Skeleton Coast National Park

Getting There

Expert

Anthony is the author of the 'Botswana & Namibia' Lonely Planet guide.

When entering from the south, Skeleton Coast National Park is around 200km/125mi from the coastal town of Swakopmund and 485km/300mi from the capital, Windhoek. The drive from Swakopmund takes about 3 to 4 hours* and it’s around 8 hours* from Windhoek.

Most people who want a taste of the Skeleton Coast drive to the Cape Cross seal colony, which is about 100km/60mi south of the park entrance.

Self-drive visitors, and most organized tours, start their journey by 4x4 vehicle in Windhoek. Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH), your point of entry into the country, is 40km/25mi east of Windhoek. An alternative is to arrange a trip that reaches different destinations via charter flight. Charter flights between parks are generally booked by your tour operator and leave from Eros Airport (ERS) in Windhoek.

FlyNamibia Safari offers daily domestic flights between Windhoek, Swakopmund, Etosha National Park and Sossusvlei, from where it’s still a long way by road to the park. The handful of luxury lodges here have their own airstrips, and there’s a small airstrip for charter flights at Möwe Bay.

It is also possible to drive to the Skeleton Coast from Etosha, in the north of the country. The distance is around 620km/385mi and the driving time about 8 hours*. Parts of the park’s north are accessible only to those staying at the high-end lodges that inhabit remote areas.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

21 Skeleton Coast Safaris