The Skeleton Coast National Park is infamous for inaccessible shores and rough waters. The local San used to call it 'The Land God Made in Anger', while Portuguese sailors named it 'The Gates of Hell'. It's a barren yet hauntingly beautiful destination for photographers, its natural formations creating a surreal world all its own. The Skeleton Coast National Park has some interesting attractions, including the Agate Mountain saltpans, the clay castles of the Hoarasib, and the large Cape fur seal colony at Cape Fria. Known as a great surfing destination and for having a stunning night sky, the heavens are undimmed by human settlements.
One of the most popular highlights in Namibia are the clay pans of Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert. The dunes are among the highest in the world, reaching more than 960 feet (300m) and are a wondrous sight of endless rolling shapes and sharp crests sculpted by the wind. The beautiful black and white Oryx antelope is occasionally spotted in the meagre shade of the thorn trees, lizards leave their tiny trails on the pristine mounds of sand, and the black 'tok tokkie' beetle is commonly seen stumbling over the red clay surface. The area is also home to ostriches and springbok. The dunes are located roughly 37 miles (60km) from the Sesriem Gate, which is the entrance to the park.
Opening times : Sunrise to sunset.
Admission : NAD 80, NAD 60 (SADC residents), vehicles NAD 10
Swakopmund is an enchanting little seaside town in the middle of the Namib Desert, with many colonial buildings and a distinctly German character. The region's food specialities include rock lobster, fish, and Swakopmund oysters. Swakopmund is known as a paradise for extreme sports, and popular activities include sand boarding, paragliding, dune carting, hot air ballooning, shark fishing, and quad biking. The stretch of coast is also famous for its beach angling. Visitors who aren't looking for death-defying activities will enjoy attractions in Swakopmund like the Cape Cross Seal Colony, the National Marine Aquarium, and the Rossmund Desert Golf Course, one of only five all-grass desert golf courses in the world.
Travel Guide powered by Word Travels, copyright © 2023 Globe Media Ltd. By its very nature information in this travel guide is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Neither Globe Media Ltd nor Travel Vogue can accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.
