
Home » PlacesToStay » Game Reserve » Skeleton Coast Camp

COUNTRY: Namibia
AREA: Namibia
Summary
Skeleton Coast Camp in Skeleton Coast Park in north western Namibia, calls to the intrepid explorer seeking only the most remote wilderness experiences on the planet. The camp is aptly named, with its stark, incredibly beautiful shoreline dotted with bleached whalebones and other skeletal remains, as well as a host of shipwrecks. It is a wild, desolate environment, yet it supports a host of incredible adapted wildlife - from enormous colonies of Cape fur seals to the ancient welwitschia plant. Skeleton Coast Camp won the category for Best Overall Environmental Management System at the 2007 Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism for its minimal impact on the ecosystem here.
Guests can see desert-adapted elephant, gemsbok, springbok, giraffe, ostrich, brown hyaena, Hartmann's mountain zebra and, occasionally, lion and cheetah.
As part of the Wilderness Safaris Group, your stay at Skeleton Coast Camp will be as all-inclusive as possible, with the core activities such as game drives, nature walks and all meals included in the price of accommodation.
Accommodation
Skeleton Coast Camp is built on an island in the dry Khumib riverbed, about 20km inland from the coastline. Accommodation comprises six Meru-style tents with spacious bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms.
A central area is made up of an open-plan lounge, bar and dining area with sweeping views of the desert. Weather permitting, evening meals may be served in the open-air 'dining room' under an old, gnarled leadwood tree.
Environment Info
Skeleton Coast Camp lies within the Skeleton Coast Park, a 16 400km2 concession bordering the north-western edges of the Namib Desert. The Park takes its name from its stark, strikingly beautiful landscape - littered with bleached whalebones, skeletal remains and the rusted carcasses of many shipwrecks. The concession is diverse - from roaring sand dunes and windswept plains to towering canyons, saltpans to freshwater springs.
The arid Skeleton Coast Park environment lies within the northern reaches of the true Namib Desert, yet this area is home to a rich diversity of wildlife.
Early morning fog generated by the icy Benguela Current in the Atlantic Ocean meeting the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast drifts inland over the Namib Desert - providing precious water to the flora and fauna in this incredibly harsh environment. It also creates the sense of mystery and impenetrability for which the region is so famous. Adaptation to the desert environment is the miracle of all that survives here.
Obviously these arid conditions do not support large volumes of big game species, but rather offers a cultural journey into the exploration of the smaller desert wonders. Freshwater springs permeate through the barren sands to create rare oases in the desert that sustain pockets of wildlife. Springbok, gemsbok (oryx), the rare desert-adapted elephant, brown hyaena, black-backed jackal, and occasionally even lion and cheetah enter this rugged domain. The famous Cape fur seals are present in their thousands on the beaches, attracting predators as well.
Skeleton Coast Park boasts fascinating desert-adapted vegetation such as welwitschia and lithops, the succulent 'flowering stones', and the bizarre elephant's foot found in rocky crevices. More than a hundred species of lichen are found on the gravel plains and hot west-facing mountain slopes, which change colour as they absorb moisture when the coastal fog presses inland.
Birding in the area is also very good, with over 200 species recorded. This includes several of Namibia's desert endemic species - such as Tractrac Chat and Gray's Lark. The seal colonies often have Jeagers and Skuas in attendance with Parasitic Jaeger, Pomarine Jaeger and Subantarctic Skua all possible in summer.
Activities
Activities at Skeleton Coast Camp revolve around the exploration of this unique, wild and desolate environment in 4x4s that are closed to the elements, although all vehicles have pop-top roofs and sliding windows to enjoy the fine weather come midday.
There is plenty of opportunity to stretch the legs too, with many parts in this pristine setting accessible only on foot, as vehicle tracks can damage the environment. Many specially-adapted plant species such as Lithops and Welwitschia can only be visited in this way. Extended walks with a picnic lunch, returning to camp in the evening, are incredibly popular.
Other excursions at Skeleton Coast Camp comprise visits to the clay castles of the Hoarusib River; Rocky Point; the roaring dunes; lichen fields; Cape fur seal colonies and Himba villages. Shipwrecks, now fast being devoured by the salty and vigorous coastline, can be viewed on request.
Fishing trips can also be organised on request.
Rates Comment
Rates available on enquiry.
Core activities such as game drives, nature walks and all meals included in the price of accommodation.

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