The stark beauty of a fascinating desert landscape makes a stunning setting for Wilderness Safaris’ new Hoanib Skeleton Coast camp. You don’t get more remote than this far corner of Namibia’s Palmwag Concession, the only access by light aircraft, where a surprising variety of wildlife has adapted to the harsh desert climate. Game drives reveal elephant, giraffe, oryx and springbok, occasionally lion and rhino, and desert oases surrounded by flamingo, then there is the rugged Skeleton Coast itself reached by a scenic flight over the dunes, floodplains and Auses spring. The luxury tented camp and swimming pool blend into this unspoilt wilderness with the lightest footprint.
Understated elegance defines the decor in each of the eight guest tents, with the bleached browns of the desert reflected in a harmonious palette of natural tones. Extremely spacious with comfortable armchairs, a writing desk and a wide mosquito netting canopy over the kingsize bed, the tents are set on raised wooden platforms and include a generous en-suite bathroom and a shaded deck with wide sofa, table and chairs for leisurely afternoons or night-time star-gazing. The main tent, also furnished in chic contemporary style, encompasses an open-sided lounge and bar making the most of views over the valley, a long dining room overlooking the pool deck and a camp fire under the sky. The camp is 100% solar powered, designed for minimum impact on the fragile desert eco-system.
It’s the adventure of exploring one of the last truly wild places in the world that makes Hoanib Skeleton Coast so special. The diverse landscapes explored during the game drives are a photographer’s dream, ranging from the Hoanib river with its splashes of green, open gravel plains, tall dunes and river canyons, where you never know what wildlife you’ll encounter, following fresh lion tracks, meeting elephant families, or a lone jackal. The Skeleton Coast provides another contrast, the rugged shore with its shipwrecks, the seal colony and the wall of pebbles at the Hoanib river mouth.
A truly off the beaten track destination and wondrous wild adventure, Hoanib Skeleton Coast is definitely one for the bucket list.
Namibia: “Truly mind tingling…we couldn’t get enough of each place!”
If you have some budget, then Namibia is the best country to see from the air. Landing at remote camps in the middle of nowhere is such a mind blowing experience! Lise put a seamless itinerary together for these clients from the US which included, Little Kuala, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp and Onguma.