Safari experts & storytellers. Since 1991
Trust us to find you the rarest animals, the most spectacular wildlife events, the remotest landscapes and deeply meaningful cultural encounters!
Why visit Swakopmund & Walvis Bay?
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are just a few hours' drive from Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city, and a short drive via a scenic coastal road from each other. This road is an excellent place to marvel at the endless desert dunes as they meet the Atlantic Ocean.
Swakopmund is Namibia’s most sought-after coastal town by local and international tourists alike - like a German North Sea town with an African flair (or vice versa). Situated at the mouth of the Swakop River in the Namib Desert, this one-of-a-kind location is known for its German colonial architecture, great beaches, and desert-adapted plant and animal species.
Swakopmund is also the gateway to some of the world's largest sand dunes and offers a variety of adrenaline-pumping activities, including quad biking, skydiving, and sea kayaking.
Walvis Bay has a rich history tied to its role as a hub for the fishing, shipping, guano and salt industries. The town has been shaped by a diverse range of influences, including German colonialism and apartheid-era segregation, which have left their mark on the local culture.
Visitors to Walvis Bay can explore the town's history and culture through its museums and galleries, which provide fascinating insight. Other attractions include the artificial Bird Island (the centre of the guano collection industry), Dune 7, the salt works, and the nearby birdwatching paradise of Sandwich Harbour.
'Walvis, ' as it is known to the locals, is a popular destination for outdoor adventure sports such as sea kayaking, kiteboarding, and sandboarding.
Quick facts & tips
355km (3.5-hour drive) by a good tar road from Windhoek.
Swakopmund features numerous eateries, from pubs with a distinct German vibe to modern restaurants serving excellent seafood, as well as coffee shops and bakeries.
Swakopmund’s Oktoberfest is the biggest beer festival in all of Namibia and attracts all sorts of characters from far and wide.
Journey to the salt lagoons on Walvis Bay's south side to marvel at flocks of pink, long-legged greater and lesser flamingoes feeding in one of Southern Africa’s most important wetlands.
Wildlife of the Swakopmund and Walvis Bay area
Expect to see large Cape fur seal colonies near Cape Cross, dolphins and whales on coastal boat tours, desert-adapted geckos, chameleons and snakes in the dunes, and desert-dwelling animals like oryx, black-backed jackals, and brown hyenas.
Birdwatchers will be delighted with a range of aquatic birds such as greater and lesser flamingoes, Hartlaub's and kelp gulls, Damara, white-winged, and sandwich terns, African black oystercatcher, chestnut-banded plover, white-chinned petrel, sooty shearwater and a variety of desert and endemic species, including Gray's lark, Rüppell's bustard and Orange River white-eye.
We are trusted by thousands of satisfied travellers
✔️ 4.9 Star Trustpilot Rating ✔️ 5,000+ Safari Trips Completed
✔️ 34+ Years of Experience ✔️ 2025 Condé Nast Travel Specialist Award Winner
Swakopmund & Walvis Bay FAQs
The best time to visit Swakopmund and Walvis Bay is from July to October, during the dry winter season, when temperatures are mild and rain is unlikely. This period is ideal for outdoor activities, and is also the peak season for wildlife viewing in nearby parks.
Peak season bookings require 12–18 months advance planning. Trips outside of peak season can be arranged 6–9 months ahead, with better rates and availability.
Safaris to lodges in private reserves typically cost from US$700 per person, per night, depending on the level of accommodation and activities. Our packages offer excellent value with transparent pricing.
Our safari prices typically include accommodation, all meals and described activities, park fees, experienced guides, airport transfers and 24/7 support from our team. Specific inclusions vary by package – contact us for detailed itineraries.
You only make your first payment when you book your holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 90 days before you travel.
We have been handcrafting experiential safaris since 1991. Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Booking through a respected tour operator with many years of experience means that all you need to focus on is helping us design your safari and then having a superb vacation. The rest - all the nitty-gritty detail and admin is done while you relax. Our 24/7 concierges take care of problems such as flight changes and missed flights, last-minute road transfer and lodge changes due to unexpected events, and itinerary changes requested by you.
Remember that you will not save money by attempting to book and manage your own safari, but you will inherit mistakes and problems that arise.
Yes, your money is safe. Your payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability. See what travellers say about us.
YES, by booking your safari with Africa Geographic, you make a significant difference because:
We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level
Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about Africa's incredible biodiversity and the local people who protect it
Our chosen lodges support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited vehicle numbers and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!
Plan your Swakopmund & Walvis Bay holiday
Our travel experts will craft a no-obligation itinerary just for you. We have crafted over 5,000 safaris since 1991. Your personal details are protected; we only use this information to contact you.
Why choose us to craft your safari?
Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Trust & Safety
Guest payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability.
Make a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!