Shipwreck Lodge Namibia
For some 500km, Namibia’s scorched desert sands clash with the
wind-whipped surf of the South Atlantic Ocean. These powerful
waves, flecked occasionally with daring surfers, have a history of
belching forth lost bits of the ocean. Here, over 1,000 shipwrecks
have washed ashore, a cavalcade of rusting hulls and salt-bitten
metal among the bleached remnants of whales and seals, dusted
with desert. Abandoned, isolated and at the mercy of the
elements, the Skeleton Coast earned its name for a reason.
Travelling across the empty landscape towards Shipwreck
Lodge – the only accommodation located on the sand-blown
coast – it’s easy to feel a world away from recognisable life.
After all, the Portuguese called it ‘The Gates of Hell’, while the
Indigenous San name is said to translate as ‘The Land God Made
in Anger’. Yet Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, cloaked in dense sea
mists, is by no means bereft of life. It’s here that Shipwreck Lodge organises small game excursions with expert guides to spot the
best of local wildlife. Coastal safaris see elephants, lions, hyenas,
jackals; and from Shipwreck’s ten, sea-facing chalets you can watch
the waters for dolphins, Cape fur seals and African penguins.
Cabins here are inspired by the shipwrecks, hemmed in by spars
of driftwood brought in on the waves. Inside, the lodges are a case of elegant luxury crafted by local designers and artists, with warm dark details and woods suggestive of ships’ cabins.
Each suite offers a stark contrast to the harsh, hypnotic
environment outside, which can also be enjoyed from the
panoramic windows of the central lodge’s lounge and restaurant.
As well as safaris, Shipwreck offers beach lunches, river excursions, jeep outings and more, including sandboarding the dunes of the world’s oldest desert.