The Strange Charisma of the Skeleton Coast

This most famed and feared stretch of coastline has a wonderful name and a terrible reputation. The unpredictable currents and sandbanks combine with impenetrable fogs to make this a graveyard for ships and whales alike, whilst the unforgiving desert hinterland makes this one of the worst places in the world to be marooned.

The Skeleton Coast National Park is one of the world's most inhospitable yet hauntingly beautiful places. It is wild, desolate and uninhabited. The landscape includes shifting sand dunes, windswept plains, towering canyons, and salt pans concealing seal colonies, shipwrecks and superb fishing prospects!

The Wildlife and Landscape of the Skeleton Coast

Freshwater springs permeate through barren sands to create rare oases in the desert that sustain pockets of wildlife. Springbok, Gemsbok (Oryx), the Desert Elephant, Ostrich, Jackal and Brown Hyena eke out an existence in the rugged terrain, along with vegetation like Welwitschia that has adapted to the harsh conditions.

Skeleton Coast Climate

The arid desert environment in the Skeleton Coast is within the northern reaches of the Namib Desert. The Benguela current brings cold waters all the way from Antarctica and helps to moderate temperatures. The cool air off the ocean meets the hotter desert air and nearly every morning, a cool mist envelops the coastline, bringing life sustaining moisture to the desert.

There are many regions in the Skeleton Coast. Our safaris explore the most isolated, beautiful, remote (and private) northern sector of the park, from just north of Mowe Bay to just south of the Kunene River. This area has been set aside by the government for low volume, exclusive safaris.

Skeleton Coast Safaris

This is an area mainly renowned for its physical beauty rather than specifically for game viewing. But it is the stark contrast between the harsh environment and the animals that inhabit it that make this area spectacular. Possible wildlife one can see include Oryx, Springbok, Giraffe, Ostrich, Cape Fur Seals, Brown Hyena, Jackals, Cape Fox, Bat Eared Fox, Honey Badger and Genet as well as Cheetah and Desert Elephant. There are also many fascinating species of desert plants, and bird watching is also good, with many of the Namibian endemic species occurring in the area.

Not for the Faint Hearted

Even though this is a “Five Paw” safari, the terrain is harsh, rough and rugged. We will try and make this as comfortable as possible, but we have no way of hiding from the elements. Sometimes we can experience cold temperatures – and then 400m up the valley, we encounter hot desert winds. This is not a safari for the faint-hearted, but it will be enjoyed by those who are looking for a true wilderness experience, in some of the most spectacular scenery in southern Africa.