"The land that God created in anger," as local aborigines whisper, burying under the lifeless sands the attracting deposits of diamonds, because of which adventurers from all over the world swam through storms and bad weather to the shores of the Namibian desert, the oldest in the world, keeps many secrets.

The Skeleton Coast stretches for 2000 km: from the river Cunene in the north to the Ugab river in the south. The local landscape is very diverse - from endless dunes to mountain ranges and harsh canyons, the walls of which are richly colored with all the colors of volcanic rocks. The skeletons scattered along the coast, testify to the numerous shipwrecks that occurred near these shores.

The northern part of the Skeleton Coast is a concession area, open only to tourists arriving by airplane on safari. The southern part, between the rivers Ugab and Hoanib, is open to all visitors.

How to get

Tightened by ocean fogs "kassimbo" horizon, despite the terrible glory, attracts many curious. You can get here in two ways:

  • by the sea, which unfriendly meets you with a stormy current and debris of dead ships along the edge,
  • on the car, having overcome kilometers of gloomy sandy expanses of the desert.

Search for tickets to Windhoek (nearest a / p to Skeleton Coast)

4 things that are worth doing on Skeleton Coast.
  1. If you're lucky, become a participant in the filming of another science film about the wild. A natural pavilion with a rich history and unusual flora and fauna is popular with television producers.
  2. Do not miss the phenomenon of the Skeleton Coast - desert elephants, the existence of which was a long debate, until the scientists found that they really are. So if the mountain is alive, it's not necessarily a hallucination.
  3. Photographed against the background of the amazing inhabitant Namib - dwarf tree, the trunk of which is low (only 20-30 cm), but the thickness reaches one and a half meters. The main thing: do not get confused in the two single winding sheets of this tree.
  4. Try to verify personally the truthfulness of the belief that once in these sands buried chests with gold and diamonds formidable captain Kidd. True, it is worth remembering that along the coast, policemen constantly ride on camels, suggestive of fear of poachers.

Entertainment, excursions and sights of the Skeleton Coast

The northern part of the coast is considered an area of ​​untouched nature, so now they have been equipped with the nature protection zone of the National Natural Park "Skeleton Coast". In general, the territory of the reserve is divided into two zones: southern and northern.

The most tasty tourist places are salt lakes in the Agate Mountains and large fur seal rookeries on Cape Friya cape, a spectacular sight. To meet face to face with giant dunes and bustling bird markets on rocky shores everyone can go to Walvis Bay. Another sandy ridge of the wild, harsh beauty of Sosusulia is in the depths of the desert, raptures are caused by the seals at the Cape Cross cape.

Of the extreme types of recreation, local people are ready to equip tourists with a balloon to fly over the great desert.
Origin of the name "Skeleton Coast" (English)

Naukluft Mountains, hiding in the heart of Namib, hide from the travelers green oases with life-giving springs. Along with the man, zebra, antelope and baboons rush here to save the coolness. In the evening, it is worth climbing Saddle Hill - a hill-saddle, towering over the bay of Sinsh Bay. It is here that a pillar with an iron shield is dug, where under the skull and crossbones the inscription burns in the rays of sunset: "Fill your jars! ».

But the main fascinating sight is the skeletons of the lost ships gnawed by the greedy sea, which dotted the entire coastline. The most famous of them are Eduard Bowlen, Otavi, Dunedin Star and Tong-Tou.

On Skeleton Coast, entry is allowed only on special passes, which costs about $ 40 per person.