Nestled in one of the planet's most inhospitable yet hauntingly beautiful places, the Skeleton Coast Camp lies within the Skeleton Coast Park. The Park takes its name from its stark, strikingly beautiful landscape - littered with bleached whalebones, skeletal remains and the debris of age-old shipwrecks. The scenic splendour is diverse, from roaring sand dunes and windswept plains to towering canyons, saltpans to freshwater springs.
Exclusivity is taken a step further as a trip to Skeleton Coast Camp is solely a fly-in safari. Access and departure from the camp takes place only on Wednesday and Saturday, offering a choice of either three or four nights. In addition there is a maximum of 12 guests per scheduled trip due to the fragile and pristine landscape, making Skeleton Coast Camp one of the most remote places on the African continent.
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.
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. The debris of shipwrecks, most of which have been devoured by the salty and pounding waves, can be seen here and there.
Secret water seeps which create freshwater springs attract wildlife, so guests can see desert-adapted elephant, gemsbok, springbok, giraffe, ostrich, brown hyaena, Hartmann's mountain zebra and, occasionally, lion and cheetah.
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