Skeleton Coast National Park, Namibia
Mango Opinion
The setting at Julian and Stephanie Fennessy’s old campsite is perfect. You won't even want to leave camp because of the view. But tear yourself away to discover the desert adapted species of elephant, giraffe, lion and black rhino in the Hoanib Valley, be a citizen scientist for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and spend time with a local Himba family. This place is a gem.
With vast, spectacularly beautiful landscapes, Hoanib Valley may just be the most incredible of them all. Deep in north-western Namibia, the area is a melee of towering mountains, sand dunes, and huge expanses of desert, scattered with unique wildlife and nomadic Himba settlements. It’s also one of Namibia’s most remote and wild environments, and one that not many will get the chance to discover in a lifetime.
Set in this remote vastness, Hoanib Valley Camp is a joint venture between the local communities and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the world’s only Africa-wide giraffe conservation organisation. The camp is an elegant, intimate affair that immerses you into the wilds of the desert. Days are spent tracking desert-adapted elephant, giraffe and endangered rhino, visiting local villages, and nature walks, before retiring to your private veranda to marvel at the magnitude of your surroundings. The Hoanib is one of the 12 ephemeral seasonal rivers in the west of Namibia, where it was the border between northern Damaraland and Kaokoland. It has been called the 'last true wilderness areas in Namibia'.
A classic tented camp whose peaked canvas roofs mirror the rugged desert mountains, this is your desert home away from home. Each of the six tents includes all your creature comforts and with their breezy design make for the perfect place to settle into after a day exploring the desert.