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Skeleton Coast expedition
USD 7350
JAN-DEC
10 NIGHTS
Select your style
We are able to vary the price of this trip considerably, simply by swapping out the lodges that it contains. This is likely to have a very significant effect on the level of polish of the trip, but in all cases it will remain cool and authentic. Make your selection here and the lodges will automatically change in the itinerary below.
USD 7350 per person
This trip includes really good quality properties, perhaps without the intense polish of the very top lodges, but also without the premium price tag.
Trip Summary
Start location : Windhoek International
Windhoek
01 : Windhoek Hilton
Twyfelfontein
02 : Doro Nawas Camp
Skeleton Coast North
03 : Mowe Bay Bivouac
04 : Sarusas Bivouac
05 : Dunedin Star Bivouac
Kaokaland West
06 : Kunene Dunes Bivouac
07 : Cafema Bivouac
Damaraland North
Otjiwarongo
10 : Okonjima Bush Camp
End location : Windhoek International
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital of Namibia and the location of the main international airport, so most visitors pass through here at least once in their trip. It is usually possible to connect through without having to overnight, but actually it is a rather relaxed and pleasant place to break a journey.
Day 1
Arrival : Windhoek International
lodge
Windhoek Hilton
Windhoek Hilton is located in the city of Windhoek.
The hotel is centred on an impressive double height lobby.
The hotel has 240 rooms in various specifications.
Twyfelfontein
Set in the west of Namibia, Twyfelfontein is the best known and most frequently visited area in the country for desert elephants and rock-art, plus some superb hiking and geology. Guest accommodation is in half a dozen decent lodges.
Day 2
lodge
Doro Nawas Camp
Doro Nawas Camp is located in the Twyfelfontein area.
The camp is centred on an unusual fort-style main building, leading down to a swimming pool area.
Guest accommodation is in fourteen substantial Rooms, with indoor bathrooms.
Activities include vehicle safari in search of desert elephants, balloon safari, cultural interaction and visits to some excellent rock-art and geological sites.
The primary activity here is vehicle safari into the green valley of the ephemeral Huab River.
The main rock-art site at Twyfelfontein can get busy, but is extraordinarily good.
The Damara Living Museum is also surprisingly relaxed and interesting.
The area is renowned for its geology, especially the extensive petrified forests.
If you are keen, there are also some fabulous remote rock-art sites to explore.
Skeleton Coast North
Set in the extreme northwest of Namibia, Skeleton Coast North is one of the most incredible and remote wilderness areas in Africa, with highlights including vast seal colonies, desert lions, elephants and giraffes, abandoned diamond mines, remote desert oases and treacherous quicksand. The best way to explore is by means of a serious overland expedition.
Day 3
lodge
Mowe Bay Bivouac
Mowe Bay Bivouac is the usual first stop on our fabulous Skeleton Coast Expeditions.
Heading out to the coast on the main a national park road.
At Terrace Bay we enter the strict permit only wilderness area.
The ranger station at Mowe Bay is the last sign of civilisation we will see for the best part of a week.
Nice to know there's still plenty of desert lions out here.
Just a pair of sandy tyre tracks for the next 500km.
Our first camp is pitched just north of the large seal colony at Mowe Bay.
Next morning we continue north across vast gravel plains.
There are shipwrecks …
... abandoned diamond mines ...
... and a famous plane crash associated with the 1942 Dunedin Star wreck.
The first main river channel is the spectacular Hoarusib.
North of the Hoarusib the gravel plains are truly captivating.
We continue north towards the oasis at Sarusas.
Day 4
lodge
Sarusas Bivouac
Sarusas Springs Bivouac is the usual second stop on our fabulous Skeleton Coast Expeditions.
Approaching Sarusas Springs we start to see good numbers of oryx and springboks.
The presence of fresh water in this desolate terrain is nothing short of a miracle.
We camp on the edge of some interesting vegetated dunes.
Early morning we are greeted by visitors …
... in the form of some curious brown hyenas.
Forever northwards, with the ocean never too far away.
An old amethyst mine in the middle of nowhere, like some deserted lunar station.
We see spingboks, oryx and plenty of smaller wildlife, as well as signs of lions, giraffes and elephants.
The Saline Spring is only good for washing water.
The closest this area gets to a signpost.
A Strandloper settlement, the coastal Bushmen who used to build their houses from whale bones.
The closest this area gets to a signpost.
The geology is remarkable in places, not least here at Agate Mountain.
Back down on the coast and one of the biggest highlights of the trip.
It is hard to convey quite how miraculous this glut of life seems in this utter wilderness.
We continue north towards the site of the famous Dunedin Star wreck.
Day 5
lodge
Dunedin Star Bivouac
Dunedin Star Bivouac is the usual third stop on our fabulous Skeleton Coast Expeditions.
Heading north up the beach towards the location of the Dunedin Star shipwreck.
Every tyre track ever made lies fossilized in the gravel.
Our camp is surrounded by the most remarkable wind blown agate pebbles.
We are getting extremely remote now, continuing north along the beach.
The remains of an Angolan refugee vehicle from the 1980's.
Finally we approach the mouth of the Kunene River and the border with Angola.
The perfect place for a picnic and a little celebration of our utter remoteness.
Time to get ready for the main event, the epic two day dune crossing.
The desert feels scary and exhilarating at the same time.
Finally we approach the next overnight location.
Kaokaland West
Set in the extreme northwest of Namibia, Kaokaland West is a very little-visited area of remarkable desert scenery, isolated Himba tribespeople and a miraculous river which runs incongruously through the middle of an ocean of sand. Guest accommodation is in just three remote lodges, offering a range of unusual desert experiences.
Day 6
lodge
Kunene Dunes Bivouac
Kunene Dunes Bivouac is the usual fourth stop on our fabulous Skeleton Coast Expeditions.
Kunene Dunes Bivouac is set high above the remarkable desert river.
That's Angola over the other side.
The camp is usually pitched in the shade of the last sand dune above the river.
Next morning we start with more of the same.
Our dune pilot has to run ahead to plot a course.
There is a total loss of perspective, we cannot tell if a dune is 3 or 30 metres until we run down it.
Inevitably much of the morning is spent hoping our winches don't burn out.
Eventually we ascend the highest dune and enjoy the most spectacular picnic.
The legendary Joe Welby.
The first plant for a whole day.
Ahead we can see the mountains that mark the end of our traverse.
Eventually we reach the end of the dune sea and head down into the Hartmann Valley.
We head on down towards our next overnight stop.
Day 7
lodge
Cafema Bivouac
Cafema Bivouac is the usual fifth stop on our fabulous Skeleton Coast Expeditions.
Heading down into the Serra Cafema Valley.
By now we are so at home in our little campsite that we wouldn't have it any other way.
Next morning we turn south and encounter some remote Himba villages.
From the famous Green Drum, we continue south, usually towards Hoanib Valley Bivouac.
Damaraland North
Set in the northwest of Namibia, Damaraland North is a fabulous area of awesome desert scenery, unusually strong wildlife and superb remote lodges. If you could only visit one part of the country, this would have to be the one. We happily spend weeks up here in our spare time.
Day 8 , 9
lodge
Hoanib Valley Bivouac
Hoanib Valley Bivouac is the usual sixth stop on our fabulous Skeleton Coast Expeditions.
This valley is one of the best locations for desert wildlife in Namibia.
Desert lions are extremely rare and elusive, but there are usually some resident here in the valley.
The bivouac is usually set in one of the side valleys, to keep out of the way of the wildlife.
It really is worth spending two or more nights in this gorgeous location.
From there the expedition usually heads back to Windhoek, with an optional overnight stop in Etosha or Okonjima.
Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo is a large area of ranchland through which virtually all visitors drive between Windhoek and Etosha. Although these are not wild areas, there are points of interest, notably two very prominent animal conservation projects, renowned for cheetahs.
Day 10
lodge
Okonjima Bush Camp
Okonjima Bush Camp is located in the Otjiwarongo area.
The camp is centred on a large main building, leading out to a swimming pool area.
Guest accommodation is in nine Luxury Chalets with indoor bathrooms.
Activities include tracking radio-collared cheetahs and other animals on foot, plus gentle vehicle safari and self-guided walking trails.
The primary activity is cheetah tracking, during which there are opportunities to view other wildlife on the reserve.
Leopard tracking is similar, but you don't get off the vehicle for the final approach.
Various levels of access to the Africat project may also be possible.
Day 11
Departure : Windhoek International
Alternative Trips
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Of course, your actual trip will be precisely tailor-made.
Of course, your actual trip will be precisely tailor-made.
