Schoeman's Skeleton Coast Safaris: Our full report

Skeleton Coast Safaris is a small, family-run operation that has organized trips here for 20 years. They take up to eight passengers, using light aircraft to hop between remote beaches and private airstrips.

Each trip is usually escorted by one of the Schoeman family, who acts as pilot, driver and expert guide. You spend every night in a different area, sleeping in dome tents at tiny permanent camps – Kuidas Camp, beside the dry Huab River; Leylandsdrift Camp overlooking a spring in the Hoarusib River; and Kunene River Camp, on the lush banks of the Kunene River.

You'll have proper beds, hot bucket showers and usually dine by candlelight under the stars – invariably with excellent food, fine wine and lively conversation.

The Schoemans are amongst the best guides in the country, and will open your eyes to this unique wilderness. Bertus, Andre, Leon and Henk all visited the area with their late father, Louw Schoeman, who founded these trips – and was instrumental in getting the Skeleton Coast protected as a national park.

These trips are hugely informative, giving unparalleled insight into the area and we cannot recommend them too highly. On their spectacular flights you often see shipwrecks, seal colonies and flamingos; whilst on the ground, you'll explore in modified Land Rovers and on foot.

On a typical trip you'll cross enormous dunes by 4WD, track some of the area's desert adapted wildlife, slide down roaring dunes, and marvel at a landscape littered with semi-precious stones. These trips are real journeys of discovery – described by some travellers as 'life-changing'.

Geographics

Location: Skeleton Coast & Kaokoland, Namibia

Ideal length of stay: These trips usually last four days and three nights; one in each camp. For 2 or more people, it's possible to extend the trip, to include a night visiting Etosha National Park.

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board

Dining style: Group Meals

Dining locations: Outdoor Dining

Central communications

Power supply: Solar Power

Health & safety

Dangerous animals: Moderate Risk

Extras

Disabled access: Not Possible