The tourism industry is in uproar following the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism’s announcement of new regulations governing access to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, set to take effect on 1 May.
In a statement issued by Executive Director Sikongo Haihambo, the ministry outlined that only two categories of operators will be authorised to provide shuttle services between the Sossusvlei 2x4 parking area and the 4x4 parking area leading to Deadvlei. These are Grow Namibia, trading as About Deadvlei Sossusvlei Management, and registered tour guides employed by lodges within and around the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
According to the new rules, lodge-based guides must be accredited by the Namibia Tourism Board and may only transport their own clients.
It further stated that no other operators will be permitted to operate shuttle services along the Sossusvlei 4x4 parking area (Deadvlei).
“Accordingly, all visitors to Deadvlei will be required to use the authorised shuttle service.)
The regulations also introduce a major change for visitors: self-driving beyond the 2x4 parking area will no longer be allowed.
The announcement has sparked concern among tour operators and stakeholders, many of whom fear the move could disrupt established business models and limit access flexibility for both guided and self-drive travellers.
Stakeholders and visitors were urged to take note of the changes and plan accordingly ahead of their implementation next month.
The Tour and Safari Association of Namibia (TASA) confirmed that it is preparing an urgent and formal submission on the matter, signalling growing industry resistance and the likelihood of further engagement with authorities in the coming weeks, arguing it is a non-exclusive tender.
In December last year, the ministry said it insisted that self-drive access at Sossusvlei remain open.
It said that only the concession holder is authorised to collect visitors from the designated 2x4 parking area
The tourism ministry strongly rejected claims that the Sossusvlei shuttle concession is shutting out self-drive tourists, stressing that independent travellers remain welcome and can access one of Namibia’s most treasured destinations without restriction.
The ministry stated that the concession operating within the Namib-Naukluft Park does not prohibit self-drive visitors, nor does it prevent Namibia Tourism Board (NTB)-registered tour operators and lodges from conducting business at Sossusvlei.
According to the ministry, the purpose of the concession is being widely misunderstood.
Rather than limiting the tour, the aim is to regulate activities that pose a risk to the fragile desert environment. Restrictions apply only to unregistered operators, environmentally damaging vehicles such as buses and trucks, and unsuitable 2x4 vehicles that cannot safely navigate the terrain.
At that time, it also stated that the concession does not prevent other operators from working in the area.
However, only the concession holder is authorised to collect visitors from the designated 2x4 parking area — a system designed to reduce congestion, control vehicle movement and limit environmental impact along the sensitive dune corridor.
This followed as About Africa Co., through Adelt Sossusvlei Concession Management, started implementing the next phase of its concession agreement with the ministry.
Under this phase, self-drive vehicles will no longer be permitted to enter the 4x4 section of the Sossusvlei Concession Area from 15 December 2025, ending decades of unrestricted access to the final stretch leading to Deadvlei, Big Daddy and Sossusvlei.
