Swakopmund is a beautiful town on the coast of Namibia, about 350 km west of Windhoek. There are many amazing things to do in Swakopmund from observing incredible wildlife to skydiving over the desert and tasting local craft beer.
In our opinion, Swakopmund is the most beautiful and interesting town in the country. It’s definitely worth including it in your Namibia road trip itinerary. If you’re looking for a nice place where you can stay for a couple of days Swakopmund is a great option. We spent here one week and had a really great time. The town is a perfect place for solo travelers and those who don’t want to rent a car. There are many group and private tours that take travelers to some of the best places to visit in Namibia.
Explore Namibia and Swakopmund with a group tour from Windhoek
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Nature and wildlife things to do in Swakopmund
You’ll be surprised by the diversity of wildlife and landscape of the area. Within a few hours’ drive, you can see impressive sand dunes, bizarre rock formations, deserted coasts, and thousands of animals and birds.
Visiting the Namib Desert
Many tourists associate Namibia with the desert so visiting the spectacular red-sand dunes in the Namib Desert is a must-do thing for anybody visiting Swakopmund. Dune 7 is situated 35 km south of the town close to the road you don’t need a 4×4 to get to it. There is a parking lot at the dune you can leave your car there. Sunset is the best time for visiting the dune. You can enjoy the sun going down from the top of the dune in the endless Namib Desert.
Dune 7 is not the only famous dune in the Namib Desert. If you want to see impressive dunes and salt pans make sure to visit Sossusvlei. The unique scenery and unreal beauty of the desert. It was definitely one of the highlights of our Namibia trip.
Dune tours from Swakopmund
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Watching flamingos in Walvis Bay
Wildlife around Swakopmund is incredibly diverse. The flamingo colony in Walvis Bay, a small town 40 km south of Swakopmund is one of the places worth visiting. You can see birds from close by from the promenade. A tidal pool at Pelican Point is the best spot for watching these magnificent birds. The best time to see flamingos in Walvis Bay is between November and April. During the peak season, December to March, there are thousands of birds in the area.
Tours to Walvis Bay from Swakopmund
Spotting whales and dolphins from a boat
Watching flamingos is not the only thing to do in Walvis Bay. If you do a boat or catamaran tour at Pelican Point you will be able to see whales, dolphins, seals, sunfish, and leatherback turtles. The best season to see whales are the winter months from July to November. During that time you can see Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales. Other marine animals can be seen year-round. You can do a catamaran tour to see the diverse marine life of the Namibian coast.
If you’re planning to visit southern Namibia consider visiting Luderitz, a small coastal town in the south of the country. There are some interesting things to do in Luderitz including observing marine wildlife.
Marine wildlife tours
Driving along the Skeleton Coast
The secluded Skeleton Coast of Namibia is an interesting place to visit. A drive along the coast is an adventure on its own. The name comes from several shipwrecks that can be found along the coast. Some of the wrecks are worth a stop. Zeila Wreck is probably the most famous here. It’s a well-preserved wreck situated close to the shore, about 60 km north of Swakopmund.
Shore fishing is a popular activity on the Skeleton Coast if you’re a keen fisherman bring your rods with you.
You can include a drive along the Skeleton Coast into your Namibia Victoria Falls Road trip.
Watching seals at Cape Cross
It is one of the not-to-miss places in Namibia. Cape Cross is a nature reserve that is home to the largest land colony of Cape Fur seals. In the peak season, you can see up to species. The best time to visit Cape Cross Seal Reserve is the breeding season, between January and March, when you can see thousands of cute seal cubs crawling around the area. Visitors walk on boardwalks seals and their cubs aren’t disturbed by human presence. If you’re a nature photography lover Cape Cross is a fantastic place for taking close-by photos of seals. The only downside of the place is the smell if you’re sensitive bring a napkin or a mask with you.
You can combine visiting this place with a drive along the Skeleton Coast. Cape Cross is 130 km north of Swakopmund.
- Working hours – daily from 10 am to 5 pm
- Admission fee – NAD 200/US$13 per person, NAD 50/US$4 per car
Cape Cross tours from Swakopmund
Looking for wildlife in the desert
The desert might look like an uninhabitable place for untrained eyes. In fact, many endemic species can be found in the sand dunes just outside Swakopmund. Don’t expect to see big mammals but rather small endemic species like lizards, snakes, beetles, and spiders. This activity is one of the things that I’d strongly recommend doing with a guide. During the tour, you’ll learn a lot about the wildlife of the Namib Desert.
Desert wildlife tours from Swakopmund
Admiring Moon Landscape and Welwitschias
The Moon Landscape is situated 40 km east of Swakopmund. You can visit it as a day trip from the town or on the way driving from Windhoek or Sossusvlei. The landscape in that part of the Namib desert reminds the surface of the Moon. From the lookout point, you can see rocky hills carved in the desert by the Swakop River. The landscape was formed millions of years ago when the climate in the region was more humid. In the background of the valley, visitors can see the Rossin Mountain.
There are several points of interest in the valley including rare plants, World War I remains, mines, and bizarre rock formations. If you want to visit all points of interest (beacons) you’ll need 4-5 hours.
Besides the surreal landscape, visitors can see the Welwitschia mirabilis. These plants are unique to the Namib Desert. They’re called living fossils. The average age of welwitschias is 400-500 years though some of the plants reach 1500 years.
To visit the beacons you need a permit that can be obtained at Ritterburg Office in Swakopmund. You can visit the Moon Landscape and see Welwitschia with a guided tour from Swakopmund.
Visiting Spitzkoppe
Spitzkoppe means pointed dome in German. This beautiful place is located 150 km northeast of Swakopmund. It’s famous for its granite peaks and bizarre rock formations. The peaks dominate the plains of the Namib Desert. The highest peak is 1728 m. You can visit Spitzkoppe is a day trip from Swakopmund. If you don’t want to do a self-drive trip you can join a small group tour to Spitkoppe from Swakopmund.
To really appreciate the beauty of the place I’d recommend staying here for the night. Camping under the stars in this incredible place is an amazing experience. Spitzkoppe Camp is one of our favorite campsites in Namibia.
Adventure things to do in Swakopmund
Adrenalin junkies and outdoor lovers will have plenty of things to do in Swakopmund to keep them busy for a few days. Swakopmund can easily be called the adventurous capital of Namibia.
A 4×4 drive in the desert
Driving in a 4×4 car past the giant sand dunes is one of the not-to-miss things in Swakopmund. For a desert drive, you can head to Sandwich Bay, and drive along the Skeleton Coast, towards the Moon Landscape. Before going on a drive make sure you have enough petrol in your tank, check your wheels, pack a spare tire in your boot, and take enough water and snacks with you.
You don’t have to rent a 4×4 vehicle to enjoy the desert joining a day tour is a great option for experiencing the drive especially if you’re not very confident with driving on rugged roads and dunes.
Quad biking in the dunes
Another great activity in Swakopmund. Riding a quad bike is a fun way to experience the desert. To be honest, I prefer it over 4×4 driving it’s more exciting and you can actually go over pretty big sand dunes. No need to worry about getting stuck or having a flat tire. Plus, everyone (even older children) can get his/her portion of adrenaline and maneuver over the dunes.
Quadbike tours from Swakopmund
Skydiving over the desert
Tandem skydiving is an activity not for everybody. I must admit we didn’t do it. Mainly because it didn’t fit in our budget and we do regret it. Luckily Namibia is not far from South Africa I’m sure we’ll get a chance to do it on our next trip.
Enjoying the incredible landscape of the Namib Desert while free-falling from 2000 m is definitely a lifetime experience. Add to this the scenic flight over the wild Atlantic coast where the desert meets the ocean. The free fall lasts between 30 and 40 seconds but…
