Explore both coastal settlements of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay in half a day!

If you have just half a day to explore both coastal settlements of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund this may be the tour for you.

Both coastal settlements are interesting, and have enough to explore to keep you busy for much more than half a day. Should you have a whole day, why not book Walvis Bay and Swakopmund tours separately? Because this tour is only 5 hours long, you will be touching on the very highest of highlights of each coastal settlement. With your private tour guide you can adjust the balance to be more about Walvis Bay, or more about Swakopmund, or you can just enjoy the balance just as it is.

Walvis Bay and Swakopmund have very different histories, despite these two coastal settlements being only 30 kilometers apart. You will experience the contrast for yourself as you go into the details of each town during this tour. Continue reading for more details about what to expect.

Providing you with a balanced view of two very different coastal settlements this tour gives you a very good idea of how this area was settled. You will have a bit of fun along the way, too. Almost no one wants to feel like they are stuck in a classroom, you won’t get bombarded with details. When you do want to know something about anything you see along the way, just ask. With no queues and never waiting on strangers your private tour is efficient and relaxed as well. You will love seeing the interesting sights and landscapes throughout this tour, so remember your camera.

Walvis Bay and lagoon

Situated between the Dune Sea to the South, Gravel Plains to the East and the Dune Belt to the North, Walvis Bay has a very interesting history. Formally established in 1884, it was known as early as the 1400’s. Throughout it’s settlement the natural deep water bay played a big part in Walvis Bay’s development. Initially passed over for settlement by the earliest of the European explorers due to the lack of fresh water, it became popular with whalers from all over the world.

The marine resources were rich, and pretty soon a proper port was established. These days Walvis Bay has very good road, rail and air connections, and it is a bustling hive of activity. Whaling was abandoned in the 1940’s but it is still quite rare to see a whale here. The fishing industry has had an interesting decade, and these days it’s much more rare to smell the fish meal plants working.

You will see sights such as the Lagoon, part of the wetlands RAMSAR wildlife reserve, and the various neighborhoods that make up the town. The lagoon is teeming with wildlife, the most obvious being the Flamingo. There is plenty of time to photograph the Flamingo from the many parking areas around the lagoon, or the walkway. Should you be so lucky, you might see a Pelican on the lagoon too.

Namibia is a land of contrasts, you will see with just how much the various neighborhoods differ from each other on the rest of the tour. From the very rich to the very poor, and everyone in between, Walvis Bay is home to a wide range of people from very different cultures. The desert is continuously trying to cover the town with sand, and you will see the unique defenses that protect the town.

During the tour of this coastal settlement you will see what happens behind the scenes with a visit to the heavy and light industrial areas of Walvis Bay, too. Since they are situated between the residential suburbs there is no avoiding them.

Dune belt

Leaving Walvis Bay behind, the tour goes into the desert to get a feel for what the early explorers faced when starting their coastal settlements here. The road runs along the railway and power lines feeding the town. Just as you leave the town behind, you will see a green area to your right. This is where the town’s purified waste water is returned to the desert. The Flamingo love the fresh water lakes that formed between the reeds, and the place has earned the name of Bird Paradise.

Early on in the coastal settlement stage, Walvis Bay derived it’s water from condensing boiling seawater, or shipping it in from Cape Town. This had the interesting side effect of making water more expensive than beer, giving the whole town quite a drinking problem. Brackish water for washing was brought in from Sandfontein. Luckily, Rooibank is part of the Walvis Bay enclave, and it supplies most of the town’s water from boreholes in the Kuiseb river.

On the left is the railway, mudflats and Dune 7 in the distance. Along the C14 there are a few small monuments, and 10 kilometers out of town is the turn for Dune 7. At Dune 7 there is a picnic area and you can climb the dune for a N$150 fee. The picnic area was originally constructed by the municipality of Walvis Bay. But is now maintained by the ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Dune 7 Adventures offer Quad Bike tours into the dunes, check out their site for details. Dune 7 is continually shifting, slowly covering the picnic area.

If you do decide to climb the dunes, you have a very good view from the top. You can see the coastal settlement of Walvis Bay, the flat gravel plains to the East, and on a clear day even the Kuiseb river and dune sea South of that. At Rooibank in the Kuiseb river is where both coastal settlements get their water from. Climbing the dune is physically intense, but we have bottled water waiting for you at the bottom.

The newly upgraded road to Swakopmund runs along the dune belt on the gravel plains side. The dune belt is only a few kilometers wide, and stretches between the two coastal settlements. The views along the road as the landscape unfolds are really breathtaking. Sometimes you can see the train coming through the desert as well.

Swakopmund

Steeped in history from it’s German colony roots, Swakopmund is a unique coastal settlement. Often described as little Bavaria, it’s most prominent feature is the German architecture in the old part of town. Originally settled by Germany around the same time as Walvis Bay, these two coastal settlements grew in different directions. You will be taken on a route through the old part of Swakopmund that shows off the historic buildings.

Should you wish to stop and explore the many touristy shopping areas on foot, you are quite welcome. Known as the art capital of Namibia, you can see and buy art works of local artists. Or you can just have a relaxing stroll through the old part of town. Your guide will show you around town, and is not tied to a set route. Simply tell your guide what you are interested in and the tour will be adjusted to show you more of what you are interested in.

Coastal Road

You return to Walvis Bay with the coastal road linking the coastal settlements. This road is quite scenic with the dunes on the left hand and the ocean on the right. Apart from the landscape, there are a few interesting sights along the way too. There are still some remnants of the old railway bridge that used to link the two coastal settlements across the Swakop river.

At Vierkant rock the ocean is right up against the road and the dunes squeezing in from the desert. On most days there is some Paragliders in the dunes close to Longbeach, which makes for some beautiful photos of the bright colors against the sandy dunes back drop. The Bird island is a man-made structure that is close to Walvis Bay with an interesting purpose.

Details

• Duration: 5 hours
• Activity level: Light to relaxed

Inclusions

• Cool bottled mineral water, still or sparkling
• Free pickup in Walvis Bay
• Private, air conditioned transport
• Local guide

Optional Extras

• Pickup & Drop off in the Harbor of Walvis Bay
• Pickup & Drop off in Swakopmund
• Special or alcoholic drinks for the tour

Booking – Email

If you are interested in this tour, you are welcome to contact us for some human interaction. The booking will be made for you with the information from our chat. We love hearing from you, so even if you do not want to book the tour, and just want some more information, you are still welcome to drop us an email.

Alternatively, drop us a line on the contact form below and we will come back to you!