Big Daddy Dune Travel Guide: Top Sights in Namibia, Tours & Travel

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Big Daddy Dune- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Natural Scenery; Namibia; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 2 hours

Big Daddy is the tallest dune in the Sossusvlei area of Namibia's Namib-Naukluft Park, rising 325 meters between Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. Its towering presence dominates the surrounding landscape, offering panoramic views from the summit. While often mistaken for the highest dune in the Namib Desert, that title belongs to Dune 7, which stands at 388 meters. Big Daddy's steep slopes and shifting sands make the ascent challenging, but from the top, visitors can look down onto Deadvlei's stark white clay pan and the surrounding sea of dunes.

Operators offering tours in Namibia

Attractions in Sossusvlei

Deadvlei

4.8

Dune 45

4.8

Hidden Vlei

4.6

Big Mamma Dune

Reviews of Big Daddy

Mojmír Račák

5
Reviewed: 2024-11-01

When you see the dune from the bottom you are surely not so thrilled to climb it in that extreme heat. But it is well worth it. The first half is much much harder than the second and the views from the top are just something else. Absolutely breathtaking. Plus you can get down in like 5 minutes and it is so much fun. Well well worth it to climb all the way to the top when you are there.
jurtrypik

5
Reviewed: 2024-07-17

Beautiful views! And going down on the dune to deadvlei is absolutely amazing!
Amir Shevat

5
Reviewed: 2024-05-16

Breathtaking place. Not a super easy climb, but definitely enjoyable.
Dewald Reinke

5
Reviewed: 2024-02-05

The Big Daddy Dune in Sossusvlei is massive, and I completely underestimated it. The climb was quite difficult, as it's dune sand all the way from the bottom to the top. We took it slow (just over an hour to the summit) and often paused to rest and take in the views. Reaching the top is definitely worth it as a sense of achievement washes over you. From here, you have breathtaking views of Sossusvlei, as well as the seemingly endless sea of dunes stretching out before you. To descend, you have multiple options, with most opting for the straight down route towards Deadvlei. We ended up deciding to go straight down and it was a lot of fun, and very exhilarating as you move quite quickly. It is however good to note that this option is potentially risky and not for everyone. At the bottom, we headed back through Deadvlei towards the main Sossusvlei area. If you're planning on visiting Deadvlei as well, I highly recommend climbing Big Daddy first. I have climbed multiple dunes in the past, but Big Daddy was special. It was one of the highlights of my trip through Namibia and something I will never forget!
virtuosok

5
Reviewed: 2017-12-31

Incredible. Accessible to anyone with moderate fitness. Being a runner, I think the effort needed to climb to the top is comparable to a 15km run. Which of course doesn't mean that you can't do the dune if you don't run... because you likely can. Just don't follow the crowds starting to climb the ascent which is closest to the parking lot. Keep to the left instead and start the ascent some 0.5 km away. Saves you at least 20 mins and some efforts, too.