- Overview
- Facilities
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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. |
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The concession is diverse - from roaring sand dunes and windswept plains to towering canyons, saltpans to freshwater springs. 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. Shipwrecks, now fast being devoured by the salty and vigorous coastline, can be viewed on request. 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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Camp Description
- Tented camp built raised on wooden decks on an island in the Khumib riverbed.
- Central lounge, bar and dining area with views of the desert.
- Outside dining area under an old leadwood tree.
- Library
- Campfire
Game Viewing
The contrast between the harsh environment and the animals that inhabit it make this area spectacular. Possible wildlife to be seen include: springbok, gemsbok, desert-adapted elephant, brown hyaena, black-backed jackal, and occasionally even lion and cheetah. Cape fur seals are present in their thousands on the beaches. The area has fascinating desert-adapted vegetation such as Welwitschia and lithops. Birding is very good with over 200 species recorded including several of Namibia's endemic species, such as Tractrac Chat, Rüppell's Korhaan and Gray's Lark.
Activities
The area covered is so vast with so much to see and experience that we generally leave camp after breakfast and spend the full day exploring the Park. A picnic lunch is enjoyed out in the wild and we return to camp in the late afternoon. We travel in 4x4 Land Rovers and cover an extraordinary variety of terrains.
Activities include the following:
- Full-day nature drives with walks
- Excursions to seal colony and natural springs
- Visit to a working Himba village
- Tracking of desert-adapted elephants
- Visit to the clay castles, roaring dunes, lichen fields as well as other areas of amazing geographical diversity.
- Fishing
Suggested Daily Activity Schedule
- 07h00 - Early morning breakfast
- 08h00 - Depart camp with picnic lunch for a full day excursion
- Winter/summer
- 18h00/19h00 - Return to camp
- 19h00/20h00 - Dinner in camp
Electricity & Water
- Solar power for lighting and hot water.
- 12v battery power (charged by solar power) is used for lighting in each guest tent.
- Video battery can be charged, but please bring lots of spare batteries as this facility is limited.
- Guests are requested to keep water usage to a minimum in this desert environment.
Drinks Policy
Local drinks and house-wines are included.
Laundry Policy
No laundry service is possible as a result of water shortages in the desert environment.
Extra Payment
- Payment to the camp can be effected by cash (US$) or the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard or Euro card.
- Only Namibian Dollar or South African Rands cash are accepted by the local Himba people if guests wish to purchase curio's from them.
Flying Times
- To/from Swakopmund 2 hrs 15mins
- Windhoek to Swakopmund 45 mins
- To/from Windhoek 2 hours 30 mins
Airstrip Details
Located near camp – this is a soft sand strip which is suitable for Caravans only.
(Cessna 210 aircraft use Purros Airstrip when it is operational – but it is currently closed as undergoing major maintenance in 2010. Guests are transferred to camp from Purros by road but the journey can take anything from one to three hours depending on what they see and whether they stop en route etc).
Gratuity Schedule
- The following is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards:
- Guides - US$10.00 per person per day
- General Camp Staff - US$5.00 per person per day to be placed in the communal box in reception
- Specialist Guides (if applicable) - US$10.00 per person per day
Number of units:
- 4 twin tents
- 2 double tents
This camp can accommodate 12 guests. Guides can be accommodated at the Skeleton Coast Research camp.
Accommodation details:
- Large Meru-style tents.
- Tents have doors and wooden floors.
- En-suite bathrooms with shower, wash basin and toilet.
- Soaps, shampoos, body lotion, torch and insect repellents are supplied in each tent.
- Safe in each tent.
Location Pricing / Child Policy Scheduled departures from Windhoek Eros Airport
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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.
