Namibia’s remote Skeleton Coast is an otherworldly piece of African hinterland, a mysterious place where the enormous dunes of the planet’s oldest desert meet the roaring Atlantic Ocean to form one of the most dramatic coast lines in the world. Shipwreck is the only lodge situated in the hauntingly picturesque Skeleton Coast National Park, named after the old wrecks that litter this stretch of Africa.
Here you can go on nature drives and track the specialists of the Namib: desert-dwelling elephants, giraffe, baboon, and the elusive desert-adapted lion and brown hyena. Marvel at the rich birdlife of the Skeleton Coast, which is home to nearly 250 species like Rüppell’s korhaan, Benguela long-billed lark, tractrac chat, jaeger and skua. Take a walk across a lunar-like landscape to discover fascinating succulents and lichens, and the oldest (and strangest!) desert plant on Earth, the welwitschia.
Evoke your inner archaeologist while you discover bleached whale bones and the debris from centuries-old sea vessels that fell victim to the coastline’s shifting sandbanks, dense fog and perilous currents. Interact with the Himba, a nomadic tribe known for crushing ochre rocks and applying the reddish-brown powder to their skin with butter.
This off-the-beaten-track lodge is situated in one of Africa’s most riveting locations, and perhaps one of the most peculiar places on Earth. Breath-taking vistas of desert, ocean and sky – as far as the eye can see.