If you’re headed to Southern Africa, Swakopmund is an ideal spot to get your adventure fix. Thanks to its martian-like atmosphere, dramatic coast, and wide array of exciting tours, it’s easy to find the type of fun you’re looking for. The actual city is on the small side, but is surrounded by incredible desert and ocean, meaning you’ll be doing your your adventures there. From putting your strength to the test on a sandboard, to admiring an aerial view of the land, to getting up close and personal with whales, here are 5 adventures you must experience in Swakopmund, Namibia.
Courtesy of Ltz Raptor / Wikimedia Commons
Explore the desert on an ATV
Ever wanted to experience the rush of going wild on an ATV with nothing in the way? Then you’ll love whizzing past sand dunes to get your adrenaline pumping. Multiple ATV rental and tour places like Daredevil Adventures and Outback Orange make it easy for visitors to explore the vast land with nothing but sand as far as the eye can see. Some venues offer tours during sunset hours, too. That way the view becomes intense with rays of pink and orange sky gleaming over the horizon.
Courtesy of skydiveswakop.com
Go skydiving
Sure you can go skydiving where you live, but in Namibia, you’ll plummet toward the Earth in a stunning surrounding of nothing but silky-looking sand bordering the pristine sea. Vendors like Ground Rush Adventures offer solo, tandem and group skydiving and a skilled trainer will instruct the daredevils on safety protocols before taking a nosedive out of a plane. Another well-known place to go skydiving is at Swakopmund Skydiving Club that is further out from the city, meaning you’ll have a complete view of the desert as you free fall.
Courtesy of alter-action.info
Sandboarding
You’ve probably heard of snowboarding, but have you heard of sandboarding? Give Shaun White a run for his money in the desert of Namibia when you tackle the dunes on your sandboard. Alter Action is the place to go to rent sandboards and get instructions on how to master this unique sport. Sand sledding (or lie down boarding) is another must-do activity you can experience through Alter Action, where you’ll slide down the dunes at incredible speed. You can go close to 40 miles per hour!
Courtesy of Max Pixel
Go exploring at Walvis Bay
Less than 20 miles outside of Swakopmund is the picturesque Walvis Bay, a seaside town known for its wealth of marine life. There, its common to find cape fur seals, right whales, humpback whales, and dolphins from the coastline. While you don’t need to leave land to spot some of the wildlife, it’s suggested for you to join a charter boat tour to take your adventure up a notch. Charter companies like Catamaran Charters will take you the known hotspots where whales are known to frequent and possibly belly flop right in front of you.
Courtesy of ballooning-namibia.com
Go on a hot air balloon ride
Get a bird’s-eye view of the incredible landscape by going on a hot air balloon ride where you’ll hover over the land to get an idea of how expansive the desert can be. Hot Air Ballooning Namibia is a popular venue to sign you and your family up for a ride. Another hot air balloon vendor is African Adventure Balloons. While you can go for a ride during the day, it’s suggested to go before dark, that way you can watch the sky change into incredible colors enveloping the land.
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