Hoanib Skeleton Coast – Wilderness Safaris
Let’s begin with this assertion – when you’ve skilled Hoanib, you’ll without end need to return.
I promise.
Be mesmerised and intrigued by the landscapes, animals and the environment of this magnificent and even otherworldly glamping expertise in Namibia. What the workforce have created right here is sort of past phrases, truly, it’s finest described in tune and dance, one thing the employees are greater than competent in performing; not me, I wouldn’t put anybody by means of that.
Instead I’ve put collectively a group of images from my time at Hoanib Skeleton Coast, the place I took roughly 8500 photos in 3 days. Not joking.
Located inside a distant space of dry riverbeds within the Kaoloveld, it’s the place unforgiving situations present the setting for an journey like no different. Here wildlife exists the place it appears unattainable, their habits tailored to the tough desert surroundings of the Skeleton Coast.
Wake to a golden glow on the horizon that softly illuminates the scenes surrounding your tent. In the gap maybe a giraffe is nibbling on acacia bushes, a mud cloud is stirred by passing oryx and the contemporary morning air gives a burst of vitality in your stroll to breakfast.
Then, a day of exploring awaits…
The Safari Experience
From dawn to heat sandy sunset, anticipate the sudden whereas cruising alongside the Hoanib River and Skeleton Coast along with your skilled wilderness information. The days at Hoanib are designed to suit your curiosity and time, chill by the pool with binoculars and a drink or enterprise out on an all-day safari.
To get issues began, head off for a night sunset safari the place you’ll drive alongside the riverbed and desert to hunt out ostriches, giraffe, elephants, lions and oryx. As the solar will get nearer to the horizon, your information will discover a particular spot to arrange a bush bar full with snacks so you may {photograph} the environment and absorb the setting.
Those staying three nights or longer are handled to a day journey to the Skeleton Coast, one of the various, rugged and photogenic days I’ve spent in a very long time. Starting off good and early, you’ll drive for roughly 4 hours on a safari with a distinction, masking different environments from riverbeds to sand dunes, cracked dry mud flats till lastly you attain the rocky shoreline with seashores stretching for miles.
Related learn – “Wildlife Photography Tips for Safari“
See every little thing from elephants to lions, spiders to seals then take pleasure in a handcrafted lunch by the ocean as your information shares tales of the shipwrecks. One of probably the most fascinating issues I learnt was that the desert lions are beginning to realise a feast awaits on the coast, with two of the females turning to seals for a fatty snack.
For the return journey you may overlook the 4-hour drive and as a substitute take to the skies, flying again in simply quarter-hour over spectacular surroundings that gives a perfect alternative to seize aerial images. To examine my flight from Sossusvlei to the Skeleton Coast take a peek right here.
The Olympus Connection
Wilderness Safaris and Olympus have shaped a partnership to reinforce photographic expertise for visitors and guides whereas additionally making a optimistic affect on social growth by way of a scholarship programme run by Children within the Wilderness.
For my time on the camp, I used to be fortunate sufficient to have Moses as my driver and information, not solely was he a complete character and all-round beautiful man, he was additionally an Olympus digital camera fanatic! Having somebody so enthusiastic about pictures means not solely are you able to chat about all of the geeky goodness the cameras provide however he’s maintaining his eyes peeled for photogenic alternatives. I by no means needed to ask for the automobile to be moved into a greater place as a result of he was inserting it completely to line up with roaming elephants, beautiful gentle or had already seen one thing higher to deal with.
At Hoanib Skeleton Coast you may truly mortgage out a whole Olympus equipment that’s designed for wildlife pictures. A digital camera bag is packed and able to go together with an Olympus E-M1 MKII, 300mm f4 PRO lens, 40-150mm f2.8 PRO lens + 12-100mm f4 lens plus a wide-angle too! During my keep I met with the beautiful Cecilia who’s head of housekeeping and shared some recommendations on photographing from the camp, utilizing the 300mm lens to focus in on a giraffe ingesting from the water gap in entrance of the primary eating space.
The Glamping Experience
Picture a tent, then think about a five-star resort room and throw in a stunning outside deck whilst you’re at it. The phrase tent can usually lead to adverse reactions, however I can guarantee you, the tents at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp are spacious havens of all of the luxuries you can need for an African expertise. And then some.
If your jaw doesn’t drop whenever you stroll into the tent for the primary time then I’m unsure what might impress you. They’re immaculate, fashionable and mix fantastically with the environment. From your giant ground to ceiling home windows you may gaze out in the direction of the water gap, see Giraffes, lions and any variety of animals wander previous.
In truth, there are not any gates on the camps so after darkish, you’ll be escorted again to your tent simply incase a little bit lion decides they need to be part of you on the trail.
Each tent has devoted WIFI which I discover wonderful contemplating the situation, and also you’re additionally handled to a complimentary (large) cookie jar and mini bar that’s restocked day by day with cool drinks. There’s additionally a pair of Olympus binoculars for every room that you may take with you on safari and every other little consolation you may think about is hiding someplace inside your room too together with plush blankets, plump pillows, dressing robes and slippers.
A keep at Hoanib Skeleton Coast contains full board so that you’re in for scrumptious meals 3 times day by day, snacks by the fireplace pit whereas peering into the gap for visiting wildlife and naturally the 2 day by day excursions.
The Environmental Effort
Due to the remoted location and Wilderness Safaris dedication to having minimal affect on the surroundings, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is 100% photo voltaic powered, with small photo voltaic geysers working at every tent for visitors.
Because the encompassing eco-system is so fragile, measures are in place to make sure use of bottled water is decreased by implementing reverse osmosis filtration. There’s additionally a picket bucket positioned within the bathe to make sure that any extra water used whereas ready for the temperature to be proper is then later reused by housekeeping.
Each tent has been designed to make sure efficient air motion, insulation and in addition benefit from nature lighting to minimise the necessity for energy utilization.
In a paragraph from the Wilderness Safaris web site – “Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is a centre for research and conservation of the desert-adapted predators of this harsh region: the desert-adapted lion and brown hyaena. The camp is also part of a joint venture partnership with the neighbouring communities, so that ecotourism is able to benefit the people of the area. Hoanib supports a unique population of desert-adapted lions in the surrounding harsh desert environment. The “desert” lion is a distinguished function in Namibia and is very valued by the rising tourism trade. However, the battle between lions and the native folks is of continued concern and it’s this that the challenge seeks to mitigate.”
My Personal Experience –
Few locations have the flexibility to make you utterly calm down and overlook concerning the outdoors world. To be immersed in a area so photogenic, so wild and so distinctive is a real pleasure and I’ll be without end grateful for my time at Hoanib Skeleton Coast. I couldn’t fault any little little bit of my keep, it was perfection.
Prior to arriving I’d achieved some research into the Skeleton Coast however not a lot the lodging so was totally blown away by the setting and design of the camp. Even the arrival by way of aircraft to a tiny filth airstrip was sudden, each minute feeling like I’d been hit with the shock stick and continuously wore the ‘wow’ expression throughout my face.
For the three days I spent at Hoanib I used to be targeted on photographic alternatives and had been hoping to seize portraits of the desert tailored elephants. Within hours of arriving we had been whisked off on a sundown safari and handled to sightings of virtually each animal on my want listing. The keep couldn’t have gotten off to a greater begin and for the next three days I took in extra of 8500 photos with the wildlife but in addition surroundings an entire inspiration!
One second specifically stood out whereas on a drive on the ultimate day of my journey. My information Moses discovered a herd of elephants alongside the riverbed and as a substitute of sitting shut by, he drove to search out an alternate vantage level on high of the riverbed wanting down. Checking the world was protected, we exited the car and watched from above because the herd rummaged the bushes beneath us. As the solar was setting and producing a powerful glow throughout the panorama, one of many elephants determined to take a mud bathtub, flicking up the dry sand together with his trunk which was then illuminated by the sunshine.
Further to this, on the ultimate evening employees gathered within the restaurant to carry out what I can solely describe as one of the stunning issues my ears have ever hearken to. A set of songs of which everybody sang collectively whereas dancing amongst the visitors. I’m not one to often shed a tear however there was one thing so transferring about this that I used to be filming whereas water welled in my eyes.
As with all visible resort evaluations, I’ll proceed now by letting the images do the speaking. If you’re eager to search out out extra details about staying at Hoanib Skeleton Coast, go to the Wilderness Safaris web site.
Take a examine my different journey with Wilderness Safaris on the Kulala Desert Lodge.
*Please notice, I used to be hosted throughout my keep and offered pictures tuition to the Wilderness guides.
Hello! I’m the founder and photographer behind The Wandering Lens.
With 17+yrs expertise as knowledgeable journey and panorama photographer, all recommendation discovered on this web site is from my private expertise on the street. I hope it’s helpful to your personal travels and would love to listen to within the feedback about your journeys and experiences world wide.