Namibia
Sparse, rugged & immensely beautiful
Skeleton Coast National Park
The Skeleton Coast is a remote stretch of coastline where the harsh desert meets the Atlantic Ocean, often shrouded in fog. It is known for its shipwrecks, desolate beauty, and severe climate. The ruggedness of the coastline, with its bleached bones of stranded animals, is both eerie and captivating. Further inland provides opportunities the desert elephants and lions alongside other herbivores and nocturnal species. With limited food sources, it’s amazing to observe how these animals survive in this very rugged terrain. Most sightings occur along the Hoanib riverbed during the dry months.
Skeleton Coast is a region like no other and home to luxury camps from Wilderness and Natural Selection. The isolation, solitude and rugged beauty of the area make Skeleton Coast a must visit.
Travel Seasons
May - Oct
This is the optimal travel season. The weather tends to be cooler with mornings and evenings being colder and pleasant afternoons.
Nov - Apr
The weather turns hot with almost all areas of the country becoming somewhat uncomfortable for a safari. This is not a recommended time to visit although November and April are more manageable months to travel in.
Lodging
Wilderness operates a concession east of Mowe Bay along the Hoanib river and is home to the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp. The camp is known for its desolate and isolated location. For stays of 3 nights or longer the camp includes a drive and fly visit to the coast which encompasses a full day with an amazing lunch at the coast and stops at the seal colonies in Mowe Bay. The drive includes stops at sand dunes closer to the coast with opportunities to spot a wide array of birds and animals.
Natural Selection operates 2 camps in the area – Hoanib Valley Camp and Shipwreck Lodge. Unlike the Wilderness camp, Hoanib Valley Camp is located farther inland by which a drive and fly to the coast is not possible. If considering Natural Selection, it is recommended to pair a stay at Hoanib Valley Camp with Shipwreck Lodge to experience the coast.
There are other accommodation options farther inland.
Namib-Naukluft National Park
This national park is part of the Namib Desert, one of the oldest deserts in the world alongside Sossusvlei, Deadvlei & Sesriem Canyon.
The desert is known for its extraordinary sand dunes, some of the tallest in the world, particularly in areas like Sossusvlei. These iconic red sand dunes, sculpted by wind, create a surreal, almost otherworldly landscape.
Sossusvlei is a vast, white salt-and-clay pan surrounded by enormous orange sand dunes. Just nearby, Deadvlei features a striking, eerie landscape of ancient, bleached acacia trees standing in contrast against the deep blue sky and the surrounding red dunes. In addition, there are several dunes that visitors can hike including Dune 45 (aptly named as its located at the 45km marker), Big Daddy (the tallest dune that can be climbed at approx. 1000 ft) and Big Mamma. The way down from Big Daddy is into Deadvlei – an experience like no other. The drive from the gate to Deadvlei is approx. 60km and offers breathtaking beauty in the morning sunlight of the many dunes.
Sesriem Canyon is located just outside the gate and offers visitors the opportunity to explore the canyon with its exposed layers of rock that reveal the area’s ancient geological history. It provides a striking contrast to the surrounding desert, with smooth, weathered rock walls and narrow passageways.
Travel Seasons
May - Oct
As with most areas of Namibia, this is the optimal travel season. The weather tends to be cooler with mornings and evenings being colder and pleasant afternoons.
Nov - Apr
The weather turns hot with almost all areas of the country becoming somewhat uncomfortable for a safari. This is not a recommended time to visit although November and April are more manageable months to travel in.
Lodging
There is a wide array of accommodation options from budget to luxury (offerings from andBeyond, Natural Selection and Wolwedans as examples). For those seeking a private and exclusive experience, it’s worth mentioning the 2 Wilderness Kulala lodges. The advantage of Wilderness is they operate a private concession inside the park and have their own private access gate on the main road from the gate to Sossusvlei at approx. the halfway marker. There is no check-in process as with other guests coming in from the main gate while in addition positioning you to be one of the first vehicles to reach the dunes offering a private moment to soak in the natural beauty and take a few photographs. In addition, there are a variety of activities offered inside the concession including e-bikes, quad bikes, game drives and visits to Sesreim Canyon.
Etosha National Park
One of the largest national parks in Africa and home to the second largest salt pan in Africa, Etosha is home to a wide array of wildlife including the Big 5 and a variety of herbivores, nocturnals and birds. It is surrounded on the southwest and southeast corner by the Ongava Private Game Reserve and the Onguma Private Game Reserve respectively. Both reserves offer an incredible private experience including bush walks with day trips into Etosha. The national park and surrounding game reserves are a must visit!
Travel Seasons
May - Oct
As with most areas of Namibia, this is the optimal travel season. The weather tends to be cooler with mornings and evenings being colder and pleasant afternoons.
Nov - Apr
The weather turns hot with almost all areas of the country becoming somewhat uncomfortable for a safari. This is not a recommended time to visit although November and April are more manageable months to travel in.
Lodging
Etosha itself offers campsites and rest areas at the main administrative and entrance gates in Okaukuejo & Namutomi. Additionally, there are other options sprinkled around the park extremities. Consider Ongava Game Reserve and Onguma Game Reserve as better alternatives for those seeking a private concession experience. Ongava is home to several camps of which Ongava Tented Camp is perhaps the most rugged of all. It’s set farther deep into the Ongava reserve and more often than not sees wildlife in camp. Unlike other camps, the watering hole is much closer and is usually busy with wildlife coming in for a drink including elephants, lions and white/black rhinos. One does not need to venture too far to catch the action! Onguma is equally amazing with a variety of accommodation options ranging from their bush and forest camps to The Fort.
More Destinations
Namibia does not lack in the variety and number of destinations. Additional destinations amongst many more to consider are:
- Damaraland including Torra Conservancy – Beautiful, rugged landscape with rocky mountains, vast plains, and ancient petroglyphs. It’s known for its desert-adapted wildlife including elephants, lions and rhinos and stunning scenery, including the Twyfelfontein rock engravings, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Fish River Canyon – offers dramatic landscapes, hiking opportunities, and the chance to see a unique desert ecosystem.
- Hartmann Valley along the Kunene River – home to the Wilderness Serra Cafema lodge.
- Caprivi Strip – Multiple parks ranging from Mahango Game Park, Mudumu National Park, Bwabwata National Park & Caprivi Game Park along the banks of the Zambezi River offering opportunities for river-based safaris and a contrast to the arid desert.
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