A visit to the Namibian Coastline includes a bit of everything, from the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, visits to Henties Bay & Swakopmund and birding in Walvis Bay.
“You need to lose yourself and disappear in the depths of the repetitions? Find a coast and watch the repetitive waves! Soon your mind vanishes away and when your mind disappears you disappear!” (Mehmet Murat ildan).
But waves are not only what the Namibian coastline can offer. On some of our Nature Travel Namibia safaris, we visit the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, stop over in Henties Bay, see shipwrecks, stay over in Swakopmund and watch birds in Walvis Bay.
The Cape Cross is the largest Seal Colony in the world and there are 24 colonies on the Namibian and South African coastline. When one gets here, some visitors find the smell not so pleasant hence wear mouth covers whereas some like myself have become immune to it! Very interesting is the remoteness of the area and thousands of Seals. Their vocals range from goat-like bleating, high pitched cackles to half human and braying laughs. Males have these deep voices sort of a bass developed from years of a combination of smoking, drinking whisky and yelling! However, it creates quite an awesome experience as one gets pretty close to them. A couple of times I have seen guests laughing at the vocals and its best to take a video for memories!
Swakopmund gives one the real beach Three Rs (Rest, Relax and Reflect) feeling. It’s best to spend 2 nights here and get time to go for a morning jogging along the beach and explore the area on foot in the afternoon. The Strand Hotel and Swakopmund Sands Hotel are normally our preferred accommodations, which gives one the town feeling after some time in the real African wilderness offered by Namibia’s remote areas.
Walvis Bay has a lagoon that is a must for enthusiastic birders. Here one could see thousands of Flamingoes showing off their beautiful and contrasting pink, black and white feathers in flight or doing their dance while feeding in shallow waters. Great White Pelicans can be seen resembling an amphibious aircraft taking off and landing both on conventional runways and water. Various other species of water birds can be observed as well depending on the season.
At Walvis Bay, the Catamaran tour is definitely worth it. On one of my safaris with Nature Travel Namibia, we were taken out by a local guide, Peter, who is well versed in the history of Walvis Bay and marine life. We had uninvited guests on the catamaran as well: Seals and Great White Pelicans. We made a turn to the Oil Rig before enjoying our lunch on the boat, which comprised mainly of sea food. What an experience!
Join Nature Travel Namibia on safari to experience the beautiful coastline and so much more! Visit www.naturetravelnamibia.com for more information. (Written by Previous Tsvigu (Nature Travel guide))
Best part of the trip with Nick, was kayaking with the young seals at Walvis Bay :)). Then hanging with the San People was next best :))