Swakopmund Namib Desert Tour: Moonlandscape & Welwitschia

Lava layers millions of years old, tiny lichen adapted to fog, and plants that never die

This full-day tour from Walvis Bay covers the Namib Desert's geology, ecology and history in one route: Swakopmund Jetty and its German colonial buildings, the lichen fields, the Moonlandscape's wind-carved terrain, the oasis at Goanikontes, and the ancient Welwitschia plants found nowhere else. A live guide in English or German leads small groups in an air-conditioned vehicle, with lunch and a 360-degree lookout included. The tour runs 7.5 hours and meets cruise passengers at the dock with a name board.

Step-by-step itinerary

Swakopmund and Namib Desert Highlights

• Drive past Bird Island
• Visit Swakopmund Jetty
• Learn about Mole and Jetty
• See old German colonial buildings
• View Martin Luther Steam tractor
• Drive to Goanikontes watering hole
• Explore Lichen fields and desert plants
• Drive along gravel plains to Moonlandscape
• Visit Moonlandscape viewpoints
• Stop at Goanikontes oasis and old police station
• Drive to Welwitschia plants
• See male and female Welwitschia plants
• Drive towards Dune 7
• View Dune 7 from outside
• Return to Walvis Bay port

The experience

The route starts at Swakopmund Jetty, where you learn how the Mole was built and see old German colonial buildings and Martin Luther, a steam tractor from the Rinderpest years. From there the drive heads inland across the Namib desert gravel plains, covering long stretches between sites because the landmarks are far apart. On the way you pass Bird Island, the only man-made guano island along the coast.

The lichen fields appear next: tiny plants only millimeters big, a combination of algae and mushroom, covering a small strip of desert and surviving on the fog that blows in. Beyond them lies the Moonlandscape, a 500-million-year-old terrain shaped by wind erosion where you can see the layers of lava flow from millions of years ago and evidence of at least two ice ages. You stop at several viewpoints here to take in the vastness and quiet. Then comes Goanikontes, the first oasis in the Swakop River, once crucial for watering horses and oxen and later the vegetable garden for Swakopmund.

The Welwitschia plants are the rarest sight: ancient, slow-growing plants with no stem and only two leaves, found nowhere else from this point northward in Namibia. Some are believed to be hundreds of years old. On the return to Walvis Bay you pass Dune 7, though time does not allow for climbing it. Lunch and a drink are served at a 360-degree lookout point during the day.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle transport.
• lunch and a drink at a 360-degree lookout point.
• live guide in English or German.
• pickup at Walvis Bay port with name board.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 09:00 and 10:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (13 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 85 years) · Child (1 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Is this one for you?Small groups keep the tour intimate in a vast, quiet landscape, and the air-conditioned vehicle makes the long drives between distant sites manageable. This suits cruise passengers who need to return to the dock on schedule and travelers who want the desert's geology, ecology and history explained by someone who knows the terrain.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 12 years).

What is the Moonlandscape and what will I see there?

The Moonlandscape is a vast, 500-million-year-old terrain shaped by wind erosion where you can see layers of lava flow from millions of years ago and evidence of at least two ice ages. The tour stops at several viewpoints so you can take in the scale and the quiet of this unique landmark.

Where do the Welwitschia plants grow and what makes them special?

Welwitschia plants grow only in this desolate area from this point northward in Namibia, and some are believed to be hundreds of years old. They have no stem and only two leaves, and locals call them the plant that never dies. The tour visits both a male and female plant.

What happens at Goanikontes on this tour?

Goanikontes is the first oasis in the Swakop River and was once crucial for watering horses and oxen in the old days, then became the vegetable garden for Swakopmund. The tour passes through this landmark high up in the harsh environment on the way to the Welwitschia plants.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch and a drink are included and served at a 360-degree lookout point during the tour, giving you views across the desert landscape.

How does pickup work if I'm arriving on a cruise ship?

The tour meets cruise passengers at Walvis Bay port with a name board and a tear drop flag so you can spot them in the crowd. If your ship docks at a different time than the standard start, the operator will reschedule to meet you at the dock, provided there is enough time to complete the full tour.