Discover Swakopmund, Namibia’s second biggest town and most popular summer capital, and also the perfect stopover on your epic Namibia safari. Find it on the edge of the cold Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the huge dunes of the Namib Desert, a place where great accommodation, outstanding restaurants and amazing adventure activities await. Join other visitors flocking to the annual German Bierfest and fall in love with the German architecture and food.
When travellers see the huge Bavarian Church spires and palm trees emerging from the thick coastal fog on Namibia’s stark West Coast, they know that they have reached the quaint German harbour town of Swakopmund. You can reach this friendly, lively town from Windhoek, Walvis Bay and the Skeleton Coast. It makes a great stopover en route to an adventure in the great Namib-Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei, Twyfelfontein and the Skeleton Coast.
Use Swakopmund as a great base for various adventure activities in the region: skydiving, fishing, abseiling, kayaking, dune boarding, quad biking and more! Meet interesting local people on the township or cultural tours or get up close and personal with dolphins as you take a boat cruise to specific historic landmarks nearby.
If you’re on a quest to see welwitschias, continue east along the Welwitschia Drive to the Moon Landscape, an extraordinary vista across eroded hills and valleys carved by the Swakop River. Here you may want to take a quick 12km return side trip north to the farm and oasis of Goanikontes, originating in 1848 and lying beside the Swakop River amid fabulous desert mountains – an excellent picnic site.
Explore the nearby towns of Walvis Bay and Henties Bay and the famous Skeleton Coast on tours into the fogs and wild ocean mists. It’s known as Namibia’s adventure capital and is similar to Lüderitz on the south coast, with its half-wooden German architecture, seaside promenades and German hospitality.
The giant Welwitschia Mirabilis are extraordinary ancient plants estimated to be 2000 years old at least with huge underground stems up to four meters wide! They grow in the Khan River and an oasis of Goanikontes – a haven for botanists.
Experience Swakopmund beaches, restaurants, bars, golf courses and gyms. See this extensive range of strange arid and bare hills that resembles the Lunar Sea of Tranquillity, then tour the Namib desert and Walvis Bay. Add to this the Sam Cohen Library, Swakopmund Museum, Woermann House and Swakopmund Aquarium for an interesting holiday.
The National Marine Aquarium is a recently overhauled waterfront aquarium that provides an excellent introduction to the cold offshore world in the South Atlantic Ocean. Walk through the tunnel to see rays and sharks really close, plus other gorgeous marine life.
Swakopmund lies 352 km west of the Namibian capital, Windhoek, on the edge of the Namib Desert and is the fourth largest centre in Namibia in terms of people. It’s a beach resort, a superb example of German colonial architecture founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South West Africa.
Scattered through the town find coffee shops, nightclubs, bars, and hotels. Find adventure outfits to take you on joyful balloon rides, skydiving, quad biking, and small marine cruises. Check out the Swakopmund Skydiving Club at Swakopmund Airport and see if you can try this awesome activity! Three museums, the Swakopmund Museum, the Kristall Galerie (English: Crystal gallery) and the Martin Luther (steam locomotive) museum outside town all enthral tourists to this town to learn more about its past.
Take your family on a fascinating holiday to the second-largest city in Namibia with plenty to do while you rest between tours and safaris. It oozes history, good beer, excellent cosmopolitan foods and incredible German architecture. A few days in Swakopmund are well-spent, educational and active too – quite a thrill for families and friends who want to head north to the Namibian West Coast!
Choose modern city hotels or cosy guest houses with large gardens. Kids will feel in awe of this urban environment and want to run free in some of the beautiful parks and public spaces so take them on all the offered outings. We recommend taking a drive to see the flamingo colony in Walvis Bay, just 40 km south of Swakopmund – watch the birds up close from the promenade or see them in their flocks from a tidal pool at Pelican Point.
Book tours to well-known landmarks and outdoor activities outside of Swakopmund or take a drive on your own and simply picnic somewhere beautiful. Swakopmund is the gateway to Walvis Bay, Luderitz and the Namib Desert, the Skeleton Coast and Dune 7. Most Swakopmund hotels, lodges and villas feature swimming pools so treat your family to this life-changing stop-over retreat before you head off again on safari to see more of dramatic Namibia.
Plan a Namibia tour and safari with Voyage2Africa, the African travel experts, and enjoy signature experiences to premier wildlife destinations south of the equator. We bring you thrilling adventures in the infinite spaces of the Sossusvlei dunes and the vast national parks, then resting time in the scenic foggy city of Swakopmund. Choose a modern hotel with luxury facilities and get ready to explore more of Namibia soon. We offer you some of the best accommodation and special packages in Swakopmund to expand your holiday in true African style.
