Namibia Skeleton Coast
This Namibia Skeleton Coast safari is unlike any other Namibia photo safari because this is not a landscape photography safari. On this incredible safari you will be immersed in the country’s remotest corner – focusing on desert-adapted wildlife.
Scroll down to see a portfolio from this Namibia photo safari (click on each image to enlarge) and watch this fun YouTube video (made on my iPhone).
Book your spot now by filling in the form at the end of this page. Space for only 2 photographers.
The Namibia Skeleton Coast experience
Introduction from your host
The words Namib Desert, Namibia Skeleton Coast, Hoanib and Kaokoveld are the stuff of legend. You simply do not get more ‘out there’ than northwestern Namibia and there is nowhere else in Africa where you get the desert animals that survive there. Yet almost all Namibia photo safaris are centered around landscape photography. I have been visiting the incredibly vast and remote northern region of Namibia wanting to unlock its photographic secrets, whereby my goal has been to put together a Namibia photo safari that focuses exclusively on wildlife. Not just any wildlife but the desert-adapted megafauna that you get in this desert, and pretty much nowhere else on earth. I am happy to report that after a decade of exploring (scroll down to see a portfolio and click on each image to enlarge), I have successfully unlocked the wildlife secrets of Namibia and I am now, for the very first time, offering a Namibia wildlife photo safari…
Trying to think of why I should persuade you (in this introduction written by me and not ChatGPT!) as to why you should sign up for this very special Namibia Skeleton Coast safari is rather easy. I say this because Namibia is a safari country like no other and while this might sound like a cliché, it really isn’t. For example, Kenya and Tanzania are very different but they are also very similar. The same can be said about other countries but when it comes to Namibia, the country is so totally unique that not only will it NOT remind you of any other country or safari experience, but it will also at times feel like you are visiting another planet. I mean this quite literally. So, if you have not done a Namibia photo safari, then it really must be done, you have nothing similar in the safari world that comes even vaguely close. It will be like eating sushi for the first time: clean, exotic, delicious and incomparable (now could ChatGPT have come up with this analogy, I think not).
The only real consideration is where to go in Namibia, specifically for wildlife, and this is what I have been pre-occupied with for the past decade. If your primary goal is landscape photography, then other parts of Namibia might interest you more and you can extend your trip and go there. If, however, your goal is wildlife photography and showing ‘animals in their environment’, then this is the Namibia photo safari for you. Finding wildlife in deserts is tricky, at best, and for this incredible safari our strategy is to follow the winding ephemeral Hoanib River as it cuts its way through the ancient desert landscape. The Hoanib River and more specifically, the vegetation it supports along its course, acts as a magnet – drawing wildlife out from the vast surrounding desert.
Your Namibia photo safari starts inland, deep in the heart of the Kaokoveld, where your first tented camp gives excellent access to explore the higher reaches of the Hoanib River. In this community concession, we have freedom to travel far and wide in search of desert-adapted wildlife, including desert giraffe, desert elephant and desert rhino, not to mention the world’s rarest hyena, the brown hyena (dare I even say its name). On this leg you will travel between ancient mountains of rock, across gravel plains and along the sandy riverbed of the Hoanib, the very lifeblood of this utterly remote region. Any animal you see will be set in a vastly distinct landscape, allowing you to create imagery simply not possible anywhere else on earth.
Your second camp on this epic Namibia Skelton Coast adventure is right at the ‘back door’ to the Skeleton Coast National Park. With special permission to traverse inside the park, the landscape becomes even more enchanting with towering white sand dunes and rolling morning fog. An ancient place of stark contrast and wonder, and a photographer’s absolute playground. On this special leg of your Namibia photo safari, you will follow the Hoanib River all the way to the actual coastline. It is possible to see a giraffe and a whale on the same day! Along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is where hyenas hunt seals and desert lions have been seen on the beach. Your Namibia Skeleton Coast adventure culminates in a luxury tent on a dune along one of the remotest coastlines in the world, listening to the sound of waves crashing under a starry sky. Like I said before, there is no other safari like this so book your spot now.
Complete the form at the bottom of this page now, space for only two.
Namibia Skeleton Coast SAFARI DETAILS
This Namibia Skeleton Coast wildlife safari is a 7 night itinerary – with the exciting option of doing a 4 night Kalahari Desert extension in South Africa (more details at the bottom of this page).
- Namibia Skeleton Coast Safari
- US$28,110
- 2027: 2-9 May Space for 1
- 2028: 20-27 May (Space for only 2)
- * NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
- * Dates and itinerary provisional.
- * This safari can be booked any time as a private safari.
- * Cost is higher due to extreme remote locations and exclusivity.
- * Cost based on two participating photographers in single rooms.
- * Rates far in advance are estimated and may need to be adjusted later.
Cost for this Namibia photo safari includes all internal flights from Windhoek Airport (Capital of Namibia); meet and greet services; 1 night in Windhoek, 6 nights’ accommodation on safari in luxury tented camps; meals; laundry; house drinks; conservation/community fees; additional luggage allowance; private safari drives with exclusive vehicle use; photographic tuition and guiding services of professional African wildlife photographer Greg du Toit.
Not included in the cost of this Namibia Skeleton Coast safari are visas you might need (depending on your nationality); purchases of a personal nature (like curios); staff gratuities (at your discretion); personal travel and medical insurance (Global Rescue Medical Evacuation Insurance is included); your international flights and any adhoc activities not included on the itinerary. The South Africa Kalahari Desert extension is a separate charge and booked on a per request basis.
30% deposit confirms your booking on this Namibia photo safari. Please note: the above cost applies only when 2 photographers are booked.
Your Namibia Skeleton Coast safari Itinerary
Welcome to Namibia
The first night on your Namibia photo safari will be spent in a boutique hotel just outside of Windhoek. Here you will meet up with professional wildlife photographer Greg du Toit, your host and photographic guide for your Namibia Skeleton Coast safari.
Welcome to the Kunene region
A half hour transfer to the airport will see you flying out of Windhoek to commence the first leg of your Namibia photo safari. An extra luggage allowance has been booked for you, so you don’t need to leave any camera equipment at home. But remember to pack your clothes for this Namibia Skeleton Coast safari in a soft-sided duffel bag (no wheels or frame). Flying north out of Windhoek, you venture into the remotest part of Namibia, the northwest region of Kunene, known affectionately as the Kaokoveld. Looking out the window, you will soon realize how remote and special the area is that you are going to. The flight time varies depending on how many stops are made as we are the last stop in this remote region but an estimated time of 3 hours is given. Landing on an airstrip, quite in the middle of nowhere, you take a scenic drive to the first camp on your Namibia Skeleton Coast safari. This camp has been very carefully selected for its epic landscape setting. In fact, it is so scenic that photos can be taken right from your tent! But the real beauty of this camp is its proximity to the richest wildlife on offer along the entire Namibia Skeleton Coast. What’s even better is that the community concession in which you are based allows for maximum freedom and exploration.
Hoanib River upper reaches exploration
The Hoanib River is quite simply the lifeblood of the Skeleton Coast ecosystem and the next 3 days are dedicated to exploring the dry riverbed of the Hoanib and its surrounds, including penetrating Damaraland in search of desert rhino and mountain zebra . The Hoanib River, even though dry at this time of year, is what is known as a ‘linear oasis’ providing shelter and forage to the desert adapted animals, most notably elephant, giraffe and oryx. Crisscrossing the river at will, you will search the Namib Desert for desert-adapted megafauna found nowhere else on earth. You will photograph the very best wildlife on offer on this Namibia photo safari and like all the remotest wildernesses you just never know what you will see. Brown hyena and desert lion are both possibilities.
Your safari has been timed to coincide with the most productive time of year for wildlife viewing along the Namibia Skeleton Coast. It is the dry season and the albida trees, growing along the Hoanib River, have pods at this time of year. These pods are like Christmas pudding to the desert-adapted wildlife, drawing them out of the vast Namib Desert. An ancient wanderer of the desert, a huge elephant bull going by the name of ‘Grootpoot’ (Bigfoot), is adept at reaching for these pods and what a fabulous photographic subject he is. Breeding herds of elephants also journey down the Hoanib at this time of year, as do Angolan Giraffe and springbok.
These full two days on your Namibia photo safari will be split into morning and afternoon drives, each aimed to capitalise on the golden desert light, incredible vistas and photographic opportunities. Even though this is a Namibia photo safari centred around wildlife, for those who enjoy astro photography, a suitable ancient tree and some galaxy photography is on the menu. The stars along the Namibia Skeleton Coast are unrivalled as there is absolutely no light pollution and the desert air is clear and crisp.
One exception to your usual daily routine will be on the day that you head out of the Hoanib valley. On this day you will wake extra early, leaving in the pitch dark, as you drive to higher ground in search of desert-adapted black rhino and Hartmann’s mountain zebra. The desert rhino is one of Africa’s most endangered and enigmatic creatures. Here in Damaraland rhinos have been roaming freely since time immemorial. This is one of Africa’s last original populations of free-ranging black rhino where they live in a frontier wilderness that is so harsh and stark that it has to be seen to be believed. Tracking such an elusive dinosaur will take time but we have the whole day and will get out on foot to get closer. On this day you are hunting for one of Africa’s most dangerous, rare and endangered photographic quarries and yes we will have an armed ranger with us.
Your photography throughout this Namibia Skeleton Coast safari hinges around backgrounds (see the gallery below). The background is as important as the subject, which is the very definition on an ‘animal in its environment’ photograph. In this regard, this Namibia photo safari really is a photographer connoisseur’s delight and a picture truly does speak a thousand words. This is no truer than in the remote and harsh wilderness of the Namibia Skeleton Coast.
Hoanib River lower reaches exploration
After spending 3 nights in the upper section of the Hoanib River, it is time now to head downstream, exploring the river all the way through the Skeleton Coast National Park itself. A short transfer by road takes you to your 2nd camp on your Namibia photo safari adventure. This camp looks like it was built by NASA, as if planted on another planet! Besides being super comfortable, it is also located in a spectacular setting, right between ancient rocky mountains – on the doorstep of the Skeleton Coast National Park.
An afternoon safari drive, scouring the Hoanib for more wildlife, then a campfire under twinkling stars, scrumptious dinner, hot shower, downloading memory cards, a good night’s rest before continuing on with your extensive Namibia Skeleton Coast exploration…
Welcome to the Skeleton Coast National Park
This day is dedicated to photographing the beautiful, dramatic and scenic Skeleton Coast National Park. Here giant white sand dunes melt into the Hoanib river valley. The vistas are a photographer’s dream and to add to the mystery there is often a morning fog that rolls in from the Atlantic Ocean. Imagine photographing desert Giraffe amid fog and sand dunes. This area is also where the lion and brown hyena researchers base themselves and we will do our best to track down these elusive desert dwellers too.
The environment in this area allows you to capture desert-adapted wildlife with rippled sand dunes in the background and this is the only place in the world where such photos can be taken.
All the way to the Atlantic Coast
This day on your Namibia photo safari is one of the most spectacular days you can have on safari anywhere in Africa. You will follow the Hoanib River through massive roaring dunes, past desert oases, all the way until the Atlantic Coast. It is entirely possible to see a giraffe and a whale on this day or an elephant and a seal! You will be fully awake yet dreaming at the same time. Only Africa’s truly magic locations offer such a state of dreaminess.
After a full day of exploration, one that even David Livingstone himself never did, you will sleep on the actual Skeleton Coast. Your 3rd camp is set on dunes that are the home of the true holy grail of the Skeleton Coast, the Strandwolf. This local word means ‘beach wolf’ and this is where the brown hyenas scour the Namibia Skeleton Coast, feeding on seals and anything else they can find. Nocturnal and very shy, this is your true photograph nemesis on this Namibia photo safari.
A warm dinner, indoors and sheltered from the salty air and fog that is typical of the Skeleton Coast, before making your way through the desert sand and to your luxury room. A hot shower and lulled asleep to the sound of crashing waves is how your day ends.
Seal colony and Hoarusib River mouth exploration
The last morning on your Namibia Skeleton Coast safari will be spent scouring the dunes and local seal colony for brown hyena, affectionately called ‘brownies’. You can also penetrate the interior yet again but this time higher up the Skeleton Coast, along the Hoarusib River which is the northern cousin of the Hoanib River. The scenery, sandcastles and remoteness here will leave a lasting impression on you. It does not get more remote than this and what a fitting way to end your Namibia photo safari.
A flight from the coast back to Windhoek sees your Namibia Skeleton Coast safari come to an end. After a true trip of a lifetime, you relive the incredible wild wilderness adventure you have just experienced as you edit your photos, each a timeless remembrance, communicating the harsh wilderness and beauty in which your subjects survive.
If you want MORE desert and desert wildlife, opt for the 4 night Kalahari Desert extension to photograph meerkats, Kalahari lions, cheetah and much more (dare we say even a chance to see pangolin or aardvark). Watch a video here and enquire about this extension when filling out the form below. The Kalahari extension takes place in the northern Cape of South Africa, a fitting environment that dovetails perfectly with the Namibia Skeleton Coast. Adding this extension to your Namibia photo safari makes it a true desert wildlife extravaganza.
See the Namibia Skeleton Coast portfolio below and click on any image to enlarge
Photographic possibilities on this Namibia photo safari
Why this Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari is the safari for you…
– The Kunene province is the wildest and remotest part of Namibia, and this safari takes you to the beating heart of it, the Hoanib River. This Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari is the first to give you a complete Hoanib River safari experience by basing you at 3 different camps in the Kaokoveld. Starting far inland, then following the river all the way to the Atlantic Coast, you bisect the Namib Desert in all its splendour while getting the best chance to photograph desert-adapted wildlife found nowhere else on earth.
– Almost all Namibia photo safari itineraries are the same, you are either going to Sossusvlei or Etosha. On this Namibia Skeleton Coast safari, and it goes without saying, you will totally avoid the tourist masses. This safari is focused on offering you the best wildlife photo experience in Namibia, especially with regard to the desert-adapted animals and the rugged landscapes they live in, found nowhere else on the planet. Most Namibia safari itineraries do not make ‘wildlife in the desert’ the focus, they either offer you landscapes only (Sossusvlei) or wildlife only (Etosha).
– All three camps on your Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari are luxurious, yet so remote that they keep you connected to the wilderness through the skillful use of canvas and wood. The first camp is situated in a superb desertscape location and gives you the ultimate access to the upper reaches of the Hoanib River. Here you have maximum freedom in a community concession to photograph and explore. You then move down the river to your next camp, at the coalface to the Skeleton Coast National Park. From this base you access the giant dunes and desert-adapted wildlife of the Namib Desert. Your last camp is something out of a fairytale, set on the actual coastline of the Skeleton Coast, and to get there you safari drive and photograph your way right through the park.
– This Namibia photo safari offers pure continuity as you explore the Hoanib River. Unlike other safaris where you miss big chunks of both photography time and photo opportunities by having to pack up and fly between destinations, on this safari you will function more like an explorer of old, following the river all the way, from deep inland to its mouth on the Skeleton Coast. Not flying between camps allows you to really explore and photograph the Kunene region of Namibia. A truly immersive experience and one that affords you the best photo opportunities in one of Africa’s wildest corners.
– This Namibia photo safari is hosted by an Africa-born specialist. Greg has spent the last decade working on unlocking Namibia’s wildlife secrets. He knows this vast and remote area and how to maximise wildlife encounters and photo opportunities. Most importantly he knows how to position, frame and compose to create incredible animal-scapes. With Greg as your host, you not only have a professional wildlife photographer with you every step of the way, but you have an African safari guide with valuable experience in the Kunene region.
– This Namibia photo safari maximises your time spent photographing. Once you land in the Kunene Region, you will not pack your camera away once, until you fly out of the park at the very end of the safari. The transfer between camps is done by safari truck so you will not waste time in airports, traveling, packing and unpacking on your Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari.
– Namibia is all about space and for this reason we have limited this trip to only 2 photographers. This means that when enjoying astro photography there is only one other person alongside you. In the safari truck you have ample space to unpack your gear on the seat next to you. You will also be spending a lot of time in the safari truck, so not having to sit in the bumpy backrow is a real plus.
– This Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari has been carefully curated to offer you a wilderness experience. The Hoanib truly is for connoisseurs and on this Namibia photo safari you avoid the cliché Namibia destinations, ones with dead trees, waterholes and tourists. Instead, you access the most rugged, scenic and wildlife rich part of the Namib Desert.
– By combining a community concession with the Skeleton Coast National Park you get to see and do it all on this safari. You will also venture into Damaraland in search of the super rare and endangered desert black rhino.
– You will receive expert personal tuition that larger group safaris cannot offer. This is a true small group safari with space for only 2 photographers on this Namibia photo safari.
– This Namibia photo safari offers a feast of unique photo opportunities and as such we cannot expect you to leave any of your equipment at home. Long lenses, short lenses and tripods are all needed on this trip, so we have booked an extra luggage seat for both your flights on this safari.
– On the Namibia Skeleton Coast safari you will receive help, guidance, and advice on camera settings when and where it matters most – in the field, so that you can go home with that award winning shot.
– Your photographic host on this Namibia photo safari is the author of a book titled ‘Getting it right in camera’ and if that title describes exactly what you want to do, then this is the photo safari for you. With a complete photo workshop on his laptop, you can request lessons from Greg on any and every aspect of wildlife photography.
– The Hoanib River and its surrounds is the best area in Namibia to photograph desert-adapted wildlife, including the Angolan giraffe, desert black rhino, desert elephant, oryx, springbok and a chance even of desert lions and brown hyenas. But what makes the Hoanib valley one of the finest photographic locations on the continent is the setting it provides: endless desert vistas, dunes, oases, and ancient valleys set between rugged rocky mountains.
– This Namibia Skeleton Coast safari has been timed to maximise mood and beauty. A time of year when early morning fog rolls in from the Atlantic, creating ethereal dream-like photography conditions. A time of year when the Namibian skies have interesting clouds by day, and starry skies by night. With the onset of the dry season the wildlife is especially dependent on the linear oasis provided by the Hoanib River. Timing is everything in Africa and this safari is timed to give you the best Namibia photo experience possible, including bedazzling Milky Way photography.
– Besides the excellent photo opportunities, this Namibia photo safari allows you to experience one of Africa’s most rugged and remote ecosystems.
– Photographers of all levels are welcome on this Namibia photo safari, and you will receive expert tuition based on your level of experience throughout the Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari.
– By adding the 4-night ‘South Africa Kalahari Desert extension’ to your Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari, you will add a completely different desert dimension to your safari experience. You will enjoy different desert wildlife sightings that include meerkats, cheetah, black-maned lions and a chance to glimpse an aardvark or pangolin. Your lodge for this extension is one of the most exclusive in Africa, a real treat and a fine way to end your desert exploration
* Still got questions? See the FAQ I wrote about African photographic safaris.
4-night South Africa Kalahari Desert extension
The Kalahari desert needs little introduction, it is widely regarded as one of Africa’s wildest and remotest safari destinations. For this very special extension you route from Windhoek via Cape Town to the far northern reaches of South Africa, where the Kalahari desert begins. Your destination is one of the largest private game reserves in the world and one of Southern Africa’s most outstanding photographic locations. The desert landscape here dovetails perfectly with Namibia’s Skeleton Coast as it is also super remote and out there.
With a descendent of the San people as your expert tracker onboard the safari truck, you will track your way through the red sand dunes of the Kalahari in search of cheetah, black-man lion and black rhino. The photo opportunities are varied and plentiful but the real treasure comes in the form of the adorable meerkats that call this part of the Kalahari desert their home. You will photograph these cute creatures as they scour the vegetated dunes, digging in the red desert sand for scorpions and other delicacies. The same glorious night skies are present as they were when you were in Namibia, a starry host as bright as can be. This extension really is the perfect cousin to the Namibia Skeleton Coast and the lodge is uber-luxurious, offering a great way to end your desert sojourn in style.
To get to Namibia you often route through South Africa, so this is the perfect addition to your Namibia Skeleton Coast photo safari. If you would like to add these 4 nights onto your Namibia Skeleton Coast safari and experience the Kalahari Desert, then please mention it when you fill out the form below.
Watch this YouTube video form a day spent on safari. in the Kalahari Desert
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