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The iconic Skeleton Coast in fact refers to the Atlantic coastline as well as quite a bit of land towards the interior, in effect creating three different bands of landscape—each more stunning than the last. 

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Exploring the Unknown: Images of the Namibian Desert

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Namibia is not as well-known for its wildlife viewing as nearby countries South Africa and Botswana, but the animals that it does have are fascinating results of evolution and are exciting to seek out and study. Game drives will typically lead guests to see desert-adapted elephants (who are smaller than their relatives elsewhere in the continent), giraffes, baboons, ostrich, springbok, oryx, hyenas, jackals and the enigmatic and highly endangered desert-adapted lions. Namibia, too, is home to 25% of the world’s population of free cheetahs.
Accommodating Lodge: <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/hotels/hoanib-skeleton-camp/">Hoanib Skeleton Camp</a>

Jiraffee at Desert Game Drives ,  Namibia, Namibia

Desert Game Drives

An exhilarating activity offered at Serra Cafema is a quad-biking excursion in the area surrounding the lodge. Small groups, led by a lodge staffer, go up, down and along sand dunes, past Himba villages and through remote, arid desert. Trips leave from and return to the lodge and the length of adventure can be dictated by the guests. Those who do not have experience or the desire to drive themselves can sit on the back of a bike driven by a guide. Everyone is outfitted with helmets, safety goggles and gloves.

Accommodating Lodge: <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/hotels/serra-cafema/">Serra Cafema</a>

Quad BIking at Quad-Biking in Sand Dunes , Namibia, Namibia - Courtesy Dana Allen

Quad-Biking in Sand Dunes

The iconic Skeleton Coast, in fact, refers to Namibia's southern Atlantic coastline as well as quite a bit of land towards the interior, and consists of different bands of landscape—each more stunning than the last. The most dramatic way to view the area is to drive from <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/hotels/hoanib-skeleton-camp/">Hoanib Skeleton Camp</a>, the best accommodations in the area. A guide in a four-wheel safari jeep with specially gauged tires will first drive you along the dried-up Hoanib River bed, and you will most likely see oryx, springbok and possibly giraffes along the way. After approximately 90 minutes of driving on sand, dirt and gravel roads, the real fun begins, when you reach the sand dunes. A good driver will make you feel as if you are skimming the surface of the sand, navigating different dunes and hardly following any tracks. Be sure to schedule additional time to climb a dune and sit atop its peak to admire the surrounding landscape—it is without a doubt one of the world’s most intensely beautiful experiences.

Another hour’s drive will lead you to the Atlantic coastline, where intense fog (from the cold ocean air hitting that of the hot and dry Namib Desert), coupled with strong currents, has caused dozens of shipwrecks. Remnants of the ships, ranging in age from the 18th to the 21st century, sit on the sand banks still, and sand from the dunes has moved in. The coast is named for the skeletons of stranded sailors, explorers and fishermen, as well as the whale bones from unfortunate beached whales who, too, fell victim to the coastline’s currents. There are seal colonies and clusters of flamingos in the area, as well as a small but charming museum, which displays assorted flotsam from shipwrecks and detritus that has just washed ashore over the centuries. Guests of Hoanib Skeleton Camp are flown back to the camp’s airstrip with a 20-minute scenic flight.

Accommodating Lodge: <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/hotels/hoanib-skeleton-camp/">Hoanib Skeleton Camp</a>

Coast at Skeleton Coast , Namibia, Namibia - Courtesy A. Nagoria

Skeleton Coast

Pronounced soh-soos-vlay, this valley-like area of the southern Namib Desert is famous for having the world’s biggest sand dunes. In fact, many of the mountainous beasts are individually named, numbered and studied. A paved road (a rarity for this region of the country) begins at the tiny town of Sesriem and travels due west for 37 miles, alongside the underground Tsauchab River, which is noticeable only by the strip of vegetation it supports. About 15 miles outside of Sesriem, dramatic sand dunes start to become visible and the valley seems to narrow. Dune 45, one of the most famous, is on the left, and can be climbed up (and slid down).

Unlike other dunes, these are relatively stationary, and have maintained their structure and placement for centuries. The dunes are poetic in their silent power and beauty. Gracefully undulating, they peak with sharp crests that define their curves and it seems somewhat incredible that they are, in fact, only made of piles of very fine sand.

After the paved road ends, the sand path can be accessed only by certain approved trucks. (Those not staying at a Wilderness Camp or similar must buy a ticket on the public shuttle truck that departs from the road’s terminal parking lot.) A few miles further sits Big Daddy, another famed dune that can be climbed. In its shadow is the famous and oft-photographed Deadvlei, a dried-up pan that is home to dozens of acacia tree skeletons estimated to be as ancient as 700 years old.

As Sossusvlei is relatively accessible (and certainly the most easily reached part of the Namib Desert for those not on safari), it can get crowded. We recommend arranging for an early morning visit, when the temperature is still bearable, crowds are not yet very thick and the sun hits the dunes in acute angles, creating gorgeous and dramatic colors.

Accommodating Lodge: <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/hotels/little-kulala/">Little Kulala</a>

TD-Namibia-Sossusvlei Dunes-Little Kulala-Credit Dana Allen-01

Sossusvlei Dunes

See & Do

When Hoanib Skeleton Camp opened in Namibia’s Kaokoveld in 2014, it was seen as a game changer for the entire country’s tourism. Indeed, the remote and very chic tented camp has drawn people to the Namibian desert who might otherwise have never made it here, to the most desolate part of the world’s second-least-populated country.

The camp consists of eight khaki-colored tents (one is a family room with two connecting rooms) suspended above stilted modular rectangular structures, which look a bit like shipping containers with windows. (The elevated tent peaks help create a natural air circulation that acts as a cooling system, and indeed, despite extremely high temperatures from very strong sunlight, the rooms are rarely uncomfortably hot.) Like a scene from Star Wars or M.A.S.H., the semi-circular set-up of tents fit in perfectly in the basin-like piece of desert. Inside each tent, however, a refined, elegant and modern sensibility pervades. Décor is mostly in shades of taupe and cream, and comfortable sitting areas abound both inside and on the outdoor shaded deck. Some aspects are reminiscent of traditional African safari lodges (wicker chairs, mosquito netted-covered beds), but they all sit alongside contemporary touches (poured concrete floors, tufted leather and steel benches), which creates a very special feel.

There is no air-conditioning, but evenings are chilly, and poured concrete floors retain the cool from the night well into the day, and there are plenty of windows and doors that let in the perpetual southwesterly winds that bring cool air from the Atlantic. When not out on excursions, the place to be during daylight hours is on your deck anyway, looking towards the water hole, which hosts elephants, baboons, oryx and other creatures, like nature's own TV show.

In addition to its extremely refined set-up and service, the property offers unparalleled access to the northern <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/activities/skeleton-coast/">Skeleton Coast</a>, a formerly inaccessible region by land. All stays should include a day visit, which is typically done via jeep one way, and small airplane for the return. Highlights include driving up and down the dunes en route, along the coast and visiting shipwrecks and colonies of seals and flamingos.

While in camp, guests can relax in the gorgeous and comfortable communal lounge areas, including by the small lap pool, which beckons during the mid-day heat. Another highlight is going on a <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/activities/desert-game-drives/">desert game drive</a>, particularly to seek out the elusive desert lions in the area, some of which are related to the late famous desert lion brothers known as the Five Musketeers, which feature prominently in the 2015 documentary Vanishing Kings. The camp will happily play the film for guests in the research center, which is also home to the world-renowned desert lion researcher, Dr. Philip Stander, and his partner, Emsie Verwey, the camp’s resident researcher conducting a study on the rare brown hyena. While Stander is typically out in the bush studying and tracking the lions, he occasionally makes visits to camp and is a delight to speak to and learn from, especially around the nightly campfire. Emsie hosts nightly pre-dinner presentations on her fascinating research.

All meals are taken at the camp in the modern, glass-walled dining room, and the food is very good. Breakfast, typically taken as early as 6:30am, can include eggs as well as continental offerings. When in camp, three-course lunches are served with wine and dishes might include mushroom soufflé or chicken kebabs. Dinner, too, is three courses, and starts with a soup and homemade bread, followed by a choice of two entrées and dessert. Hot chocolate mixed with Amarula, a South African liqueur, is a delicious way to end the dinner and stroll back to your tent.

Service in the camp is, friendly and extremely thoughtful. The guides are some of the best, as it takes a more seasoned specialist to point out the more subtle flora and fauna found here, and in-camp personnel are committed to making each guests’ stay seamless and life-changing.

**Note**: The camp does not have WiFi or a gym.

Exterior View - Hoanib Skeleton Camp, Namibia  - Courtesy Dana Allen

Hoanib Skeleton Camp, Courtesy Dana Allen

Hoanib Skeleton Camp

There aren’t many animals in the Sossusvlei area of the Namib Desert, but the ones that are there are fascinating, as they are like no other creatures in the world. Darwin would have had a field day had he made it to Namibia’s southwest coast, as its species are some of the most prime examples of adaptation to be found on the planet. At over 50 million years old, the desert—the world’s oldest—has had time to let its flora and fauna evolve around its limitations, some animals and plants get all of their hydration from the fog’s condensation, and other trees and bushes reach down yards with their roots for water sources from deep, subterranean flowing rivers.

Little Kulala, like its location and inhabitants, is unique in its specialness. With just 11 thatched-roof bungalows (including a two-bedroom family room), the property feels private and remote. Surrounded by 360-degree desert views, the camp sits on a 90,000-acre concession leased by Wilderness Safaris from the Namibian government. (The larger and less luxurious **Kulala Desert Lodge** is located a few miles away on the same piece of land.) A main lodge sits among the private bungalows in a curved line, all connected to one another by sand paths. The beautifully decorated central structure is home to a library, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a lounge, bar and pool. Chic, modern décor prevails throughout, with neutral-toned wood, wicker and canvas-upholstered furniture, painted-white wood flooring and walls of windows that look out onto the landscape. In all corners of the camp, in fact, there are thoughtful, tasteful touches: chandeliers made of stripped down tree branches, headboards fashioned out of strings of recycled glass beads, acacia trees growing up through the decks and supporting thatched roofs.

Rooms are spacious, with their own furnished decks complete with plunge pools. Inside the air-conditioned suites are king-sized platform beds hugged by mosquito nets, cushy sofas that can be turned into beds for a child, and closet/dressing areas complete with complimentary minibar and tea and coffee making facilities. The bathroom features indoor and outdoor showers (with surprisingly good water pressure, considering its location in the desert), double vanities and is stocked with eco-friendly toiletries.

Guests are well fed at Little Kulala, beginning with early breakfasts of homemade bread, made-to-order eggs, porridge and a selection of German-style pastries, meats, cheeses and fruit. Lunch and dinner are three-course affairs and can begin with an assortment of delicious salads followed by entrées such as chicken stir-fry or vegetarian chili served with homemade tortillas and guacamole. Beverages are included and the camp has a good offering of South African wine and Namibian beer.

Guests are offered a short list of possible excursions, but the main reason for coming here is to see the <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/activities/sossusvlei-dunes/">Sossusvlei area dunes</a>, which sit about an hour’s drive away from the camp’s private gate. The best time to visit the eerily beautiful region of sand dunes is very early in the morning, when the Namib-Naukluft National Park, which protects the dunes and its area, opens at sunrise. Departing the lodge at 6am in one of the camp’s Land Rovers will ensure arrival at the dunes before they get too crowded and it gets too hot (temperatures can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit by 9am). Another favorite attraction is the <a href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/africa/namibia/namibia-namibia/activities/sesriem-canyon/">Sesriem Canyon</a>, about 30 miles northeast of the Sossusvlei dunes, which in drought can be hiked down and explored. Like the dunes, this is best visited early in the morning or late afternoon, to avoid the most intense sun and heat. Back in camp, a massage therapist is available for in-room treatments during the mid-day break and before or after dinner.

Exterior View : Little Kulala, Namibia, Namibia - Photo Courtsey : Dana Allen

Little Kulala

Stay

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With stunning private game reserves, great successes of eco-preservation, diverse wildlife and some of the continent’s most sumptuous lodges, South Africa is a home-run luxury-safari destination. The country’s most famous national park is Kruger, the game-rich bushveld in the northeast of the country, followed by Madikwe, known for its semi-arid plains with red soil.

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