Skeleton Coast is located within Namibia and is found on its long stretch of coastline on the western border. The accommodation options in the area are campsites, lodges and bungalows. The vast and contrasting topography of the land ranges from towering dunes, ancient Welwitschia plants, desert, lichen fields, flowering stones otherwise known as lithops, and the clay hills dotted along the Hoarusib River. The ocean is seasonal a playground for the whale, seal and sea lion, while further inland, the riverbeds are populated by the lion, giraffe, springbok, rhino and baboon. Scenic flights are also popular in the area, giving visitors a bird’s-eye-view of the maritime cemetery below. Hindered by blinding sea fog prevalent off the coast, many ships met an unsightly end giving rise to a ship graveyard of sorts littered along the shore and favoured by photographers and nature-lovers alike. The park’s ominous name has its origins in the spice trade routes, where wary sailors passed along Namibia's desolate coastline on their way to and from India. The park is 500km of shoreline, running from the Ugab River in the south to the Kunene River in the north. Today, however, the term "Skeleton Coast" relates only to the stretch situated within the Skeleton Coast National Park. Once upon a time, it referred to Namibia's entire coastline.