Visit Swakopmund and Pelican Point, Northern Namibia
Swakopmund's German colonial history is reflected in its architecture. Within a short drive of the town you'll see seals and flamingos in their thousands. Pelican Point is excellent for a gentle kayaking trips.
Swakopmund and Pelican Point
Northern Namibia, Namibia
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The old town of Swakopmund perches between the sands of the Namib Desert and the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
With misty morning fog it’s a contrast to the inland and very refreshing after days in the desert.
The streets are wide and lined with palm trees, the buildings fascinating examples of old German architecture. There’s an array of curio and antique shops as well as some particularly good seafood restaurants serving fresh crayfish and Skeleton Coast mussels.
Wildlife around Swakopmund
A couple of hours’ drive north of Swakopmund you will find the seal colony at Cape Cross. It’s certainly worth a visit as it is home to between 100,000 to 240,000 Cape fur seals at any one time. South of Swakopmund, and equally worth a day’s visit, is the lagoon at Walvis Bay. Pelicans sweep over the dunes to the sea, whilst hundreds of flamingos, avocets and other waders are to be found in the lagoon.
Pelican Point
One excellent way to spend a morning is on a gentle kayaking trip to Pelican Point. Run by Jean Meintjies, these trips start early in the morning when Jean drives you out to Pelican Point, a sandbar near Walvis Bay.
Jean has a number of sturdy sea kayaks and she guides you to three colonies of up to 300 Cape fur seals. The seals love to swim and play around the kayaks, and sometimes even jump over them! It is possible to see dolphins, and flocks of gulls and cormorants are often overhead. There is a stop on a beach for warm rolls and coffee for elevenses.
No previous experience in kayaks is needed as it's a very gentle trip.
Other places within Northern Namibia
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- Damaraland has a wild and rugged landscape and is one of Namibia’s least populated areas. As well as rock art dating back 6,000 years, you can also see game such as desert-adapted elephant and black rhino.
- -20.0507711311268
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View place- {8D175C4F-1D1B-4DD0-81ED-2571655C0DE7}
- Etosha is one of Africa’s largest game parks. As well as a vast array of birdlife, it has large populations of lion, leopard and cheetah. Elephant occur in hundred-strong herds, whilst black and white rhino are also present.
- -18.7295019990721
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View place- {A46DD276-5920-4BAD-9282-B0F91CEDA6A2}
- The Kaokoveld is unexplored and will appeal to the adventurer who likes to get off-the-beaten-track. Getting around isn't easy but it has its rewards when you see sights such as Epupa Falls, or local Himba culture.
- -18.0361980634149
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View place- {BBB13A62-8D12-454C-8999-CA46231C5777}
- Khaudum National Park is little known and vastly underrated. In the dry season its permanent water holes are a magnet for large numbers of game. There is no accommodation in the Khaudum, just designated camping spots.
- -19.0569258555425
- 20.775146484375
View place- {651584FA-1395-42D2-8D36-81228726F4BA}
- The Nyae Nyae Conservancy is most famous for the Ju’hoansi (also classified as Kung, Bushmen or San) people. It's a place of scattered villages, prehistoric dunes, huge baobab trees and nomadic game.
- -19.5339072201825
- 20.665283203125
View place- {172F2A21-ED83-47B7-A08F-24C1583F94F0}
- Running down Namibia's spine the Central Highlands separate the Kalahari from the dunes of the Namib. The area is home to plenty of wildlife as well as the 'Africat Foundation'.
- -22.2585967409757
- 17.0068359375
View place- {1A48B253-8D7D-4B8C-AA11-83D44588E5DA}
- The Skeleton Coast is a barren area and particularly well named; many early explorers’ ships were wrecked here. Surprisingly, there is considerable wildlife further inland. The best way to visit is a fly-in safari.
- -18.2397859708389
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- Walvis Bay is a small quirky town, 30 kilometres south of Swakopmund. It's ideal as a base to explore the surrounding area, which is good for marine and birdlife in particular.
- -22.9479607052794
- 14.5137548446655
View place- {1DC08273-337F-4ED1-B1CC-B5AE122F5AC7}
- Although small for a capital city, Windhoek remains the political, economic and cultural centre of the country. The traffic is minimal, the air is clear and skies seem to be permanently blue.
- -22.5749441023192
- 17.0805215835571
Swakopmund and Pelican Point
View place- {77F76206-9E38-41D3-A683-A93A047AE028}
- Swakopmund's German colonial history is reflected in its architecture. Within a short drive of the town you'll see seals and flamingos in their thousands. Pelican Point is excellent for a gentle kayaking trips.
- -22.6776983995986
- 14.5337104797363
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