The Stunning Skeleton Coast of Namibia

If you are looking for solitude and a stunning landscape then there cannot be any better place for that in Africa than Namibia. This vast country with a small population remains to most extent the least explored part of the continent. The gorgeous cost of Namibia provides a great place for spending a relaxing vacation. Although almost all parts of the country’s coast line are famous for their scenic beauty and picture perfect settings but the tourists have always been more excited about its Skeleton Coast National Park. The park encompasses about one third of the total length of the coastline and is a paradise for the photographers because of its gorgeous landscape.

Although the park is home to quite a few species of the Namibian wildlife but game viewing is not what Skeleton Coast is famous for. The main attraction is its solitude, its endless sand dunes, absolute solitude and magnificent landscape. If you are flying from abroad then you will have to take a flight to Windhoek the capital of the country from which you can hire a car for getting to the park. The vastness of the park and scarcity of human settlements demands that you should always travel in groups. If you are a lone tourist then we will recommend that you tag along with a group in the Windhoek that is planning to explore the Skeleton Coast line. Your best option will be to contact a tour operator who will arrange everything for you.

The landscape of the Skeleton Coast is impressive as it includes endless sand dunes, mighty mountain ranges and large canyons. The climate in the region is quite different from the rest of the country as instead of the unbearable heat of the desert you will be facing intense fog and a cool coastal breeze that blows almost always in the region. The Skeleton Coast has always been part of legends and for most times quite a scary one. The Portuguese were the first of the European navigators to reach it and they gave it the name of “The Gates of Hell” as many of their ships wrecked because of the fog that engulfed the coastline. And so the stories of the sailors who traveled hundreds of kilometers in the barren terrain of Namibia to save their lives were born. These ship wrecks is one of the reason why the region was given its name the Skeleton Coast. There are two entry gates of the park the southern is along the Uqab River while the eastern is at Springbokwassser. If you are traveling alone then you will have to leave the park before sunset, but if you are traveling in a group and want to stay for the night then there are quite a few good camping grounds in the park. You can hire 4wds to explore the park properly and if you can afford you can opt for an air safari which will take you the most remote places in the park.