Wild, elemental, remote, rugged and really quite difficult to adequately describe
This camp enjoys the privilege of knowing it is currently the only camp in the 300,000ha Skeleton Coast National Park. Originally established by the Schoeman family, the camp is now run by Wilderness Safaris and is probably one of the most remote in their portfolio. The six tents are located on the Hoarusib River, which flows about once a year. The landscape is unforgiving, harsh and other-worldly, especially when the sea-mists from the Atlantic descend. To be a camp manager here is to test one’s ability to deal with solitude and logistical challenges like few other places.
Somewhat surprisingly, there is a great deal to see here and the nature of the environment means that what you do see is pretty special. Cape fur seal colonies cluster near the unpredictable Atlantic, which is sometimes flat as a mill-pond and at other times, a thundering mass of white-topped waves. The strange, shaggy brown hyena scavenges on the beaches and desert-adapted lion sometimes venture down to try their luck with the seals.
Inland, the craggy canyons and river valleys play host to other large mammals, including desert elephant, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, oryx and giraffe amongst others. The geology here is fascinating with environments so fragile that the wheels of ox-carts are still visible in some of the lichen fields.
This is a rough and rugged landscape where the weather is testing. It is well suited to those that seek adventure and an experience that is out of the ordinary.
6 en-suite tented rooms
Wild, elemental, remote, rugged and really quite difficult to adequately describe
Sounding like something out of a pirate movie, the Skeleton Coast is indeed littered with the carapaces of ships that didn’t make a clean passage along this treacherous length of Africa’s Altantic coastline. Half-buried under sand, gnawed by rust and wind, the sculptured hulls have somehow become an apt memorial to man’s inability to tame the elements. Indeed, it’s not only the ships that give the place its name; human skeletons of those that failed to launch their boats back into the pounding surf have also been found here to add to the bones of whales and seals from commercial whaling and the fur-trade. Read more?
If you are considering travelling to Namibia, chances are you are looking for something out of the ordinary. A journey through Namibia is all about daily surprises; the impossible number of stars, the expanse of views over desert mountains, the improbable salmon-pink of sand-dunes at sunrise, the ingenuity of small creatures adapted to the harsh environment, the ochre and leather dress of the Himba and petticoated dresses of the Herero, the first taste of ostrich biltong and the excellent seafood. Jump straight to some of our favourite Namibian experiences. Read more?
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Catherine's long experience of, and enthusiasm for Africa, makes her a mine of travel information. Add to the mix her vivacious character and inscrutable attention to detail and there are few people you'd rather have plan your holiday.
At Natural High, we've had long experience putting together trips in Africa that really work. Whether it's intimate bushcamps in out of the way places, or a private lodge in one of Africa's top-billing wildlife areas, light mobile camping or remote island escapes, we know there is a lot to choose from. We're absolutely confident that we can recommend the right places for you.
