Kaokoveld - Skeleton Coast National Park, Namibia

Flanked by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Namibian savanna woodlands to the east, and the Namib Desert to the south the Kaokoveld occupies a coastal strip covering 45,700 square kilometres. It is a harsh desert of drifting sand dunes and rocky mountains that stretches up to include the Mossamedes Desert of southern Angola. Unlike the Namib Desert to the south, which receives most of its rain during the winter, Kaokoveld receives most of its rainfall during the summer. The only permanent watercourse in the area is the Kunene River but there are dry riverbeds (including the Hoanib, Hoarusib and Khumib Rivers) that carry moisture through the desert and are home to animals including elephants, black rhinos, and giraffe. Kaokoveld (also called Kaokoland) with the district capital of Opuwo is one of the most pristine regions in Namibia.

The Kaokoveld is home to some 15 000 Himba, who are a semi-nomadic pastoral people that have largely kept their ethnic individuality and culture in the seclusion of this area. These friendly people breed cattle and goats and migrate with them to the different waterholes. They have a rich culture and their clothes, hair style and ornaments all have special meanings. The proud Himba women spend a couple of hours every day with body and beauty care. They rub their entire bodies with a special blend of rancid butterfat, ochre and the aromatic resin of a shrub called Omuzumba. This cream gives the body an intensely red shine which is the Himba ideal of beauty. Over the years the areas inaccessibility meant that the Himba culture was safe, but with the changes in transportation and people's desire to see thing they have never experienced before the number of visitors to their home is growing continually. Tourists are asked not to hand out sweets to the children and alcohol to the men, along with many other items that don't belong to their culture and habits. Actions like these have changed the behaviour of many Himba people, to the point that they have even become brash beggars, or addicted to alcohol. Many concerned people feel that Kaokoland tourism should be regulated and the whole area to be declared a protectorate.

The Kaokoveld is one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern Africa. Even though it is harsh place that offers little if any respite at midday, the rugged landscape is especially attractive during the early morning and late afternoon when it is transformed into softly glowing pastel shades. The landscape in the south of the area is dominated by rugged mountains, dissected by numerous watercourses, but north of the Hoarusib River the scenery is dominated by table-top koppies. If you travel even further north you will find the Otjihipa Mountains that rise abruptly above the Namib floor to form the eastern boundary of the Marienfluss. West of the valley is defined by the Hartmann Mountains. The Marienfluss valley is very scenic and relatively greener than the Hartmann's valley. Hartmann's valley is closer to the Atlantic and yet much more arid, but something strange happens to the atmosphere in the valley when the sea mists drift inland.

Kaokoveld is very different to Damaraland in terms of accessibility and infrastructure. While a large portion of Damaraland is isolated from the outside world it is really Kaokoveld that is the back and beyond, silent, huge and for the most part empty. With a mere 16000 inhabitants, 5000 of which are Himba, Kaokoland has a population density of only one person to every two square kilometres which is about a quarter of the already low Namibian average. The almost inaccessible area south of the Kunene river, north of Sesfontein, can only be travelled in fully equipped expedition vehicles and, if at all possible, in the company of an experienced guide. There are hardly any sign-posts on the rough tracks which are often rocky or full of deep, soft sand. This is also not an area where you will find much accommodation with many travellers just sleeping out in the wilderness.

The Kaokoveld is bordered on the south by the Hoanib River and on the north by the Kunene River which also forms Namibia's border with Angola. Rugged and impressive mountain ranges can be found near the Kunene River, with the highest point located at 2039m in the Baynes Mountains. It is unusual for a river to run through such an arid landscape with the only real waterfalls in Namibia along its course. The Ruacana Falls which are 120m high and 700m wide in full flood are one of these waterfalls. Also along the Kunene River visitors can stop off and enjoy the Epupa falls, about 135km downstream from the Ruacana falls. Epupa is formed by a series of cascades that drop a total of 60m over a distance of about 1.5km and at one point reaches a total width of 500m. It is possible to swim in some of the pools but visitors should be wary of crocodiles!

For those adrenalin junkies there is also white water rafting and canoeing on the Kunene River. For about twenty years preceding Namibia's independence the Kunene River was out of bounds because of the bush war, but since the early nineties trekking this far north for river adventures has taken off in a big way. The stretch of river normally traversed is the 120km between Ruacana and Epupa Falls. A highlight of the trip is negotiating the Ondurusa rapids as well as passing through the looming zebra mountains and crossing the section of the river known as the 13 rapids.

Another tourist attraction is Sesfontein Fort which for many years was a desolate and rapidly disintegrating ruin. The historical monument which was originally a police outpost, was reconstructed almost a hundred years after it was first built, and equipped to accommodate tourists. It derives its name from the six fountains which have their source in the vicinity.

Although there are various other animals to be seen in Kaokoveld the area is probably most famous for its desert elephant. Although not a separate type of elephant, the elephants found in this area have specially adapted to living in the desert and visitors are attracted to the area by the chance of spotting the magnificent creatures. The only other place in Africa where elephants live in such harsh conditions is in Mali on the edge of the Sahara Desert.