with a polarization filter (circular).