Sossusvlei, Namibia
The tallest dunes on Earth in the Namib Desert.
Terra Explorer Natural wonders
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Make this model
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.
- Region
- Namibia
- Position
- -24.7275, 15.2917
- Area
- 20 × 20 km
- Real elevation
- 417 to 924 m (507 m of relief)
- Printed size
- 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:133,300
- Heights
- 1.5× exaggeration
- Elevation data
- Open satellite data (SRTM and others), about 30 m per point
- Suggested color
- Desert
- Group
- Natural wonders
About Sossusvlei, Namibia
Sossusvlei (sometimes written Sossus Vlei) is a salt and clay pan surrounded by high red dunes, located in the southern part of the Namib Desert, in the Namib-Naukluft National Park of Namibia. The name "Sossusvlei" is often used in an extended meaning to refer to the surrounding area (including other neighbouring vleis such as Deadvlei and other high dunes). These landmarks are some of the major visitor attractions of Namibia. The name "Sossusvlei" is of mixed origin and roughly means "dead-end marsh". Vlei is the Afrikaans word for "marsh", while "sossus" is Nama for "no return" or "dead end". Sossusvlei owes this name to the fact that it is an endorheic drainage basin (i.e., a drainage basin without outflows) for the ephemeral Tsauchab River.
From Wikipedia: Sossusvlei, text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. The article’s history lists its authors.
Questions about Sossusvlei, Namibia
Where is Sossusvlei?
Sossusvlei is in Namibia at -24.7275, 15.2917. The model covers a 20 by 20 kilometer square around that point.
How high is the terrain in the Sossusvlei model?
The land in this model runs from 417 to 924 m (507 m of relief). These are the measured heights, printed 1.5 times taller so the shape is easy to see.
Can I 3D print Sossusvlei?
Yes. Download the free Standard resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 10.7 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:133,300. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.
How accurate is the Sossusvlei model?
It is built from real elevation measurements, not an artist's guess: open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.
Is the Sossusvlei model free?
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.
What is a Sossusvlei terrain model good for?
People use it as a desk piece, a gift for a traveler or a way to show students how the land is shaped.
About this terrain model
Embossify Terra builds Sossusvlei, Namibia from real measured elevation, not an artist's guess. Outside the United States the heights come from open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point.
The model covers a 20 by 20 kilometer square centered on -24.7275, 15.2917. It prints 150 mm (5.9 in) wide on a solid base, a scale of about 1:133,300. The heights are exaggerated 1.5× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base.
New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works. The shaded picture on this page is made by Embossify from the same elevation data.
