Shipwreck Lodge (Skeleton Coast Park) Namibia
Freedom, Beauty and Solitude
Uniquely designed around the enigmatic shipwrecks that line Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, there’s nowhere on the continent quite like Shipwreck Lodge. In fact, there’s nowhere on the continent quite like the Skeleton Coast. It’s a raw, rugged and impossibly remote slice of African wilderness, where towering dunes and wind-swept plains roll as far as the eye can see, buffeted by the icy Atlantic seas.
But there’s much more to the area than simple isolation. Stay at Shipwreck Lodge, and game drive amongst the desert-dwelling elephant, lion and kudu, or discover the enchanting desert flora; sit atop the roaring dunes as the sun sinks below the horizon, or visit at the Suiderkus and Karimona shipwrecks; spend the day with the magnificent Himba tribe, or marvel at the geologically-remarkable Clay Castles. Really, there’s nowhere like it on earth.
Why Book this Camp?
- The chance to explore a raw and dramatic slice of true African wilderness, unlike any other on the continent.
- Explore the interior dunes and dry riverbeds and spot the unique desert-dwelling animals, from elephant and lion to brown hyaena and baboon.
- Take the flight of your life over the bleached whale bones and dramatic shipwrecks that line the mist-enshrouded coastline.
- Interact with the Himba people, the ochre-coloured tribe that call the harsh environment home.
- Delve into the area’s mysterious past with a visit to the Suiderkus and Karimona shipwrecks.
- Look for tok-tokkie beetles and the oldest (and strangest) desert plant in the world, the Welwitschia, on a walk across the lunar landscape.
Accommdations
We felt it only fair that we build a camp to match the remarkable scenery of the Skeleton Coast, and each of the 10 rooms have been constructed to resemble the shipwrecks that line the beach. There are eight twin or double rooms, and two family tents if you’re bringing the kids, all ensuite and solar-powered. Well, apart from the wood burning stove but on the chilly evenings and mornings, it’s most definitely a welcome addition! In the centre of camp, you’ll find an equally as innovatively-designed lounge and restaurant with a wide, wraparound deck and uninterrupted views across the sand, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Wildlife
It’s tough enough being a human in the harsh environment of the Skeleton Coast, but just imagine being an animal and calling the shores home. Well, many do, and they’re a magnificent sight. First up are the desert-adapted elephant, digging deep beneath the sand for the last vestiges of water. Making use of the wells left behind by the pachyderms are giraffe, lion and baboon, and perhaps even a brown hyaena or two, but sightings are rare. Then, there are the thousands of plants and insects that flourish in the sand, surviving from the moisture of the cold fog that drifts inland from the ocean. Incredible stuff – but that’s not all. Marine life positively thrives, feeding off the nutrients in the Atlantic, and the most iconic species are the Cape fur seals that line the rocky shoreline in large colonies. Birdlife is also prolific and you should most certainly pack your binos for Rüppell’s korhaans and Benguela long-billed larks. Further toward the coast, you should also be able to spot tractrac chats, as well as jaegers and skuas around the seal colonies.
The Landscape
The words ‘eerie’ and ‘mysterious’ are often bandied around when it comes to describing Africa’s most interesting locations, but the Skeleton Coast has to be one place that truly deserves the metaphors. Shrouded in mist, the jaw-droppingly beautiful National Park begins at the Uqab River and runs roughly 500 kilometres up the Atlantic Coast to the Kunene River. Described by the San Bushmen as ‘the Land God Made in Anger’, the beaches are strewn with bleached whale bones and the wrecks of over a thousand ships, and the interior is an uninhabited desert of rolling, endless sand. But it’s magical and hauntingly picturesque, and, in our books, that makes it an absolute must-see.
Shipwreck Lodge itself is located in an unrivalled spot in the Skeleton Coast Central Concession Area, a piece of land between the Hoarusib and Hoanib rivers. The lodge is within the Skeleton Coast National Park and roughly 68 kilometres from Mowe Bay. The area contains irreplaceable and vulnerable wildlife habitat for species of the highest conservation importance, including black rhino, elephant, black faced impala and the Hartmann’s mountain zebra. Importantly, it also hosts the only other viable lion population in Namibia outside of Etosha National Park.
Accommodation Rates:- From $925 per person per night sharing. Please contact us
for a quote and suggested itinerary.