Explore Namibia's Northern Coast
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Extension
Overview
Enter one of the planet's most inhospitable yet hauntingly beautiful places. Lying on the border of the Skeleton Coast National Park, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is situated inside a private wilderness concession, ensuring an exhilarating, private, and exclusive experience. This desolate, uninhabited area has everything from unique desert-adapted fauna and flora to towering canyons and seal colonies. Activities at camp include nature drives and walks in this unique, wild, and desolate environment—one of the world's last surviving true wilderness areas.
Arrive: Sossusvlei, Namibia
Depart: Damaraland, Namibia
Highlights
- Explore from a fabulously remote camp in Damaraland in northwest Namibia
- Look for unique desert-adapted fauna including rhino and elephant
Itinerary
Transfer to the airstrip for a scenic flight to Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp. Set close to the Skeleton Coast and within the true Namib Desert, the area is home to a rich diversity of wildlife, boasting the Kaokoveld's best viewing of desert-adapted wildlife and access to vast, remote, and isolated wilderness. Upon arrival, settle into camp, then head out for your first explorations of this incredible environment. Enormous elephant herds thrive along with giraffe, lion, and brown hyena. Gemsbok (oryx), springbok, steenbok, scrub hare, and inquisitive ground squirrel are also seen. Entirely different to the rugged mountains and valleys inland, the Skeleton Coast hosts Cape fur seals in their thousands along with black-backed jackals. Birds are equally diverse, with regular endemics like Rüppell's korhaan, Benguela long-billed lark and lark-like bunting. Overnight at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp...BLD
Activities at camp include nature drives that showcase the magnitude of the landscape and offer the best possibilities of seeing desert-adapted wildlife (morning or afternoon drives are available, as well as full-day excursions). You can also explore the nearby dunes: nature walks from camp take in the magnificent surrounds as well as offer a glimpse of vestiges of the Strandloper (Beachcomber) lifestyle from hundreds of years ago. Exploring on foot is also a good opportunity to study the smaller creatures and the fascinating plant life of the area. Birding enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the diverse avifauna of the northern Palmwag Concession, from soaring raptors to charming Namaqua sandgrouse and other regular endemics.
Presentations by, and interactions with, wildlife researchers at the Hoanib Research Centre are possible when they are in camp. These interactions cover all current research being supported at Hoanib, in particular the vital work conducted by Dr. Philip Stander and his team studying the unique desert-adapted lion. Overnights at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp...BLD each day
Presentations by, and interactions with, wildlife researchers at the Hoanib Research Centre are possible when they are in camp. These interactions cover all current research being supported at Hoanib, in particular the vital work conducted by Dr. Philip Stander and his team studying the unique desert-adapted lion. Overnights at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp...BLD each day
Transfer to the airstrip and fly to Damaraland and continue with Day 4 of the Namibia Private Journey itinerary...B
A visa is not required for U.S. citizens visiting Namibia.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.