Angola: Iona NP – Namibe Coast

The Iona National Park is the oldest in Angola and covers the Namibe Desert along the Atlantic Ocean coast. The park’s coastline is dominated by expansive, shifting sand dunes that form part of the ancient Namib Desert, considered one of the oldest deserts globally, dating back 55-80 million years. These dunes are some of the oldest fossilized sand formations on Earth, desolate and empty, full of mirages, and even boasting a couple of shipwrecks stuck in the sand. The treacherous combination of dense fogs, strong currents, and a lack of natural harbors along the coast has led to numerous shipwrecks over the centuries. This stretch of coastline, extending into Namibia to the south, is often referred to as the Skeleton Coast due to the remains of ships, whales, and seals that litter its shores – we saw all three. We explored the Vanessa shipwreck, a seafood cargo ship that ran aground here in 2006 and is not partially submerged by sands, a stunning site! We also saw quite a lot of coastal seabirds.