Cruise Liner Special: Swakopmund and Namib Desert Highlight Tour

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Swakopmund

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Discover Swakopmund and the Namib Desert’s unique highlights. Enjoy a light lunch with panoramic views. Perfect for cruise liner guests seeking adventure.

Duration: 7 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Swakopmund Jetty - Our tour takes us past Bird Island, the only man-made Guano Island along the coast (10 minutes), to the Swakopmund Jetty (30 minutes). We learn about the interesting struggles to build the Mole (15 minutes) and the Jetty, then see some old German colonial buildings (20 minutes) and move on to Martin Luther, the steam tractor (15 minutes), which was used to tow wagons during the Rinderpest years. We then head to the Namib Desert gravel plains to Goanikontes (1 hour). We spend a lot of time driving to the next site as they are far apart.
Goanikontes - On our way to Goanikontes, a very important landmark and watering hole in the past, we pass by the Lichen fields (30 minutes). We look for the tiny plants, only millimeters big, covering the desert. These plants are a combination of algae and fungi, growing in a small strip in the desert, adapted to living off the fog that blows in. We learn about some desert plants and how they have evolved to live off the moisture of the fog. Then we drive along the gravel plains to the Moon Landscape.
Moon Landscape Viewpoint 4 - We are then surprised by arriving at the Moon Landscape. This area is about 500 million years old, unique, vast, and very quiet. Wind erosion is evident. We can see the layers of lava flow that happened millions of years ago. This area is believed to have had at least two ice ages. We go to various viewpoints to view these unique landmarks and spend about 15 minutes at each viewpoint.
Goanikontes - The route takes us to Goanikontes, the first oasis or watering hole in the Swakop River, of great importance in the olden days. Here, horses and oxen were watered and changed. It later became the vegetable garden for Swakopmund. There was an old police station here. Nowadays, there is a little restaurant and some toilet facilities. We pass through it to a viewpoint high up in this harsh environment (about 30 minutes) and then drive to the Welwitschia plants (about 20 minutes). These age-old Welwitschia plants grow only in this desolate and harsh area. Some plants are believed to be hundreds of years old. This unique desert plant has no stem and only two leaves. The leaves are ripped by the wind and zebras feeding on them and are pollinated by little light brown and bright orange bugs.
Welwitschia Plains - We drive along a desert path and see uranium prospecting sites, as well as some weather stations. About 20 km onwards, we stop at the Welwitschia plants. There is a male and female plant; it grows very old and very slowly, has only two leaves and no stem. Very unique and only found from this spot northwards in Namibia. Locals call it the plant that never dies. After seeing the Welwitschia Mirabilis, we drive about 80 km or 40 minutes to Dune 7. On our way back to the harbor, we pass Dune 7. Unfortunately, we will not be able to climb it as our time has run out, and we return to Walvis Bay port.
Dune 7 - After our long drive back to Walvis Bay, we stop at Dune 7 outside Walvis Bay. This dune was called Dune 7 as it was 7 miles from Walvis Bay, and the British enclave of Walvis Bay extended 10 miles into the desert. We view the dune. It is not the highest dune in Namibia, as you will see yourself. It is probably the highest dune you can climb in the area, but we sadly do not have time to climb it. Admission fee not included as we do not go in. It costs about us (Dune 7 near Sossusvlei is the highest dune in Namibia, but you cannot climb it). We now make our way back to the harbor, and our Namib Desert highlight tour ends. Thank you for joining us.

What's Included

Lunch

Additional Information

This is a unique tour in that it includes all the highlights this area has to offer in one tour. You will have gathered knowledge on the frail ecology, harsh geology and hard lived history of this desert Landscape. Everything it offers is unique to this area only. We have a drink and light lunch at a 360 degree lookout point. Its an up market tour in Airconditioned vehicles and limited participants, but very popular for Cruise liner Guests. The absolute quietness, the vast unpopulated landscapes, the light Desert Breeze, the evidence of lava flow and lack of water gives light to how inhospitable this area is. Would love to showcase this area to you.

We need at least two travelers to start the Tour. Should we not start the tour for whatever reason we offer an alternative or full refund
Should the ship Dock at another time, other than our start time we will reschedule our Start times to meet you at the dock
we however need enough time to complete the tour
We meet our clients with a Name Board please look out for your name
We also have a tear drop Flag so we stand out in the crowd.
Please what’s app us for any assistance.

Location

Swakopmund Jetty

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

3.0