Sesriem Canyon
About 4 km (2½ miles) from Sesriem Gate, your entry point to Sossusvlei, is Sesriem Canyon, named after the six rieme (belts) that were tied to the buckets of the early Dutch settlers when they drew up water from the canyon. A narrow gorge of about 1 km in length, the Sesriem Canyon is the product of centuries of erosion. Plunging down 30–40 meters (98–131 feet) at its end are a series of pools that fill with water during the rains, which might only happen during the rainy season (October to March). If you are really lucky you will get to cool off in the pools, otherwise climbing down into the canyon offers you a wonderful escape from the desert heat as you wander along in the deep shade. In the summer months, after good rains, the whole canyon fills with water, and while you can't hike the canyon bed then, it does make for wonderful photographs.
