Swakopmund

German for ‘mouth of the Swakop’ (River), Swakopmund’ was originally founded as the main harbour for German South-West Africa. It still retains much German architecture and resembles a small Bavarian village nestling between the desert and the sea. The weather is cooler here than in the interior so it is a popular seaside resort for Namibians wanting to cool off during the summer.

This vibrant holiday city is known for its adventure activities including sandboarding, quadbiking, dune carting, parachuting, hot air ballooning, fishing and seal boat trips. Fog from the cold Benguela current supplies moisture that can reach as deep as 140 km inland. The fauna and flora of the area has adapted to this phenomenon and relies on it as a source of moisture.

Contact us and we'll plan the perfect programme for you. 

Swakopmund offers activities to suit all tastes. The more sedentary visitor can enjoy dolphin cruises and the many cafes and restaurants. Bird lovers should visit the Swakopmund Salt Works or the Walvis Bay Lagoon which is frequented by thousands of flamingos in season.
Our favourite lodges in Swakopmund:
Stiltz Lodge - great value and views
Burning Shore Beach Lodge - on the beach

There is so much to do in Swakopmund! It is the perfect place to rest up and have some fun after a dusty trip to the Sossuvlei dunes or the Namib-Naukluft Park. Just outside of town, a section of dunes has been set aside for quad biking, dune carting, sand boarding and skiing, camel rides and off road driving. There are  excursions by boat to see dolphins and seals, some of the best shorebased angling in Africa, scuba diving, surfing. Go parachuting or up in a hot air balloon.

There is an airport at Swakopmund so you can fly into the town from Windhoek and a few other domestic airports. Windhoek's airport is serviced by international flights from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Germany and the UK. There are several fly-in safari options around Namibia including to Etosha, Sossusvlei and Damaraland. If you are combining north and south Namibia while on a self-drive trip, Swakopmund is a great day stop inbetween to have some city comforts before heading out again.