Dolphin and seal cruises
Sandwich Harbour 4WD tours
Dolphin cruises take off from Walvis Bay yacht club daily. The hand feeding of seals is
included in the program.
Fresh oysters and champagne are served at the end of the trip.
This morning tour is very
popular for incentive and conference groups who visit the coast. It shows participants an
area that the average visitor doesn’t have access to. The entire cruise is done with ski
boats in the protected lagoon area of Walvis Bay.
Boats depart from Walvis Bay at 9 o'clock in the morning and cruise the harbour through to
the Bird Island, and then cut across the lagoon where inquisitive seals will swim up to
the boats for something to eat. From there we head for Pelican Point where entertainment
is provided by a large seal colony and dolphins swimming alongside the boats. Dolphins
sighted are the Heavyside and Bottlenose.
For the bird lovers apart from seeing many flamingos, cormorants and pelicans, there are
common sightings of the White Chinned Petrel, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Cape Gannet, Black
Oystercatcher and even the Jackass Penguin.
YouTube: Mondesa tour video -
Swakopmund, Namibia:
MARINE CRUISE
This morning tour is very popular with tourists as well as incentive /
conference groups who visit the coast, as it shows them an area that the average
visitor doesn't have access to. The entire cruise is done with ski boats in the
protected lagoon area of Walvis Bay, where the water is calm and abundant with
bird life. Boats depart from Walvis Bay at 09h00 and cruise the harbour through
to the Bird Island, and then cut across the lagoon to moored Russian trawlers
where inquisitive seals will swim up to the boats for something to eat.
From
there we head for Pelican Point where entertainment is provided by a large seal
colony and schools of dolphins swimming alongside the boats. Dolphins sighted
are the Heavyside and Bottlenose.
For the bird lovers, apart from seeing many flamingos, cormorants, and pelicans,
there are common sightings of the White Chinned Petrel, Wilson's Storm Petrel,
Cape Gannet, Black Oystercatcher, and even the Jackass Penguin. Pelicans also
provide wonderful photographic opportunities while flying alongside the boats.
To round off the trip you will be spoilt with fresh Walvis Bay oysters, snacks,
and cold sparkling wine served on board the boat, to return to Walvis Bay by
12h15. (Beer and soft drinks are also available.)
As an alternative, clients alight at an old wreck on a deserted beach where they
enjoy a light, informal lunch of fresh oysters, grilled oysters, sausage, meat, fresh bread rolls, salad, fresh fruit, all accompanied by lots of cold
sparkling wine. Boats return to Walvis Bay at approx. 13h00. Offshore tours are
done in ski boats which are surveyed annually and have seaworthy certificates
for all safety, radio, and navigational equipment required. Boats are registered
to carry a maximum number of persons and this number is strictly adhered to.
Skippers are in possession of valid skipper's tickets.
Operator is also covered by Passenger and Public Liability.
Boats are all semi-covered, have comfortable seating, and a toilet on board.
We are able to accommodate a total of 78 people on our boats. Extra would be on
chartered boats.
SANDWICH HARBOUR:
FACT SHEET
09h00: Depart in 4-wheel drive vehicle from office in Walvis Bay,
first stopping off at the Lagoon to view the masses of birds that live in one of
the biggest natural wetlands in the Southern Hemisphere. The drive down to
Sandwich takes in the Kuiseb river delta, a dry river bed where the odd
springbok may still be seen, with the vehicles continuing along the beach until
the natural fresh water lagoon is reached. Clients can walk along the length of
this lagoon, taking in the magical scenery of sky-high dunes with an even more
varied bird life found in the fresh waters.
After a sit-down picnic lunch including a selection of snacks, salad, bread,
fresh fruit with white wine and drinks, the route homewards will be done testing
the power of the vehicles on the dunes, the highlight being the 45m high roaring
dune, to return to Walvis Bay by 16h00.
Please note that if vehicles cannot drive all along the beach to get to Sandwich
Harbour because of the tides, clients will have to walk 1 - 2 km to reach this
area.
MARINE DUNE DAY
This morning tour is very popular with tourists as well as incentive /
conference groups who visit the coast, as they discover the wonderful
combination of the Atlantic ocean by boat and the soaring dunes of the Namib
down to Sandwich Harbour. The cruise is done with ski boats in the protected
lagoon area of Walvis Bay, where the water is calm and abundant with bird life,
and the desert driving done in 4x4 Landrovers. Boats depart from Walvis Bay at
09h00 and cruise the harbour through to the Bird Island, and then cut across the
lagoon to moored Russian trawlers where inquisitive seals will swim up to the
boats for something to eat. From there we head for Pelican Point where
entertainment is provided by a large seal colony and schools of dolphins
swimming alongside the boats. Dolphins sighted are the Heavyside and Bottlenose.
For the bird lovers, apart from seeing many flamingos, cormorants, and pelicans,
there are common sightings of the White Chinned Petrel, Wilson's Storm Petrel,
Cape Gannet, Black Oystercatcher, and even the Jackass Penguin. Pelicans provide
wonderful photographic opportunities while flying alongside the boats. At
approx. 11h30 the boat will drop everyone off at a deserted beach to be met by
guide (s) and 4x4 vehicle (s). First enjoy a picnic lunch set-up on the beach,
including fresh oysters, sparkling wine, snacks, salad, bread, fruit etc. before
driving from there straight down to Sandwich Harbour, mainly along the beach, to
the natural freshwater lagoon that is abundant with birdlife and surrounded by
sky-high sand dunes. A walk may be necessary to reach this area as the tides
normally dictate as to how far the vehicles can drive through.
The route back takes in the Kuiseb river delta, a dry river bed where the odd
springbok may still be seen, with the vehicles testing their power up and down
the dunes to return to Walvis Bay at approx. 17h00.
Rates: on request
1.
Dolphin cruise (morning cruise with champagne, fresh oysters
& snacks on board): 09:00-12:30
2.
Marine Cruise and lunch: (Morning cruise with informal lunch on the beach):
09:00-13:00
3.
Le Petit Pelican tour: 08:00-10:30 & 10:30-13:00
Minimum 10 persons
Sandwich Harbour 4x4:
1.
Sandwich Harbour 4x4 tour with picnic lunch & refreshments: 10:00-16:30
Children of all ages: full rate
2.
Sandwich Harbour AFTERNOON 4x4 tour with snacks & refreshments: 13:00-19:30
Children of all ages: full rate
3.
Marine Dune Day: 09:00-16:00
With picnic lunch and drinks, minimum 2 persons
4.
Birdwatching tour: 08:00-13:00
Minimum 3 persons, breakfast included
Children of all ages: full rate
5.
Kayak Combo tour: 07:45-16:30
Minimum 2 persons, lunch included, Kayaking and Sandwich Harbour 4x4 combination
Children of all ages: full rate
The hand feeding of seals is
included in the program.
