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Namibia

Skeleton Coast

PLAN MY TRIP

On the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia lies the Skeleton Coast named for the skeletal remains of shipwrecks that litter the beaches where whale bones once washed ashore.

The Skeleton Coast stretches out to the south of Angola from the Kunene River and then south to the Swakop River. The cold Benguela current gives rise to dense ocean fogs that blanket the region for large portions of the year and make sailing treacherous. In fact, the heavy fog combined with the heavy, pounding surf is the cause of all those shipwrecks in an area that Portuguese sailors dubbed “the Gates of Hell”. However, the region has become popular with surfers. Skeleton Coast National Park covers 6,200 square miles of the area from the Ugab River to Kunene. Some areas of interest are the clay castles of the Hoarisib, the Agate Mountain salt pans, and the large seal colony at Cape Fria.

Many varieties of animals have adapted to this inhospitable climate. The Cape fur seals of Cape Fria flourish in the frigid waters of the Atlantic. Their unusual external ears set them apart from other seals and help them hear predators like black-backed jackals and brown hyenas. Large mammals in the region include Namibia’s famous desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, lion, cheetah, giraffe, gemsbok, zebra, springbok and spotted and brown hyena.

Many animals can be found in the dry river beds which flow from the interior of Namibia, through the Namib Desert to the Skeleton Coast. This is the ideal spot for hardy reptile like the near endemic Gerrhosaurus skoogi, an armor-plated lizard that prowls the sand-dune sea in search of vegetation detritus. This large, striking reptile can measure up to eleven inches long and can weigh up to four ounces.

The Skeleton Coast is the perfect spot for adventurers and thrill-seekers. The Petrified Lagoon has unique salt crystal formations that are over 400 years old. Excursions to Messum Crater take in the amazing salt pans with is bushman paintings and 2,000-year-old Welwitschia plants. With the Atlantic Ocean at the front door, anglers have a chance to catch kob, white steenbras, or other local species. Other activities include a visit to the Winston Wreck, one of the famous wrecks along the Skeleton Coast, or a trip to desert waterhole some twenty miles inland where visitors can experience buoyancy like that of Israel’s Dead Sea. The area is also a world-class surfing destination. Kayaking in the bay is fantastic as well. Or travelers can coat down the sand of the legendary roaring dunes on their backside.

Safari Camps
Points of Interest
Hotels & Resorts
Journeys
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Namibia

Skeleton Coast

PLAN MY TRIP

On the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia lies the Skeleton Coast named for the skeletal remains of shipwrecks that litter the beaches where whale bones once washed ashore.

The Skeleton Coast stretches out to the south of Angola from the Kunene River and then south to the Swakop River. The cold Benguela current gives rise to dense ocean fogs that blanket the region for large portions of the year and make sailing treacherous. In fact, the heavy fog combined with the heavy, pounding surf is the cause of all those shipwrecks in an area that Portuguese sailors dubbed “the Gates of Hell”. However, the region has become popular with surfers. Skeleton Coast National Park covers 6,200 square miles of the area from the Ugab River to Kunene. Some areas of interest are the clay castles of the Hoarisib, the Agate Mountain salt pans, and the large seal colony at Cape Fria.

Many varieties of animals have adapted to this inhospitable climate. The Cape fur seals of Cape Fria flourish in the frigid waters of the Atlantic. Their unusual external ears set them apart from other seals and help them hear predators like black-backed jackals and brown hyenas. Large mammals in the region include Namibia’s famous desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, lion, cheetah, giraffe, gemsbok, zebra, springbok and spotted and brown hyena.

Many animals can be found in the dry river beds which flow from the interior of Namibia, through the Namib Desert to the Skeleton Coast. This is the ideal spot for hardy reptile like the near endemic Gerrhosaurus skoogi, an armor-plated lizard that prowls the sand-dune sea in search of vegetation detritus. This large, striking reptile can measure up to eleven inches long and can weigh up to four ounces.

The Skeleton Coast is the perfect spot for adventurers and thrill-seekers. The Petrified Lagoon has unique salt crystal formations that are over 400 years old. Excursions to Messum Crater take in the amazing salt pans with is bushman paintings and 2,000-year-old Welwitschia plants. With the Atlantic Ocean at the front door, anglers have a chance to catch kob, white steenbras, or other local species. Other activities include a visit to the Winston Wreck, one of the famous wrecks along the Skeleton Coast, or a trip to desert waterhole some twenty miles inland where visitors can experience buoyancy like that of Israel’s Dead Sea. The area is also a world-class surfing destination. Kayaking in the bay is fantastic as well. Or travelers can coat down the sand of the legendary roaring dunes on their backside.

Safari Camps
Points of Interest
Hotels & Resorts
Journeys