Kayaking Swakopmund: Seals, flamingos, dune drive

Paddle into a seal colony, then climb dunes where the desert meets the sea

A full-day kayaking and dune-driving tour from Swakopmund combines paddling among seals at Pelican Point with a high-speed drive through the dunes to Sandwich Harbour, where the sand meets the ocean. The operator picks you up at your accommodation, provides unsinkable kayaks and life jackets with on-the-water coaching, and includes a guide, lunch and drinks throughout. No kayaking experience is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Seal kayaking and dune tour

• Collect guests from accommodation
• Drive to flamingo lagoon and birdwatch
• Pass pink salt lakes and learn about salt mine
• Unload kayaks at Pelican Point seal colony
• Kayak among seals in the bay
• Enjoy cool drinks and sandwiches
• Drive south to Sandwich Harbor dune belt
• Experience roller coaster dune ride to viewpoint
• Explore desert area and wildlife with guide

The experience

You start at your hotel in Swakopmund, picked up and driven south past the pink salt lakes of Africa's largest evaporation pond (the operator explains how it harvests 100,000 tons a month), and on to Pelican Point, where a 50,000-seal colony lives. The kayaks are modern and unsinkable. The guide coaches you on paddling before you launch, and you wear a life jacket the whole time. Once on the water, seals swim around the kayaks. After paddling, you get cool drinks and sandwiches on the beach.

The second half is the dune drive. You head south along the beach toward Sandwich Harbour, where the dune belt meets the sea. At high tide, waves carve away the dunes and the area can become unreachable: the guide reads the conditions and takes you to the best spots. The drive itself is a roller coaster: you climb towering dunes to viewpoints overlooking the desert, the ocean and the vast sand sea. The guides are skilled at finding animals in the desolate landscape and explain how plants and wildlife have adapted to survive there. The full day runs 7 to 8 hours.

The tour runs on a fixed schedule and needs a minimum of two guests to depart. If you're arriving on a cruise ship, your pickup starts an hour after docking, and the tour departs no later than an hour and a half after that. Children from age 1 are welcome, though infants must sit on an adult's lap. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and all parking and transport from your accommodation are included.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Swakopmund.
• modern unsinkable kayak with life jacket and on-water coaching.
• paddling among the seals at Pelican Point.
• dune drive to Sandwich Harbour with skilled guide.
• light lunch and drinks.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 08:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (12 to 49 years) · Senior (50 to 85 years) · Youth (1 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 21 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Desert Dunes and Dust Tours

Is this one for you?The pace is steady but not strenuous: you paddle for a portion of the morning, then spend the afternoon in a vehicle during the dune drive. It suits families with children from age 1 and travelers new to kayaking, since the guide coaches you before you launch and the kayaks are designed not to capsize.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (1 to 11 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the seals like when you paddle out to them?

The seals at Pelican Point swim around the kayaks while you're on the water. They're curious and active. The colony numbers around 50,000, so you're paddling in the middle of a major marine gathering.

How hard is the kayaking if I've never done it before?

The kayaks are unsinkable and designed for beginners. The guide coaches you on paddling technique before you launch. No previous experience is required, and everyone wears a life jacket.

What happens on the dune drive at Sandwich Harbour?

Sandwich Harbour is where the dune belt meets the sea. You drive up towering dunes to viewpoints, then descend in what feels like a roller coaster ride. The guides navigate to the best spots and explain the desert's wildlife and plant life along the way.

What wildlife do you see besides the seals?

You see thousands of pink flamingos and pelicans in the Walvis Bay wetland, plus birds and desert animals throughout the dune landscape. The salt lakes and the sheer scale of the sand sea are part of the landscape too.

Is this tour suitable if I have mobility concerns?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. It involves paddling and climbing in and out of kayaks, plus sitting in a vehicle during high-speed dune driving.

How long does the whole tour take?

The full day runs 7 to 8 hours from pickup at your accommodation through the kayaking, dune drive and return.