Staff Reporter
A PLANNED ban on self-drive 4×4 access to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, set to take effect on 15 December 2025, has been postponed following strong opposition from tour operators and concerns raised by visitors.
Media platform Spotlighting Namibia recently exposed various controversies concerning the About Africa Co. Sossusvlei concession area. Tour operators, lodge owners, and the public raised a firestorm of protest after the Spotlighting Namibia exposé.
The decision comes after About Africa Co., the concessionaire operating under the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), announced a shift to a controlled-access system aimed at improving environmental protection and visitor safety in the UNESCO-listed Namib Sand Sea.
About Africa Co. had initially notified the industry that private 4x4s would no longer be allowed beyond the 2×4 parking area, with visitors required to use the company’s shuttle services or be escorted by NTB-registered operators. The announcement also included a price increase for the shuttle service—from N$200 to N$260 per adult in 2026—which sparked further public concern, particularly among domestic tourists.
About Africa Co. CEO Heiko Dörgeloh confirmed that after feedback from operators, the implementation has been delayed, with a revised schedule to be announced in early 2026. He stressed that the move toward regulated access was driven by long-standing environmental and safety concerns, including track widening, dune damage, and frequent vehicle recoveries caused by inexperienced sand driving. Informanté are still waiting for clarification from MEFT on the sudden reversal of About Africa Co. “Exclusive Concession”. Insiders confirmed that a crisis meeting took place at the MEFT headquarters yesterday, in which Dörgeloh and About Africa Co. were thrown under the bus.
MEFT has for years considered formalising controlled access to the fragile Deadvlei and Sossusvlei dune systems, citing increasing self-drive traffic and limited enforcement capacity. According to the concession agreement signed in 2023, public access to the final stretch must eventually be managed through the concessionaire.
In a detailed clarification issued, About Africa Co. reaffirmed its exclusive mandate to operate within the Sossusvlei Concession Area, which includes facilitating access from the 2×4 parking point through the 4×4 dunes up to Big Mamma. Lodges and NTB-registered tour operators will continue to transport their guests on a temporary grace basis, subject to compliance standards.
The company also outlined expanded excursion services, operational hours, and upcoming visitor facilities such as a ticket sales counter at the MEFT gate and a planned refreshment lounge at the 2×4 parking area. About Africa emphasised that no other operator is permitted to provide services within the concession and urged the public to rely only on official communication from MEFT and the concessionaire.
Dörgeloh acknowledged concerns by Spotlighting Namibia, the public and tourist industry over pricing and perceptions that the changes were revenue-driven, saying the fee structure is being reviewed jointly with MEFT and that any adjustments will require ministry approval.
He said the transition aims to balance visitor access with ecological integrity: “We appreciate the responsibility that comes with managing such an iconic and sensitive part of Namibia’s tourism landscape. We will continue engaging stakeholders to ensure an orderly and well-understood transition.”
A new implementation timeline for the controlled-access system is expected to be finalised early next year.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: melhoresdestinos.com
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