Sesriem is where you enter the National Park in order to drive to Sossusvlei,
Deadvlei, Dune 45, Elim dune or Sesriem Canyon. You need to buy a permit from
the National Park office in Sesriem in order to visit any of these places
in the Namib Desert of Namibia.
The process works like this: there are two gates blocking the road into the
desert (where Sossusvlei, Deadvlei, Dune 45 and Elim dune are located) the
inner gate opens one hour before sunrise so anyone staying at either Sossus
Dune Lodge or Seriem campsite can drive into the desert and watch the sunrise,
however if you are not staying at those two places you have to wait an additional
30 to 45 minutes before the outer gate is opened usually just a few minutes
before sunrise so you can only watch the sunrise from the entrance to the
desert, then drive the 56km (tar road) into the desert and climb the dunes
one hour after sunrise, the same happens in reverse for sunset.
