(Newswire.net — June 13, 2019) — Namibia’s wild coastal beauty may be an undiscovered gem for many travelers. It’s a vast stretch of surreal scenery where lions stalk seals on glittering white sand beaches reminiscent of the Caribbean. However, sand dunes tower 300 feet above the shoreline. It’s not unusual to see no manmade structures for hundreds of miles along this rugged terrain.
Namibia’s Skeleton Coast
Namibia’s Board of Tourism touts the untamed beauty of Skeleton Park, which stretches 500 kilometers along the Pacific Ocean from Swakopmund, a German colonial town, to the border of Angolan. The park is named for the variety of animal bones found along its endless strands. Hundreds of ships have wrecked there and their remains can still be seen after hundreds of years.
While lions and hyenas wander the beach for fresh seafood, elephants wading into the lapping waves, which shelter 11 species of sharks.
Among the other creatures that inhabit this far shore are leopards, cheetahs and caracal cats, giraffe, gemsbok (oryx) and springbok, neon-pink flamingos and hundreds of thousands of Cape fur seals. Humans are few and far between.
Surfers seek the lengthy breaks and barrels, while others crave the thrill of bashing virgin dunes or the simple solitude of beachcombing a place where yours are the only footsteps in the sand.
How to Get There
You can find flights and packages to Namibia through Awayn.com, an independent online travel service with a great reputation for customer service and pricing. Most trips into the Skeleton Coast are run out of Swakopmund.
Organized Trips
Swakopmund adventure outfitters operate day trip to the southern Skeleton Coast via catamarans, kayaks, quad bikes and 4x4s. So, visitors can get their adrenalin rush amid the unforgettable scenery. Some choose to fly the coastline with local pilots. The Benguela Current is fed by Antarctic waters, making for high-energy beaches that rangers advise guests to stay close to—the current can sweep swimmers 200 kilometers out! However, it’s ideal for surfing conditions. This is one of the least crowded places on the planet to enjoy summer waves.
Safaris
Locals suggest a mobile tented safari out of Swakopmund to Terrace Bay and ending at the Kunene River, Namibia’s the boundary with Angola. The southern portion is desolate beyond the occasional fishing camp, and shipwrecks jut up through the sand. There’s a stone cross marking where the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão came ashore in the 15th century.
To explore the Kunene River, visitors must contract with an outfit, such as Wildspace Adventure, that has special permission from the park and tribal authorities.