 • Stunning
and atmospheric coastline
The Skeleton Coast was given its name for the eerie shipwrecks
on the isolated, detached shores of Northern Namibia. This park
covers 2 million-hectares (20,000²km) of the most inhospitable
and least visited places on earth. The attraction to the Skeleton
Coast is its untouched and mysterious barren beauty, swept by cold
sea breezes and often enveloped in a dense fog. It is this very
fog that caused so many shipwrecks, leaving the mysteries and remains
of mariners from lifetimes past.
The temperatures between October and May are surprisingly cool,
compared to the hot, arid region just south There is a strong wind
that blows between May and September, covering the coast with mist
and lowering the temperature significantly. Although it never drops
below freezing at the coast, it can become very cold during the
winter month, especially at night. It rarely rains, but the constant
sea mist gives moisture to plant and animal life.
There are many different types of sand dunes in this area. The
hummock dunes, transverse dunes and crescent dunes all appear with
grand range, full of billions of tiny granules, and surrounded by
rugged canyons and richly coloured volcanic rock. Such is the extraordinary
geology of this area, that some beaches contain a profusion of multi-coloured
pebbles consisting of agates, lava, granites and others. The ancient
fossil plant, Welwitschia, is also found in this region.
More things to see in this area include: desert elephants, desert
oryx, springbok, giraffe, brown hyaena, ostrich, rare black rhino,
and even lion further inland. The nearby seal colony holds several
thousand Cape fur seals, as well as whales and dolphins. The eerie
shipwrecks are a sight to behold. An aerial view of the canyons,
coast, dunes and wrecks is an amazing way to experience this region,
with photographic opportunities galore. Finally, the Himba tribe
is unquestionably a highlight of this area.
The Himba Tribe
While no one can live on this inhospitable coast, the nomadic Himba
tribe resides further inland not far from this barren desolate tract.
The Himba people are beautiful, elegant and mysterious. They wear
simple goatskins, and jewelry made from leather, metal and shells.
They adorn and protect their bodies and hair with rich ochre mud
mixed with animal fat. This gives them protection from the elements,
and coats their skin in a thick aesthetic layer of tribal make up.
Amazingly, the Himba people appear striking and magnificent for
their skin treatment, creating a quiet, elegant beauty that reflects
their traditions and culture.
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