Swakopmund, known as Swakop, is a vast Atlantic coastal town in Namibia, 352 km (219 mi) west of the Namibian capital Windhoek. It is a perfect joy for merrymakers and vacationers from all around the world. This seashore turns display cases of its German roots in its European-way colonial architecture with rich history and culture, originating a startling junction against the Namib desert scenery.
Enjoying time
There are so many different things to do to enjoy your time in Swakopmund. Various aspects of the town please different tastes for exploration. You can enjoy the drylands of deserts, as well as you can benefit from the advantages of a seaside town. Even you have a chance to taste the good adventures of the heights. Swakopmund’s rich cultural soul may also charm you, from historical remains and library to get into contact with its story to cafes and clubs best to live its presence.
If you enjoy sliding on the sands with quad bikes, sandboards, or motorbikes while staring at breathtaking landscapes, plan for an off-road experience. You can enjoy the companionship of a warm-blooded local to wander around. Make sure to leave some time to enjoy the desert’s soundlessness and watch the wildlife of the animals like elephants, camels, and horses there. Contrary to these experiences, you can enjoy seaside experiences. Swakopmund has warm, inviting sands to lay on where you can cool down whenever you want with the ocean’s cold water that you can also enjoy surfing on its waves. Don’t forget the wildlife here as well! There is a fantastic aquarium with a glass walk-through viewing tunnel among the fascinating Atlantic creatures. This visit may be enjoyable for your curious children. Complete your natural adventure by watching amusing birds flying or even experiencing it yourself with a helicopter or through skydiving!
You can start enjoying Swakopmund’s wealthy culture with the Swakopmund Museum run by the Scientific Society Swakopmund. It is a vast privately run museum and one of the first local recommendations to guests. There are on display various historical remains of indigenous plants, animals, minerals, an archaeological array, vehicles of old, and so many other cultural-historical objects. We recommend visiting the variety of “People of Namibia” if you want to zoom on the traditional heritage of Namibia’s various ethnicities. If you’re going to explore the colonial era in this town, you can visit Woermann Haus with its spectacular architecture and views of the urban environment; or the German Evangelical Lutheran Church with its amusing windows, white walls, and wooden furniture. Although you can experience everyday life in Swakopmund in all these places, you can join people in their lively gatherings in cafes and clubs. You can enjoy partying here as you can find an unusual number of professional rock musicians, and a spontaneous “Open Mike Night” can be planned at a local nightspot. Traveling musicians underline!
Buying souvenirs
You can find several lovely shops near the lighthouse offering souvenirs and art. There are also excellent craft markers with many items not easy to find elsewhere in Namibia. One of the best things you can find in giftshops is jewelry. If you like to remember the time you were there, the beautiful pieces of jewelry made by the locals are your best option. They love colors! No wonder you will find all things in a variety of colors.
Pleasing appetite
You have numerous options to please your appetite with their offers. Many restaurants serve sea dishes in cozy and warm environments with luscious wines. You can have your breakfasts and evening coffee in European-style cafes. Don’t forget to enjoy some time at night in bars, especially those where you are near the beach.
Swakopmund
Reposing
Depending on the way you like your trip to be, there are various kinds of places for you to stay overnight. There are some guest houses where you can find a cozy atmosphere serving some sort of homemade meals. Backpackers can find welcoming lodges, hostels, and other places suitable for traveling, while there are some upmarket hotels and guest rooms with country yard style and local products. If you wish to have a home-like space for yourself, you may find self-catering apartments or suites with several options in variant places in town considerable.
Continuing adventure
After finishing your visit to Swakopmund, you face two options for the rest of your trip. You can choose Atlantic landscapes by counting to the southern roads out of Swakopmund to visit Skeleton coasts via the road to Walvis Bay or Cape Cross. Every October to December, you can observe many Cape Fur Seals breeding. The sight, the noise, and the smell, of course, make an absolutely unique combination!
Your other choice is a half-day trip to the southeast for the sake of visiting fabulous Welwitschia Mirabilis plants in the Namib desert. In a place where there is not even a drop of rain for decades, these plants’ only water source is the air’s humidity. Welwitschia plants have lived longer than 1000 years and only can be found 40 to 120 km away from the coast into the desert. Be careful not to get too close to the plants, as their fragile roots can easily get destroyed. The species is highly endangered, and we should be cautious not to reduce them in any condition.
Swakopmund
Getting there
There are various ways to get to Swakopmund. You can drive or get on a bus or a minibus on the B2 road from Windhoek to get there. If you enjoy wandering in Namibia, you can increase your travel hours by a 21 and a half train trip ending up in a train station worth visiting. You can also have a flight to Swakopmund Airport. There are also ships traveling from St Helena Island to Cape Town, which can deliver you to Walvis Bay, where you can take a cab to Swakopmund.
Getting around
Unfortunately, there are no public transports in the town. But the town is so small that you can wander to different places on foot. It is hard to find a taxi, but you may find some for the same taxis rate in Windhoek.
Swakopmund
When to visit?
Be careful about the time of your visit. As Swakopmund has a specific climate, check the weather forecast site for the most desirable weather for you. The best months are told to be from May to September. The vernal weather of April and May is replaced with warmer weather as time passes. Later, there are also some pro-rata cooler months in which you may be interested.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Temperature (°C) | 17.2 | 18.3 | 17.3 | 15.5 | 14.8 | 15.3 | 13.8 | 12.9 | 13.1 | 13.9 | 15.2 | 16.4 |
| Min. Temperature (°C) | 12.2 | 13.5 | 12 | 9.2 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 7 | 6.4 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 9.6 | 11.1 |
| Max. Temperature (°C) | 22.3 | 23.1 | 22.7 | 21.8 | 21.6 | 22.1 | 20.6 | 19.4 | 18.8 | 19.4 | 20.9 | 21.7 |
| Avg. Temperature (°F) | 63.0 | 64.9 | 63.1 | 59.9 | 58.6 | 59.5 | 56.8 | 55.2 | 55.6 | 57.0 | 59.4 | 61.5 |
| Min. Temperature (°F) | 54.0 | 56.3 | 53.6 | 48.6 | 46.6 | 47.3 | 44.6 | 43.5 | 45.3 | 47.1 | 49.3 | 52.0 |
| Max. Temperature (°F) | 72.1 | 73.6 | 72.9 | 71.2 | 70.9 | 71.8 | 69.1 | 66.9 | 65.8 | 66.9 | 69.6 | 71.1 |
| Precipitation / Rainfall (mm) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Swakopmund
