Skeleton Coast Holidays

Shipwrecks and whale bones half-buried in the shifting sands are the dominant features of the Skeleton Coast. Your Insta reel will look like location scouting for a post-apocalyptic movie after a drive along the shore! Exploring in a 4x4 is a must, but a low-altitude flight is the only way to see the whole destination.

Back on the ground, the park and its surroundings also offer seal colony viewing, fishing, birding and unique safaris to find Namibia’s hardiest elephants, rhinos, lions, hyenas, jackals, giraffes, zebras and oryx. Surfing, sand-boarding, guided hikes and dune bashing drives await adrenaline chasers, while the eerie atmosphere and unearthly quiet will be thrilling enough for others. For a real adventure, flying safaris with overnights in the most isolated spots are unbeatable.

Spend the night beyond the skull and crossbones sign of the Ugab Gate - this is an exclusive experience with only a handful of accommodations permitted to operate inside the park. Fly or drive to the northernmost accessible point of Möwe Bay, home to a thriving seal colony and be collected by your hosts for a stay in the luxury boat-shaped cabins of Shipwreck Lodge. Surrounded by nothing but sand, you can enjoy guided walks, sand-boarding, quad biking, beach lunches, nature safaris and sundowner drives.

Fly into Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp at the park’s eastern edge, and rest at one of the most remote lodges in the world. Here, there's amazing access to the animals of the Palmwag Concession and Damaraland. Feel like fishing, bird-watching or simply seeing the sun set into the Atlantic? Try Terrace Bay Resort or Torra Bay Campsite towards the park’s southern edge.

Dorab National Park sits on the southern edge of the Ugab River and offers an ideal alternative for those who prefer to stay outside the Skeleton Coast National Park. Choose accommodation in the former fishing town turned seaside resort of Hentiesbaai for easy access to both the shipwreck-strewn shore and the playground of Swakopmund.

See 100,000 Cape fur seals basking on the sand and in the surf of Cape Cross Seal Reserve. Follow the Messum River past its namesake crater to Brandberg, Namibia’s highest peak. Drive along the coast to find the slowly eroding remains of ships, animals, vehicles and even an oil rig before returning to the comfort of your resort each evening.

While some lodgings are only open during peak season, the Skeleton Coast National Park is a year-round destination, and its wilderness is equally breathtaking, no matter when you choose to visit. The dry season, May to October, is a great time to arrive, with virtually no rain and more comfortable temperatures throughout the day.

Wind and mist can affect animal viewing and some outdoor activities during this time, but safaris in nearby Etosha are at their best. November to April is officially the wet season, but rain is still rare. Mornings are clearer, and winds are milder during these months, but afternoons can become very hot. Birding is best during the wet season when migratory species arrive.