Swakopmund activities are the reason people visit the coastal town. Swakopmund, or Swakop as the town is referred to by the locals, has a whole slew of activities, tours and excursions, to satisfy everyone’s appetite.  Quickly becoming the extreme sports Mecca of southern Africa, Swakopmund activities caters to all adrenaline junkies, and even the more mellow of adventure seekers. Between the sands of sea, the coastal waters, and the open skies, there are a variety of activities to suite everyone’s needs, from Cape Cross Tours, Fishing, expanding your knowledge about local minerals, hiking, skydiving, and excursions to Spitzkoppe.  With so many Swakopmund activities for everyone it’s no wonder Swakop is a favorite destinations for visitors to Namibia.

Swakop is also one of my favorite places in all of Namibia and each visit I plan to get myself out and about, generally participating in two or more of the following (also my absolute favorite) Swakopmund activities.

My favorite Swakopmund Activities:

Alter-Action Sandboarding: Sandboarders will be collected from their accommodation in Swakopmund at 09h30 and taken to the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, which houses some of the largest sand dunes on this planet. There is no better way to experience these mountains of sand in more eco-friendly way, than to zoom down them head first on a sandboard and/or sled. Over the years, and countless hours of engineering and design, the equipment used to speed down the dune slip-faces, has advanced from a simple piece of cardboard to imported snowboards with redesigned bottoms, especially adapted for speeding down the sandy surfaces.

There are 2 styles of sandboarding:

• Lie down. – For the lying down style you use a specially polished board to slide headfirst down a dune. Speeds of up to 80km/h can be reached. Talk about the best buzz to wake you up!
• Stand-up – For the standing-up style, you use standard snowboarding equipment and you ‘surf’ your way down the dunes. Stand-up boarding is snowboarding with a much slower experience compared to that on snow. Two different slopes are on offer with various runs on either.

No experience is needed for either Lie-down or Stand-up sandboarding, although if you have previous experience in either surfing or snowboarding, the stand-up is a whole lot easier. There are a total of 6 different slopes to test your skills (or lack of them!).  Although, the lie down is my favorite (you just can’t beat 80 km/h speeds!) I also recommend doing both.

Sandboarding is ALWAYS done in the morning hours, leaving the afternoon open for additional Swakopmund activities.

Mondesa location, just a few kilometers away from the town’s center, was established by the apartheid government in the 1950s as the area for the black population to live. Today it is a vibrant area of Swakopmund where much of the black population prefers to live. The location is rich in Namibia culture, with members from all of Namibia’s clans living here. When you get to talking with the people, you will be amazed at how many languages they are fluent in, how friendly and accepting they are, and how much fun you will have with all the different people. Simply putting yourself in this unique place is what makes this act local. How local you become depends on what you are willing to taste, drink, dance, or talk.

To tour Mondesa, Swakop Township Tours organizes daily visits at 10h00 and 15h00, each four hours in length. A minimum of 2 people is required. Their tours are excellent and culturally rich, allowing traditional food tasting, the visiting of schools, insight into traditional healing, as well as the location’s history. If prearranged, you can visit a Herero lady who runs an HIV clinic.

Quadbiking This is one of the best ways to access parts of the Swakopmund sand dunes that even 4×4′s can’t reach. It is no secret about the apparent controversy over the use of quads over the sands posing threat over the environment and the rare species that thrive in the sand. However, the legitimate companies that make quad biking in the dunes an adventure experience also make conserving their environment a TOP priority.

They have set out a route that goes for about 35km in an area that’s great to practice your wheelies and kick up sand but causes little damage. There are two types of bikes you can choose from. For those who have no or less experience there are 160cc semi automatic bikes, while for those who desire a bit more thrilling ride there are 200cc manual quad bikes.

Companies, if arranged beforehand, will pick you up at your place of lodging, provide all equipment, and even a bit of training.

The following are tour options:

1hr Quad Tour:

20km guided tour. (± 1hr) = a short dune tour.

2hr Quad Tour:

38 – 55km guided tour. ( ± 2hrs)

• This tour is the most popular, a real adventure on the ride of your life.
• Ride the wildest dunes, roller-coasters and spirals of the Namib.
• Excellent photographic opportunities.
• Adrenaline guaranteed.
• Cold drinks included.

3hr Combo Tour:

1hr sand boarding (lie-down only) + 2hr Quad Bike Tour.

Any time of the day (preferably in the morning due to weather conditions.)

2hr 30min Quad and Go-Kart Combo Tour:

Time: 09h00-12h00 or 16h00-Sundown. (min 4 pax) Tour includes: Transfers, water and guides.

Enjoy a real adventure:

• Start within the dunes – riding the wildest dunes.
• Finish off the day with a race against time and laps at the Go-Kart Club.

3hr 30min Quad, Lie-down Sand boarding and Go Kart Combo Tour:

Time: 08h00-12h00 or 15h00-Sundown. (min 2 pax) Tour includes: Transfers, water and guides.

• This is the same tour as the 2hr 30min Quad and Go-Kart Combo Tour, but with the added attraction of:
• Lie-down sand boarding, to round off an action packed day.
• Finish off the day with a race against time and laps at the Go-Kart Club.

3hr Quad Breakfast Run:

70–80km guided tour (± 3hrs)

• Drive up the Swakop riverbed, and enjoy a hearty breakfast at Rossmund Lodge Golf Club.
• Ride the dunes for ±2hr on your way back.

Swakopmund Activities for the whole Family

Living Desert Tour: The tour starts from Swakopmund where you will be collected from your accommodation around 08.30. You travel across the Swakop River towards the local dune belt between Walvis Bay & Swakopmund, which is about 30km long and 5 km wide and supports an impressive wealth of fauna and flora.

We slowly drive along the foot of the dunes, taking precaution not to drive on the gravel plains and cause any unnecessary damage to the environment. As your guide will explain, the gravel plains are protected and home to nesting Damara Terns, which are endemic to this area. In addition, driving along gravel plains leaves scars, which can take up to 100 years to recover, and therefore this is why a guide is needed on the excursion. Conservation issues and the geological structure of the desert will be discussed in detail en-route. Sit back and enjoy the day with frequent opportunities to take photos of the dunes and the surrounding environment.

Your guide will stop continuously to look for tracks (known locally as reading the bushman paper) to determine which animals were active the night before and wherever possible will try to catch some of them to show you. Delve into the guide’s knowledge he shares with you on each desert animal, including emphasis on special adaptations and perfect design used for survival in the desert. Time and care is taken to ensure each animal is returned safely to its home.

We cross the dune belt from East to West in a 4×4 vehicle, lending opportunity for incredible views of the desert landscape and a packed journey where experienced knowledge of sand driving is essential.

Swakopmund activities / tours and excursions should be arranged 1-2 days beforehand.  Your lodge accommodation will help you arrange these upon request and if not, the next easiest way to book your adventure is to call them yourself or book at the Namib i office located in the center of town, or we can easily integrate it into your self-drive or guided safari.

Learn more about safaris in Namibia! - http://wildsafariafrica.com/destinations/safari-namibia/