Eventually we peeled ourselves away from the once-in-a-lifetime sighting, leaving the cheetahs to reunite on a single side of the river, and drove deeper into the Hoarusib and out of the canyon to a viewpoint. Life exists in this desolate place, from the desert-adapted elephant and lion (a potential sighting which we sacrificed for the cheetahs) down to the lichens that grow on the desert floor. From a distance they radiate green and orange hues easily mistaken for the colour of the soil, but these minute organisms flourish on top of rocks, forming lines of textured tangerine and frilly lettuce.

On our route back to the lodge, we passed through a massive gorge lined with jaw-dropping rock walls. Marbled swirls of black and burnt orange stand sentinel over a six-metre-wide stretch of the riverbed, where springbok and gemsbok graze unbothered. The natural wonder of this place continues to leave me speechless. 

Bright-eyed and wonderstruck by the beguiling drive, our return to Shipwreck Lodge meant red wine by the woodburning stove and longing looks over the landscape. On the menu as we settled in for dinner was seared tuna steak, accompanied by an umami-loaded tahini and soya sauce drizzle. Silence fell across the entire dining room as our fellow guests were equally as enamoured by the taste sensation, perfectly prepared and paired with the misty and moody immediate surroundings. 

Halfway through our three-course meal, a staff member did the rounds asking whether guests would like a fire started in the cabin stove. A resounding yes from everyone! When we returned to our sojourn after dinner, the room was engulfed in a warm glow from the fireplace, creating an uncanny cosy atmosphere. Curled up under the blankets, you drift into a calm slumber as the crackle of wood lulls you to sleep. 

Awakened with the soft, filtered sunlight of dawn, the floor-to-ceiling windows in the bedroom look out onto the mouth of the Hoarusib and distant ocean. Shipwreck Lodge is one of those rare finds where staying inside the belly of a ship with a coffee and a book, while watching the landscape change with the coming and going of the sun, seems like the logical thing to do. The outdoor activities are endless and exhilarating, yet we find ourselves longing to return, because this cabin feels like home.

Spoiled with more splendid weather, after a wholesome breakfast and one of the best omelettes I have ever had, we embarked on a quad bike excursion onto the dunes. With ease and a crisp breeze, our guide took us up and over unfathomable stretches of beige hills, periodically stopping to take in the views that redefine the term “sand sea”. Injected with the adrenaline that comes from cruising down the steep slip face of a dune, your greatest challenge is focussing on driving as the landscape insists on being a show-off. 

If ever you crave an ego death, I urge you to stand on top of a dune in the Skeleton Coast National Park. The term “speck of dust” takes on new meaning when surrounded by 360 degrees of endless sand.

Many more memorable meals were dished up, as the kitchen at Shipwreck set out to serve sensational seafood seeped in flavour. Even more glasses of red wine were savoured by the fireside, after sundowners on the beach and informative nature walks. Without a glimmer of doubt, Shipwreck Lodge lived up to every expectation, in fact, exceeding them. We stepped into a storybook, stayed in a metaphorical shipwreck, stimulated every one of our senses with food, fun and fireplaces, and departed feeling like family.