Day 7 & 8
Sossusvlei & Coastal Scenic Flight - Swakopmund - Strand Hotel
Today starts with hot air ballooning as you sail silently over the reddish dune sea of the Namib. Add an exhilarating dimension to your visit to the desert.The duration of the excursion is approximately 3½ hours. The Hot Air Balloon flight takes about one hour and ends with an exclusive Champagne Breakfast at the landing spot in scenic nature.
Set along Namibia’s spectacularly scenic coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide-open avenues, colonial architecture, and surrounding otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German Southwest Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laid-back atmosphere and cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination. Visitors can look forward to several exciting activities including quad biking, horse riding, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing and fascinating desert tours.
With its extensive, unique, and creatively entertaining Restaurants, Bars, Deli, Lobby-Lounge, Sea Facing Terraces, Beach Kiosk, and state of the art Conference & Banqueting Centre, all set on the Mole, a historic and iconic site surrounded by Ocean on three sides, the Strand Hotel Swakopmund is a social epicentre and destination in itself for all visitors to and residents of Swakopmund.
Its architectural inspiration finds its roots deep in Namibian-German history and reflects this in a tasteful contemporary manner. The interiors are residential in nature, and the brief to all designers involved was to create a non-hotel, hotel. One as charming and welcoming as the town it is located in. Simply very warm and comfortable, and as they say in German: “gemütlich” providing a genuine “sense-of-place” atmosphere adding to any Namibian visit.
Arriving at the Strand is a dramatic experience as one passes through its 13m high and 9m wide Ocean View Atrium which travels right through the Hotel offering sea views at either end. Off this Atrium Lobby is Reception, consisting of three individual desks and an inviting open fireplace which rounds off the residential feel and warm welcome.
- Strand Hotel – 2 Night stay – Bed & Breakfast basis
- Fly to Swakopmund with a scenic flight over Sossusvlei and the Skeleton Coast.
- Road transfer to Swakopmund Hotel from Swakopmund Airstrip
- Hot-Air Ballooning
with Champagne Breakfast in the Vlei on the morning of Day 7 - Seal & Dolphin Cruise
A sela & dolphin cruise on the Walvis Bay Lagoon
Optional Activities – At own cost:
- Quad Biking
Experience the sheer thrill of riding a quad bike through Namibia’s boundless expanse of shifting sand dunes. - Living Dunes Experience
extraordinary exploration of the coastal dune belt just outside Swakopmund. To the untrained eye the dunes are just a pile of sand, however, the skilled and experienced guides will introduce visitors to a wealth of desert life. Often referred to a “Living Desert Tour”, we will track Palmetto geckos, sand diving lizards, the famous fog-basking tok-tokkie beetle, sidewinder snakes, spiders, scorpions, and chameleons. - Kayak Tours
from Pelican Point accompanied by dolphins, pelicans, cormorants and other friendly marine and birdlife. At this point, participants start kayaking past the lighthouse, around Pelican Point to the seal colonies. Excellent bird viewing is available, delightful seals, and Heaviside Dolphins come to play around your kayak. - Skydive Adventures
Tandem jumps are available for prospective skydivers with no experience. At the drop zone, training is given, and jumpers are dressed in appropriate gear before being taken up in the aircraft with their tandem master. - Sandboarding
Despite the fact that there are no ski lifts in the dunes, sandboarding is great fun for everyone where speeds of up to 80km/h can be reached.
