Kreuzfahrtschiff Special : Swakopmund und Namib Desert Treasures

There was a bit of chaos at the terminal with the guards limiting access for the tour guides and confusion about the meeting point, but after a few minutes, we met our tour guide Didi who took us on a fascinating tour of the Namib desert and the colonial town of Swakopmund. The 7h30m tour combined travel by 4WD through the desert and walking in town. We even had time for a delicious seafood lunch at a local restaurant. Didi was all the things you want in a guide- knowledgeable, personable, open to our requests, enthusiastic, and proud of his country. Before arriving to the port, we didn't know what to expect from our day in Namibia, but we left with a greater appreciation for the country and its people.

First we had to wait 1.5 hours for other tour participants from another organizer,with 3 people sitting on the seat vank of a Toyota,no pleasure in the heat.Air conditioning worked only conditionally.Brunch and noon there was no.About 4 pm then unchilled meat etc what was in the morning in the heat in the car.Water and juice were then available for beverage selection.The tour ended after almost 6 hours.

My companion is disabled but our guide, Victor did everything he could to make our day memorable - including accommodating my wish to see a museum not included on the schedule.

It was a very nice trip. We approached all points as in the description. But the excursion took place in reverse order, We had ordered travel in German and received only English-speaking guides. In Swakopmund only the tourist market at the Herero's and the Jetty was visited. Unfortunately, there was no one-hour walk through this interesting city, nor was the history of Swakopmund reported. There was no time for a coffee break. Upon request, a small city tour was added.

If you do not want to see shoreline or dunes don't waste your time or money. Saw a flock of no more than 10 flamingos that were white. Tour consisted of an hour and a half bus ride to Swkaopmund an hour in town and another hour and a half ride back to the port. Your do get free admission to a disappointing museum no guide provided. The city may have historical, but it is not appearant and has not been preserved.

Namibia left me speechless! The sand dunes were like waves frozen in time — towering, golden, and endlessly beautiful 🏜️. Sliding down the dunes was pure adrenaline, and the view? Unreal. Then the ocean… meeting the desert at the coast felt like magic 🌊. Calm, wild, and peaceful all at once. Namibia’s natural beauty is something I’ll never forget.

Was a nice day with many stops, However, one should not rely on set times, although described in this way, the driver could not speak or understand any German. Otherwise many nice photo stops made. The snack for lunch was very nice and delicious. I would like to repeat this trip.

Beautiful landscape; sights were very interesting to see. Moonscape, river valley and the desert were all amazing. Lunch at the old ostrich farm was really nice. Not much information provided by the guide. Would have appreciated learning more about the area, geology, history, industry, etc. Despite booking a full day tour and all of us saying at the start that we wanted to see as much as possible as we likely wouldn't be back, the tour ended after only 5.5 hours. There was no time spent walking in Swakopmund, only time at the jetty, market, and two stops to take photos of buildings. Completely missed the stop at the Walvis Bay Harbour to see the flamingoes, so only saw them at a distance on bird island which was disappointing.

All points were approached, but in Swakopmund hardly had time to see the old buildings (2 stops a 10 min pier and market at the lighthouse). Didn't make any stops at the old colonial buildings. The midday snack was delicious, sufficient and with plenty of drinks. Since we had to wait more than 30 minutes for other passengers, we were transferred to another vehicle. These guests had booked a 6 hour excursion, we one of 7.5 hours. The driver had been told that it was a 5 hour trip. He dropped us off at the ship after about 6 hours. This explains the missing time in Swapkopmund and the missing time. Our passengers also had a much cheaper price. So my rating: Service not provided!

We took the Walvis Bay/Swakopmund excursion. The arrangements were all done professionally however the Tour Guide was not up to expectations and could have shown us so much more and made the trip far more interesting and worthwhile. Not value for money. We are going to Namibia next again and will definitely make other arrangements. A simple thing like a info pack could have gone a long way.