Tracks4Africa’s website has some GPS coordinates, which are useful for locating wrecks without roadside signs or that are slightly off shore. A GPS is also essential if you’re looking to spot the best shipwrecks. If you come to the area looking to explore shipwrecks, you’ll need extra navigational tools beyond a paper map and offline map app. Desolate roads traverse the Skeleton Coast How to Spot Shipwrecks On the Skeleton Coast? We struggled to find these hours online before our trip, but confirmed them with both the gate signs and the NWR employees - check out our comprehensive post on driving in Namibia for details about gate opening times for Skeleton Coast National Park. If you’re driving through the park without staying overnight, the last entrance through either gate is at 3:00 pm. If you’re staying in the park, you can enter either of these gates up to 5:00 pm, but you must be off the road by sunset. There’s one that runs from south to north, from Cape Cross to Terrace Bay, and one that runs east to west, from Damaraland to Torra Bay. Two roads run through the park, starting from each of the gates. You can enter via the Ugab River Gate, driving up from the south from Swakopmund, or you can enter via the Springbokwasser Gate, driving from the east via Damaraland. The noises they make as they flop around the beach adds a surprising, delightful dash of levity. While their numbers fluctuate throughout the year, you’re sure to find the beach covered in seals, no matter when you visit. If you’ve ever wanted to experience a nature television show in real life, Cape Cross will thrill you. Get up close with seals at Cape Cross.From the informal restaurant to the dune driving tracks to the oceanside fishing, the end of the world atmosphere that pervades the resort is, we think, unmissable. But the atmosphere that greets you is worthy of the trip. Getting to Terrace Bay resort takes time, it’s hours away from everything. While the most intact and awe-inspiring wrecks are the trickiest to get to - such as the famed Eduard Bohlen located in the park’s far northern reaches - the ability to get up close to the remains of old machinery and ship hulls makes shipwreck-spotting a highlight of any Skeleton Coast tour. Dark sand and the din of breaking waves characterize the Skeleton Coast of Namibia Highlights of the Skeleton Coast Those that do remain have been beaten by the elements, leaving only rusted-out hulls half-buried in sand. This caused countless shipwrecks in the area, many of which have no remaining traces. Portuguese sailors referred to this area as the Gates of Hell, because of its strong winds, churning waves and dense fog that disoriented even the most experienced navigators. If you’re lucky, you may spot the area’s elusive beach lions – lions that have adapted to living in the area’s arid environment. You’ll see dunes, but they’re far off in the distance. The beaches are covered with large, round stones and the ocean is nearly always in view. Rather than pale sand, the sand is dark brown, closer to dirt. While the Skeleton Coast is technically a desert (it gets less than 10mm of rainfall annually), the landscape isn’t what comes to mind when you think of the desert. The last 200 miles of coast can only be reached by plane. There’s only 100 miles of accessible road. It covers 6,200sq miles, but very little of this space is easily accessible to the public. Skeleton Coast is a national park located on Namibia’s northern coast. The Skeleton Coast – From Torra Bay to Terrace Bay.The Skeleton Coast – From the Ugab River Gate to Torra Bay.The Skeleton Coast – From Cape Cross to the Ugab River Gate.Who Should Stay Overnight in Skeleton Coast National Park?.Where Should I Stay on the Skeleton Coast?.How to Spot Shipwrecks On the Skeleton Coast?. Roads on the Skeleton Coast are well marked What’s Included: You’ll find out what kind of accommodation is available and how much time you’ll need to dedicate in order to get a feel for what this area of Namibia is all about. We’ll cover all the shipwrecks that are easy to reach, as well as some that are suitable only for intrepid drivers. This guide will give you an overview of what you’ll find on the Skeleton Coast. But if you want to escape from civilization for a day or two, then the Skeleton Coast should be on your Namibia itinerary. If you’re willing to put in the driving hours and use your navigation skills, the Skeleton Coast is rich for exploration.įor as much as we loved our time on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, we can’t wholeheartedly recommend Skeleton Coast National Park as an essential stop on your Namibia road trip. Shipwrecks lure most visitors who venture to Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, but the area boasts more than just rusting boats.
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