Swakopmund is the adventure capital of Namibia, a quirky coastal town where the Atlantic Ocean meets the world’s oldest desert. During your time here, you can kayak with seals, race down sand dunes, cycle through the desert and even skydive over it all. This guide covers 7 of the best things to do in Swakopmund, from big adrenaline hits to slower, budget-friendly options, so you can plan the perfect stop on your Namibia road trip. If you’re still working out the rest of your route, check out my 10 Day Namibia Itinerary.

Is Swakopmund worth visiting?

Namibia is a very sparsely populated country and you can sometimes drive whole days seeing very few other people. So coming to a city on this road trip is actually a nice change of pace. With a population of just 76,000, this city is not overwhelming at all, it’s actually got quite a chill vibe and there are so many awesome activities to do here so we would recommend having at least 2-3 days here! Even though some of these activities are a little over-priced, they are well worth it.

Best things to do in Swakopmund

Sandwich Harbour Tour

Those dramatic videos of massive sand dunes meeting the Atlantic Ocean would have been taken at Sandwich Harbour. This 4×4 tour takes about 7 hours in total and features plenty of dune-bashing. You are sadly not allowed to drive there yourself (for safety reasons) so if you want to see this place, you have to join a tour. They usually cost anywhere between 2600-5000 NAD (£120/$158-£225/$300) per person but if you are in a big group booking last minute, you might be able to negotiate a bit of discount. This is the tour I would recommend.

Kayaking with Seals

Walvis Bay is located 30mins south of Swakopmund and is home to around 60,000 seals. I LOVE seals, they remind me of puppies: they are very inquisitive animals so on a kayaking tour they often swim up to and jump onto people’s kayaks. This tour costs £70/$92 (including a free pickup from Swakopmund). You even have the option of this tour which combines the seals with Sandwich Harbour if you’re short on time and want to do both things in one day.

Fat Bike Desert Tour

I was a little reluctant to do this experience to begin with because cycling isn’t my forte but it ended up being a really fun morning! The tour lasts around 2 hours and only costs 520-620 Namibian dollars (£24/$32-£28/$37) depending on whether you go for a standard bike or E-bike. I chose the E-bike option and had a great time racing up and down the sand dunes.

Sandboarding & Quad Bike Tour

This tour is a great option if you don’t fancy riding a bike in the desert but you still want your fill of adrenaline! You will have so much fun venturing deep into the desert and whizzing down sand dunes for 3 hours. It costs a little more than the Bike Tour at £69/$91 but if you don’t mind a shorter tour, a 2 hour combo tour will only cost you £42/$55.

Living Desert Animal Tour

This 4-5 hour tour will cost you £49/$65, you will learn all about the fascinating animals that have managed to adapt and survive in this harsh environment. Animals like the Namaqua chameleon, the Namib sand-diving lizard and different beetles, snakes and scorpions.

Skydiving over the Desert

This activity is arguably the most epic thing to do in Swakopmund: the only way to really experience how vast this desert is! Skydiving is a once in a lifetime experience that I believe everyone should be allowed to try out so if you haven’t braved jumping out of a plane, then maybe Swakopmund is the place to do it! It will cost you £224/$296 but it is well worth the money!

And for those of you who are a little apprehensive about the heights-aspect, I promise you, you will be so high up, it won’t even feel real! And you only get the belly drop sensation for the first couple of seconds… after that, you are at terminal velocity and won’t feel a thing.

Walk Around Swakopmund Town Centre and Beachfront

If you want a chill, free activity to help balance out the adrenaline-filled tours, make sure to check out the city centre. The city is very safe and full of German colonial architecture that dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries so the buildings are beautiful. Swakopmund is also the perfect place to go souvenir shopping.

You should also do a sunset stroll on the ocean-front for some beautiful photos, you could even grab dinner at The Tug restaurant if you can’t get enough of the ocean views.

How to Get to Swakopmund

If you are driving from Spitzkoppe, the drive will take you 2h20 and you will be able to drive past the famous Zeila Shipwreck. If you don’t mind a 1 hour detour, make sure to check out Cape Cross too. It is home to one of the world’s largest seal colonies and is a very smelly but very impressive place!

If you are coming from Sossusvlei, it will take you around 4h45. Make sure you drive carefully on this road as we’ve heard of some people having some pretty nasty car accidents on the gravel road.

Where to Stay

Whether you are wanting a beautiful beach front hotel or a campsite with great amenities, Swakopmund has it all:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hansa Hotel Swakopmund

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Beach Hotel Swakopmund

⭐️⭐️ Hotel Schweizerhaus

Camping: Tiger Reef Campsite

FAQs

Do I need to book activities in advance?

I would recommend booking things a few weeks in advance if you are travelling in peak season (June-September) but if you are already in Namibia, you should still be able to get things last minute.

Is it better to stay in Swakopmund or Walvis Bay?

100% Swakopmund. Walvis Bay is an industrial city that’s pretty ugly but Swakopmund is full of beautiful buildings so is far nicer to walk around.

What’s the best time of year to visit?

Dry season: June-September. The shoulder seasons of May and October are also great as the weather is still decent and there aren’t as many crowds.

Is Swakopmund expensive?

Some tours are reasonably priced and others (like skydiving and Sandwich Harbour) are a little expensive. They are all still 100% worth it because, chances are, you will only visit once in your lifetime.

Is it safe to walk around?

Very safe. We had 1 incident of a street seller approaching us but he left as soon as we politely said we weren’t interested. Do note though, it is very quiet at night (most people go to bed early and there isn’t much of a nightlife) but it didn’t give off an eerie vibe so we didn’t mind.

Whether you’re after an adrenaline rush, close encounters with wildlife or just a slow wander through town with a good meal at the end of it, Swakopmund has something for everyone. It’s easily one of my favourite stops in Namibia, and if you can spare the time, I’d recommend staying for at least 2-3 full days so you can make the most of this wonderful place!

Now that you’ve planned your time here, make sure to check out my 10 Day Namibia Travel Itinerary for how I fit Swakopmund into a full road trip, and my Namibia Page for more tips and recommendations.