Strand Hotel

Namibia's Desert & Coast

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Self-drive highlights of Southern Namibia.

12 days

from £4,975 pp

Wildlife & Nature Off-the-beaten-track + 3 more + 3 more

Namibia & Botswana Express: Caprivi & The Panhandle

Namibia, Botswana

Explore the spectacular scenery of Namibia and iconic wildlife of Botswana on this self-drive and safari adventure.

12 days

from £8,010 pp

Namibia's Wildlife & Conservation

Family Classic + 2 more + 3 more

Namibia’s big skies, rare wildlife & real conservation in action.

12 days

from £5,835 pp

Namibia Safari Special

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

A wildlife-focused self-drive safari adventure through Namibia’s north.

13 days

from £5,785 pp

Classic Namibia Self Drive

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Our classic self-drive adventure through deserts, dunes & wildlife.

13 days

from £4,875 pp

Namibia Fly-In Safari

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 2 more + 3 more

Scenic flights and safaris across Namibia’s iconic landscapes.

11 days

from £7,125 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Namibia

Sandwich Harbour Tours

Roughly 50km south of Walvis Bay and within the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Sandwich Harbour is a starkly beautiful spot that makes for an unmissable excursion from Swakopmund. This is classic Skeleton Coast scenery, in many ways more definitive than you will find in the more northerly national park itself, with vast orange sand dunes colliding vividly with the crashing waves of the Atlantic. Day trips pass barren salt pans and vegetated dunes to arrive at Sandwich Harbour, where a doomed German colonial settlement of whalers and traders was eventually beaten by the elements. There is now one isolated building remaining, eerily clinging onto a spot between a towering dune and a freshwater lagoon that attracts a range of birdlife including snake eagles and pelicans. Over the day there will be regular stops for you to get out and enjoy a walk in the remote desert and coastal landscapes, where you might see jackal, springbok, ostrich and, if you are very lucky, brown hyena. Driving back towards Swakopmund there will be some dune bashing, as your driver weaves a thrilling path through the desert. At some point they will turn the engine off and slowly glide down the dunes so that you can hear the haunting sounds of the roaring sands as you slide down into a valley. Arriving back at your hotel in the evening, you'll know you've experienced something unique!

Desert Interpretation Tours

Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are solitary coastal outposts in an area that is largely dominated by the Namib Desert. Tours on 4WD vehicles forge deep into the dunes, stopping along the way to discover the smaller, often overlooked details of life in the desert. Your guide will search for unique, desert adapted wildlife such as sidewinders, geckos, chameleons and skinks, explaining how they come by water, camouflage themselves from predators and withstand the raging extremes of desert heat. There will be some exciting dune bashing and the sound of roaring sands, as well as stops for refreshments and lunch. At the end of this tour you should have a more detailed understanding of one of the planet's harshest environments and the surprising assortment of life that it is still able to support.

Dolphin Watching Cruises

There are a number of operations in Swakopmund that head out onto the water to explore the Atlantic, mainly be catamaran. The major attraction is the chance to see bottlenose and heaviside dolphins that frequent these waters in significant numbers. Playful and curious, the dolphins will often surf in the boat's slipstream, regularly surfacing to provide great photo opportunities for passengers on board. The route tends to pass Pelican Point, meaning that cape fur seals aplenty will also be spotted, along with various seabirds and occasionally even humpback whales! Over the course of cruises that generally last three hours, refreshments will be provided and dolphin sightings are virtually guaranteed, so this is a great way to spend a morning discovering the ocean first hand, if conditions are favourable!

Kayaking with Seals

We would recommend this activity for anyone spending time in Swakopmund, young or older, whatever your interests! South of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Pelican Point is a remote spot on a stark stretch of Atlantic coast, with a nearby lighthouse testament to the perils this wild coastline can throw up. All of this is given life and colour by the hundreds of noisy cape fur seals which play in the waters and relax on the shore. You can get out onto the water on two-man kayaks, led by a guide to get in amongst this living cacophony. Although initially perturbed, the seals are extremely curious as to the identity of the interlopers, and they quickly become playful, swimming alongside your kayak and sometimes leaping over or even into it as you paddle! This is a magical, smile inducing experience, with roughly an hour on the water which can be as active or relaxing as you choose. You will also see plenty of fish as you paddle, such as the large, strangely ugly kingfish, and if you are extremely lucky, dolphins may pay a visit.

Fat Bike Tours

A unique ‘must do’ Swakopmund experience. You will get to experience the breath-taking scenery of the oldest desert in the world in a fully ecological way without noise or air pollution. Riding up along the top of Namibia’s famous dunes from which you will enjoy amazing views of the desert, the ocean and Swakopmund. This scenic desert tour is around 12 - 14km long and includes cycling in town, through the dry river bed and up and down stunning dunes.