"Swakopmund, the undisputed adventure capital of Namibia, is a delightful little city that is both a treat to explore and a fantastic base for trips into the desert. Its charm lies in the alluring culminaton of colonial German architecture, seaside promenade, scattered palm trees, and its position between the Atlantic Ocean and Namib Desert. About 40km south and connected by a scenic ocean road, the quieter port town of Walvis Bay is known for the excellent birding in the nearby wetlands areas.”
- Narina Exelby
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PLAN MY JOURNEYSwakopmund and Walvis Bay
Travellers seeking adventure find just what they’re looking for at Swakopmund – in fact, they tend to be inundated by options. Swakopmund, a small city with a year-round holiday vibe and good selection of restaurants, cafes and galleries, long ago earned its reputation as the playground of Namibia. Swakopmund is a favourite holiday destination for Namibians, international travellers also flock here to head into the dunes on exhilarating sandboarding, land-yachting, quad biking, mountain biking and 4×4 adventures. Others take to the skies above the Namib Desert and go on scenic flights, hot-air ballooning rides or go sky diving, while others still go surfing or kayaking on the Atlantic Ocean, or head out to sea on angling trips.
While getting the adrenalin racing might be priority for some travellers, others truly appreciate the chance to understand the desert ecology a little better, and guided dune walks – highly recommended – are popular around here. Another popular trip is a drive into the fringes of the desert to see Welwitschias, plants that can live as long as 1500 years, if not longer.
Walvis Bay, just south of Swakopmund and situated on a wide lagoon, is a smaller town that carries a reputation for excellent birding. Around here the specials include the Damara tern, an endangered ground-nesting bird, and you’ll also find colonies of eastern white pelicans, greater and lesser flamingos, and Cape cormorants. The wetlands around Walvis Bay are good for waders and shore birds, and here you can see African black oystercatcher, Hartlaub’s Gull, South African shelduck and Terek sandpiper, among many others.
A highlight for many travellers to this area is a cruise of the harbour (it’s often populated with interesting ships), which includes a trip into the wetland section of the lagoon, which is populated by sea birds and seals. The Cape Cross fur seal colony, between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, is a must-see and walking on the boardwalks between the seals is unforgettable – but be warned: the 200,000 seals make this a particularly smelly trip.
When to go
Find out when is best to visit
- Excellent
- Good
- Poor
WET SEASON
This is the peak of the wet season, yet days with rainfall are still very rare indeed.
Great birding with migratory species present.
Less foggy conditions.
Temperatures are pleasant, averaging 25°C/77°F midday, but can occasionally rise well above this. Night time lows average a comfortable 17°C/63°F.
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
WET SEASON
This is the peak of the wet season, yet days with rainfall are still very rare indeed.
Great birding with migratory species present.
Less foggy conditions.
Temperatures are pleasant, averaging 25°C/77°F midday, but can occasionally rise well above this. Night time lows average a comfortable 17°C/63°F.
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
WET SEASON
This is the peak of the wet season, yet days with rainfall are still very rare indeed.
Great birding with migratory species present.
Less foggy conditions.
Temperatures are pleasant, averaging 25°C/77°F midday, but can occasionally rise well above this. Night time lows average a comfortable 17°C/63°F.
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
WET SEASON
This is the peak of the wet season, yet days with rainfall are still very rare indeed.
Great birding with migratory species present.
Less foggy conditions.
Temperatures are pleasant, averaging 25°C/77°F midday, but can occasionally rise well above this. Night time lows average a comfortable 17°C/63°F.
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
DRY SEASON
Mornings tend to be foggy, occasionally this fog will not lift fully all day.
The coolest time of the year midday temperatures averaging around 22°C/72°F, while night temperatures average a low of 11°C/52°F making warm clothes essential for those early morning activities!
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
WET SEASON
This is the peak of the wet season, yet days with rainfall are still very rare indeed.
Great birding with migratory species present.
Less foggy conditions.
Temperatures are pleasant, averaging 25°C/77°F midday, but can occasionally rise well above this. Night time lows average a comfortable 17°C/63°F.
Swakopmound and Walvis Bay have a desert climate, with just the very occasional rain shower during the Namibian wet season, which runs from October through to April. The rest of the year rainfall is very unlikely. It’s location between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the hot interior does however give rise to some very foggy conditions, especially through the winter/ dry season months. This is a part of Namibia which is great all year round, though we personally prefer the summer months for the warmer and less foggy conditions.
Explore Swakopmund and Walvis Bay Properties
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Hansa Hotel
Hansa Hotel
Hansa Hotel was established in 1905 and is the oldest hotel in Namibia. Its classic atmosphere remains as guests are welcomed by a marble reception area, spiral staircase and beautifully decorated large rooms. Indulge in a piece ..
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Pelican Point Lodge
Pelican Point Lodge
Pelican Point Lodge is a unique and remote lodge occupying a renovated Harbour Control Tower at the foot of Pelican Point Lighthouse. With uniquely decorated suites, brilliant wildlife viewing and spectacular views across the ..
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Strand Hotel Swakopmund
Strand Hotel Swakopmund
Strand Hotel Swakopmund is a four-star beachside property flanked by palm trees and a stretch of sand on Swakopmund’s sea wall. With a number of dining and lounging options and a dedicated Activities and Adventures Office, ..
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The Stiltz Lodge
The Stiltz Lodge
The Stiltz is an eclectic and tranquil lodge with breathtaking views of the ocean and sand dunes. Although holding a remote atmosphere, a stay in this unique raised property means a short walk into the charming town of Swakopmund ..
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Villa Margherita
Villa Margherita
In the heart of Swakopmund lies Villa Margherita, a charming boutique guesthouse boasting colonial grandeur and plenty of bright modern touches. With ten unique rooms and cosy communal spaces to lounge in, the Italian-owned Villa ..
What People Say
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The personalised service provided was far beyond my expectations. A three week trip visiting four countries in Africa, multiple game reserves, wineries and much, much more was flawless. While a close encounter with a leopard and her cubs…
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We got in touch after hearing about Hide & Seek from a friend. Have to say hats off to Jamie, he was so patient throughout, even through our indecisiveness! Ultimately we ended up with the most incredible holiday of our lives. Thank you again, we will be back!!
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Thank you for arranging our Safari holiday in Kenya and Tanzania for us. It was to celebrate our 40th. Wedding anniversary which was on July 1st. 2018, and through your arrangements, we have had a holiday that we will never forget...
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Thanks so much for a truly unforgettable once in a life time holiday. Hopefully we will be in touch again soon!
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Spot on in terms of itinerary . We not disappointed by any of the suggestions and had the best holiday ever! Thank you!
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Jamie was very helpful throughout the booking process and recommended the perfect holiday. There was nothing we would change having now been out to Tanzania. I would highly recommend Hide & Seek to friends and relatives.
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Jamie was excellent. Once I described what we wanted I knew he would come up with the business. ..and he did!!! 5 stars
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We spoke to numerous travel agents over the period we looked at booking our honeymoon and only hide and seek gave me the confidence I was looking for. Really pleased with our decision.
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Hide and seek dealt with our last minute travel plans extremely well. Obviously, our accommodations shifted as availability diminished but ultimately they came up with a vacation that we will never forget.
