Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia Jan 9, 2025

Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia

Picture a sea of shifting sand dunes glowing orange in the sunrise, stretching as far as the eye can see. Welcome to the Namib desert, spanning thousands of kilometres across Namibia. Estimated to be 55 million years old, it is believed to be the oldest desert in the world. At the heart of this vast, arid expanse is Sossusvlei, seen in today"s image. A salt and clay pan surrounded by towering dunes, Sossusvlei tells a story of contrasts. Every 10 years or so, an extraordinary event occurs when the Tsauchab River floods the pan, transforming it into a stunning turquoise lake. From the adaptable gemsboks to the ingenious Namib desert beetle that drinks fog droplets that collect on its back, the Namib is brimming with stories of survival and resilience.

© Airpano/Amazing Aerial Agency

palette

Today in History

Where the buffalo roam
Jan 9, 2024Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
Jan 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument, California, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 10, 2024Lands End, Cornwall, England
Mar 3, 2025World Wildlife Day
Aug 26, 2023Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, Berlin, Germany
Black sands in a tropical paradise
Aug 26, 2025Sørvágsvatn lake, island of Vágar, Faroe Islands
Jan 8, 2026Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brightons West Pier, England
An island park for everyone
Bridging the gap two ways
The worlds most exclusive beach?
Nov 8, 2025Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon, United States
Feb 20, 2025Red deer, Canada
Dec 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Jul 29, 2025International Tiger Day
Jan 19, 2026Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
The Coast of Death
Jul 19, 2024A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil
Dec 25, 2023Christmas Day
Chasing summer in the art world
Sep 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Aug 28, 2023Dubrovnik, Croatia
Aug 7, 2024St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, Michigan, USA
Feb 22, 2025Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, United States
This blue succulent is as good as gold here
Oct 9, 2025Space Week isnt over yet!
Finding beauty in ruins
Mar 18, 2025Red Rocks, Sedona, Arizona, United States
Unbe-leaf-able
Jul 25, 2024Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Nov 3, 2025Jellyfish swimming in the Pacific, Guerrero, Mexico
Butterfly, fly away