- The Naturalist Collection
Out of the 16 near-endemic birds of Namibia the Dune Lark is the only true endemic. Fortunately, 90% of the population falls within protected areas, both national and private so there is no threat to their survival.
This little lark is one of the most arid-adapted birds in the world. It lives at the base of the huge red dunes of the Namib where it is most active in the morning and late afternoon. Here you can find it running rapidly over the bare sand between patches of vegetation and dune grass. It scurries between the dunes searching for seeds and small insects on which it feeds. By mid-afternoon, the birds become quiet and take shelter in the shade of grass tufts on the dune edges. At this time of the day where the surface can reach a scoring 55 - 60⁰ C, the shaded areas in which they roost may only be around 33⁰ C. Approximately 20 – 30% of the Dune Lark’s diet is invertebrates, ants, termites, grasshoppers, etc. This helps to metabolise enough water to survive as this species does not drink water.
From the Kuiseb we travel to the Walvis Bay Lagoon and salt pans (proclaimed as a RAMSAR site) where depending on the time of the year you may see thousands of wetland species (over 100,000 birds in summer and less than 50,000 in winter) such as Curlew Sandpiper, Red Knot, Sanderlings, Little Stint, both Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Great White Pelican, various Gulls and Terns and with luck Terek Sandpiper, Great Sandplover, Red-necked Phalarope, Franklin’s Gull and European Oystercatcher may be seen in huge numbers. However, the best time to see most of the abovementioned species is in our summer months from December to mid-April this is when most of the migrants have arrived to feed on the lagoon mudflats.
We collect and drop off guests at their Swakopmund Hotels/Guesthouses/B&Bs.
Half day:
Pick up Time: 08h00 – 13h00 from your hotel in Swakopmund – half day
Included: Guide, vehicle, bottled water & soft drinks
Duration: Approximately 5 hours
Costs: N$ 2,000.00 per person with 2 to 4 persons – half day
N$ 1,500.00 per person with 5 and more persons – half day
Full day:
Pick up Time: 08h00 – 16h00 from your hotel in Swakopmund – full day
Included: Guide, vehicle, bottled water, soft drinks & Light lunch
Duration: Approximately 8 hours
Costs: N$ 2,500.00 per person with 2 to 4 persons – full day
N$ 1,900.00 per person with 5 and more persons – full day
What to bring: Walking shoes, jacket, sunblock & hat, binoculars & photographic equipment
Besides this species, we may also see the coastal form of Tractrac Chat en route and in the river bed there are several other species such as Bokmakierie, Black-chested Prinia, Ashy Tit, Chestnut-vented Tit Babbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Cape Sparrow, Dusky Sunbird, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Rock Kestrel, Lanner Falcon and Black-chested Snake Eagle.
A dolphin cruise around the Walvis Bay Lagoon
Excellent guiding and stunning scenery make this an experience not to be missed
An eventful day trip combining kayaking on the lagoon with a 4x4 trip through the Namib Desert dunes ending in Sandwich Harbour
A cruise on the lagoon followed by a thrilling drive to the natural harbour
Kayaking on the Walvis Bay Lagoon
We offer a magical kayaking experience with Cape Fur Seals on the beautiful lagoon and in the surrounding water of Walvis Bay, Namibia
We hoist the sails of our four sailing catamarans whenever possible, switch off the engines and let our guests experience true sailing.
After a short break at the Walvis Bay Lagoon to see masses of flamingos, the drive initially takes us to the Kuiseb river delta, a dry riverbed where the odd springbok may still be seen.
The Marine Dune Day gives you the ultimate combination of a leisure cruise on the Atlantic Ocean and a 4x4 ride in the breath-taking Sandwich Harbour Area of the Namib Naukluft Park. The day starts with a Marine Sailing Cruise with o
This afternoon tour will provide an insight into the way of life of “Namibia’s forgotten people” – the Topnaar.
The day starts with a kayaking excursion in the calm waters surrounded by Cape Fur Seals at Pelican Point
ver 150,000 migrant birds spend the summer months in Walvis Bay and non-breeding palearctic and intra-African species dominate.
This three-day camping adventure will provide guests the experiences of driving through some of the most spectacular dune areas
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