A genuine frontier destination, the Skeleton Coast separating mainland Namibia from the Atlantic offers one of Africa’s most remote, unspoiled areas. The Skeleton Coast National Park stretches north along the coast from Swakopmund   up to the border with Angola, and it is in this region that the most intrepid itineraries focus their activities. In truth though, the whole coastline from top to bottom boasts pockets of stark, awe inspiring scenery where the desert meets the ocean. The coast was so named due to the high number of shipwrecks over the years on this wild stretch of the Atlantic, and it‘s still possible to visit some of the wrecks.

Itineraries to this isolated, utterly unique geographical wonderland should last for at least three nights, and other experiences on offer include dune driving, guided walks, searches for desert adapted wildlife and encounters with the nomadic Himba people.  The Skeleton Coast National Park itself is remote and difficult to navigate.  The main coast road passes through a couple of uninviting settlements primarily used by Namibians as fishing retreats and the scenery here can feel bleak.  However, just slightly off the main routes and a few kilometres inland, the scenery is as dramatic as it is varied and having the opportunity to explore this region is a once in a lifetime experience.   It is not possible to self-drive the majority of the area so we would recommend a few other ways explore the area. The most unique is an exclusive fly-in safari, where you travel in small groups of no more than four guests and a pilot / guide per light aircraft, hopping between camps in different areas along the coast. For this itinerary, the aircraft is generally your game drive and transfer vehicle combined. Another option is to fly into a remote, permanent lodge in the far northern Kunene region, where the Himba experiences are authentic and the landscapes incredible. Alternatively there are a couple of camps, one right on the coast and one inland near the far eastern side of the Park which can be accessed relatively easily on a self-drive trip. Staying in these areas is not cheap but the experiences are a captivating and unforgettable mixture of the elements that make Namibia special.