Deadvlei is a white clay pan located in a valley between the dunes in the Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia. Also written Dead Vlei, its name means “dead marsh/lake”. The clay pan was formed after rainfall, when the Tsauchab river flooded, creating temporary shallow pools where the abundance of water allowed camel thorn trees to grow. When the climate changed, drought hit the area, and sand dunes encroached on the pan, which blocked the river from the area. The trees died as there was no longer enough water to survive. The trees are estimated to be approximately 900 years old, however they have not decomposed due to the dry climate.
