Reviews of Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp
(99%) From 27 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Amazing Place
Simply stunning location, accommodation and public areas. the one thing that let them down greatly was the food.
Breakfast was fine but lunch and dinner were poor comparison with previous lodges we had stayed at.
We were not only ones who felt that way.
Expert Africa comments
We were disappointed to hear this feedback regarding the quality of the food at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp and that this prevented what could have been a near perfect stay. After forwarding these comments to the lodge, they have told us that the food and beverage manager is in the process of implementing new measures and new training of the kitchen team with the aim of improving the food standard and quality on a daily basis.
Wow! Great experience at Hoanib.
What a fantastic lodge, cleverly built into the rocks. We were upgraded to the only suite for the one night we were there, which was a wonderful treat. Elevated accommodation with a vast bedroom and lounge area, outside bath with a private view and large decking area. We were hot and tired after a long drive and decided to postpone sightseeing to make the most of it (plus the all inclusive bar) .
The food was delicious, as we found throughout our visit to Namibia. The only thing we would have liked in hindsight was a mosquito net. The mosquitos were a bit pesky despite the insect repellant and 'Doom' spray, and I got quite badly bitten. That aside we would have loved to have stayed longer.
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp review
Absolutely beautiful camp.
The day trip to the coast is well worth.
We also enjoyed that we could go on walks at this camp.
It was very busy and the staff looked a bit stressed.
The smartest of the camps
The camp is the best equipped of those I stayed in, being the newest, and there was an excellent range of wildlife seen on the game drives. However, I was disappointed to find that an excursion to the Skeleton Coast (described as a highlight by people I spoke to) was only offered as an optional (and expensive) extra to guests not staying three nights. As a result, and since I refused, on principle, to pay the extra amount, I found myself on a final game drive which closely resembled a previous one and which meant that my overall level of satisfaction was a little below earlier expectations.
This arose because the couple I had been with chose not to go out on the final afternoon and this, in turn, triggered a sudden, (strategic?) illness in our guide, leaving me to join a newly-arrived couple, without any advance notice. This was the only time in the Wilderness camps that my status as a single traveller left me feeling slightly spare, possibly not unrelated to the fact that the (excellent and very enthusiastic) camp manager and her husband had earlier left, on their leave.
Amazing 3 days at Hoanib
After a mad series of flights and an hour and a half at Doro! Naras air strip ( thanks Wilderness air.....) it was amazing to arrive at Hoanib. We flew low over the desert following the ephemeral river bed, landing in what really is the middle of nowhere.
We had a wonderful guide here who had just moved from Kulala desert camp, Joas, he was lovely guy to spend a few days with.
The camp still feels very new and pristine, I loved the decor and the spectacular tents, great shower rooms and decks to view the camp water hole.
The atmosphere at this camp is quieter than some, you are seated as couples unless you ask otherwise and don't eat with the guides.
The landscape is extraordinary. The trip to the Skeleton Coast itself is unforgettable, 5 hour drive through constantly changing habitats ( we saw a pair of honey badgers, elephant, giraffe, springbok, a lioness at a distance) and then lunch on what felt like the worlds most desolate beach. Wonderful 15 min flight back to camp.
We also loved walking in the Hoanib river bed for a couple of hours, learning about the desert plants, identifying tracks, observing giraffe and elephants.
Could easily have stayed longer here and would love to go back. They are also running an interesting international study on brown hyena, the professor in charge was visiting while we were there , and one of the female hyenas turned up for a drink at the water hole during breakfast one morning.
A stunning new camp
This 'new' camp is in a stunning location and the rooms are superb, each has a fridge with cold drinks and a really nice shady sitting out area.
Dining room feels a bit like a restaurant rather than a 'camp' but small enough to encourage conversation. Food and service were excellent in the evening but breakfast service quite patchy.
It is worth staying here for three nights to ensure that you are able to do the trip to the coast with the scenic flight back.
The staff 'concert' was particularly good.
It was also good to have the opportunity to visit the research facility which is on site here, where we had a talk from the researcher who has been studying the brown hyaena in the area, and saw a film made by another of the researchers (who we had met down at the coast) about the desert lions.
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp review
Fantastic!
The highlight of our trip.
A real privilege.
Isolated but luxuriously appointed and an eco friendly property where we had some truly wonderful experiences that we shall never forget.
Supplies arrive weekly and can be delayed for all sorts of reasons and this happened during our stay due to rain causing flash floods further up stream. The staff work well to make up for any things that are in short supply which is a tribute to their dedication and professional teamwork.
The rooms are beautifully designed tented chalets with everything you could wish for.
There is not a huge amount of game to see and it was sad to learn of the death of the lions that were here up until 2016. The game drives are well worth the effort, especially to the flood plain area of the river and the sunsets are spectacular and a photographers dream.
When we visited there was water in the river so we flew both ways to the Skeleton Coast which is a day for the memory banks and should not be missed. If you stay 3 or more nights,that excursion is free .
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp review
Everything perfect from the start - even coming across a cheetah and cub confronting a group of oryx on the short drive from airstrip to camp! (We were lucky). Delightful staff and an excellent guide in the very nice Pappa G...
The Skeleton Coast day out was totally wonderful - they made it all as varied and interesting as possible, with the 'roaring' dune slide, an amazing lunch set up on the beach and great flight back! Just one negative comment: we would have liked a longer walk at the mouth of the Hoanib River - or anywhere else in the area - especially as we waited at the airstrip for over an hour for the Wilderness Safari pilot to arrive.... ( it seems he was rather over-booked that afternoon) BUT the flight itself was spectacular!
We saw the desert elephants, (and sadly a dead baby one week old baby who seems to have died from exhaustion) giraffe, oryx, springbok with lively young ones, and three 3 month-old lion cubs whose future is uncertain as their mother was killed by a leopard... the big question being should they be kept alive artificially, or allow nature to follow its course...We were all for intervention, but don't know what subsequently happened.
Food was excellent - as was service. In the bar, Limbo makes a superb cocktail. An amazing place simply to 'be' - a very impressive achievement so far from anywhere....it's a very special place.
The experience of a lifetime
We can't say enough about how amazing our time at Hoanib was. From the staff to the accommodation to the food to the guide (Elias) to the setting to the wildlife, it was all perfect. A must do.
The trip down to the Skeleton Coast was breathtaking and the flight back gave us a completely different perspective on the whole area. This was the perfect way to end an unbelievably great holiday in Namibia.
