National park
Skeleton Coast Park
Remote desert coast north of the Ugab: fog, gravel plains and shipwrecks. The south is open to self-drivers, the north is fly-in only.
16,834 km² · 2 gates · 1 campsite · Run by Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT)
About the park
The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,845 km² of fog-bound coastline, dunes and gravel plains. The southern section is open to self-drivers: a free transit permit lets you drive between the Ugab and Springbokwasser gates on gravel and salt roads with no need for a 4x4, passing the rusting wreck of the South West Seal and an old oil rig along the way. To go further, as far as Terrace Bay, you need a confirmed booking at a camp in the park; the far north is wilderness reached only on fly-in safaris. Expect springbok, oryx and jackal on the plains, flamingos and waders at the river mouths and lagoons, and more beetles and lizards than big game. Gate times are strict: you must reach Ugab by 15:00, and you will be turned back without a booking for anything beyond transit.
Highlights
- Wreck of the South West Seal near the Ugab gate
- The abandoned 1960s–70s oil rig on the coast road
- Huab Lagoon
- Fly-in safaris to the closed northern wilderness
Good to know
- 16,845 km² of coastal desert
- Free transit permit between Ugab and Springbokwasser gates
- Overnight only with a camp booking (Torra Bay or Terrace Bay)
- Gravel and salt roads; 4x4 not needed in the south
- Northern section closed to vehicles; fly-in only
Wildlife you may see
- Gemsbok (oryx)
- Springbok
- Black-backed jackal
- Ostrich
- Flamingo
- Waders
Sightings are never guaranteed.
When to go
Open: Ugab gate: entry 07:30–15:00; Springbokwasser gate: entry 07:30–17:00; exit at both until 19:00
Gates
- Springbokwasser Gate (Skeleton Coast)Open: Entry 07:30–17:00; exit 07:30–19:00Free transit permit at the gate (Springbokwasser to Ugab only, not the Torra Bay–Terrace Bay road). To stay overnight you need a confirmed camp booking in the park and pay 2026 park fees: foreign adults N$280, SADC N$180, Namibians N$60 per person per day, plus N$60 per vehicle.Without a camp booking you are turned away for anything but transit. Fuel is at Palmwag to the east, but even that can run out; Terrace Bay fuel is for guests and unreliable.
- Ugabmund Gate (Skeleton Coast)Open: Entry 07:30–15:00; exit 07:30–19:00Free transit permit at the gate (Ugab to Springbokwasser only, not the Torra Bay–Terrace Bay road). To stay overnight you need a confirmed camp booking in the park and pay 2026 park fees: foreign adults N$280, SADC N$180, Namibians N$60 per person per day, plus N$60 per vehicle.Arrive by 15:00 or you will be turned away. Fill up in Henties Bay: fuel at Mile 108 and Terrace Bay (guests only) is unreliable, and Palmwag, to the east, can also run out. The road through the park is gravel and salt; a 4x4 is not needed.
Gate times change with the seasons: check with Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) before you travel.
Campsites
- Torra BayCampsite4.4N$310 pp/night
Park fees
| citizen | N$60 per person day |
| regional | N$180 per person day |
| regional (child) | N$100 per person day |
| international | N$280 per person day |
| international (child) | N$180 per person day |
| any (any) | N$60 per vehicle day |
Transit between the Ugab and Springbokwasser gates is free; per-day fees apply to overnight visitors. Adults 16+, children 9–15; 8 and under free, Namibian children free; vehicle rate is for 10 seats or fewer; 'regional' = SADC nationals.