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By Emma 12 March 2018

The Schoeman Brothers and the Skeleton Coast Safaris

The ins and outs of what the Schoemans offer is a private flying safari with no more than eight people on each flight, hopping between private airstrips and remote beaches. They offer a no-frills safari experience, but one that people are raving about!

Skeleton Coast Safaris, formerly known as Schoeman’s Flying Safari, was set up by Louw Schoeman in 1977. Louw had played an important part in the Skeleton Coast’s gain of national park status. The safaris allow travellers to access some of the remotest areas of the Skeleton Coast National Park, where few have had the chance to explore.

Since it started, Skeleton Coast Safaris has been a family-run operation, with Louw’s sons taking over the reins in 1994. Bertus, Andre, Leon and Henk all have a pivotal role in the family business, ensuring an unforgettable safari experience through the back and beyond of Namibia!

Is the experience worth the cost?

From the rich and famous to pure safari enthusiasts, everyone is keen, and happy to pay costs from about $1,815 / £1,399 per person per day. Why?, you might ask.

Well, you are paying for the sheer privilege of experiencing the natural beauty of the area, together with the sense of freedom such a remote region gives you as well as its extraordinary variety of landscapes. Typically you will discover the shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast, have the opportunity to slide down steep dunes, and explore on foot, by plane, and in modified Land Rovers. You may come across the seal colonies along the coastline and have the chance to track the desert-adapted wildlife further inland. However, to the Schoemans, seeing wildlife is always considered a bonus, rather than the focal part of the safari. 

When you get this far off the beaten track, there is nobody better to explore with you this vast, expansive wilderness area that is unique in more ways than one, than one of the Schoemans! The Skeleton Coast National Park was their playground while they were growing up and today they have a real wealth of knowledge of the flora, fauna, and history of the area. They really are the best in the industry for showcasing the Skeleton Coast.

What is included in the experience?

The Schoemans offer four different safaris, but they are renowned for their 4 day / 3 nights Skeleton Coast Safari. Your accommodation consists of tiny permanent camps or along/in dry riverbeds in dome-style tents; these have proper beds and hot bucket showers, but they are very adventurous in style.

Every night is spent in a different location, but as the Schoemans know the area like the back of their hands, they are sure to make full use of every stop. Dining is generally done outside, taking full advantage of the night’s sky, and it is not uncommon to land the plane on a private airstrip. Here everyone can stretch their legs, explore the area a little bit, and enjoy a spot of lunch in what we know as the middle of nowhere!

To tick this experience off your bucket list, why not contact us on +44 (0)20 8547 2305 or send us an email at [email protected], to start planning a once-in-a-lifetime adventure safari.