Namibie reizen | bootexcursie Swakopmund
The coastal town of Swakopmund is a perfect place to stopover on your way to the north. After spending a few days in the desert, Swakopmund is a refreshing change, where you will be able to sample delicious food - especially if you like shellfish.
As the name suggests, Swakopmund has German roots. It is known as the 'summer capital' of Namibia. After spending a few days in the heat of Namib Desert, there is something almost surreal about how the Bavarian church towers emerge through the mist banks. The misty town is living proof of a fascinating history. In addition to the Bavarian influence, there are also Bohemian style buildings in Swakopmund. You'll also be surprised to find that the town is inhabited not only by people of puritan German descent, but also by hippies, artists, stately Herero women in old fashioned dresses, rangers, mine workers and fishermen.
Just outside Swakopmund is an endless successions of hills that look like they belong on Mars. This is known as the Moon Landscape and is most stunning early in the morning or at sunset. You can also go sand-boarding from the hills at a place close to the town, either on something that resembles a surf board or on skis. Goanikontes Oasis, which is somewhat further away in the riverbed of the Khan River, is a lush splash of vegetation in the midst of the very barren Namib Desert.
We particularly recommend a visit to Walvis Bay during your stay, where you can watch the many birds such as flamingos and pelicans wading in the lagoon. A boat excursion is also a great way to encounter many sea lions and dolphins. You can dive and surf along the coast, or simply relax and soak up the sunshine. Swakopmund is also one of the best places in Africa to go shore fishing. Alternatively, you might like to enjoy a plane excursion from either Walvis Bay or Swakopmund, simply allowing the overwhelming images of the nature below to sink in.
There is a Cape Fur Seal colony around 100 kilometres north of Swakopmund, on the shores of Cape Cross. Cape Cross is named after the stone cross that the Portuguese navigator Diego Cáo erected here in 1486 to honour King John II of Portugal. Cape Cross was an Eldorado for seals, until the fishermen discovered it. The fishermen see the Cape Fur seals as formidable competition because they eat a lot of fish, yet the tourists are always pleased to be able to view these mammals. The Cape fur seals themselves are bothered by neither the fishermen nor the tourists.
The stench of the seals, however, is certainly not for the faint-hearted. From November to mid-December, Cape Cross is a breeding ground for these seals.
