Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The price also includes a 25-minute scenic flight in a tiny Cessna aircraft, which
provides striking views of the coastline between Swakop and Walvis Bay to the south. It is
worth pointing out that the ascent can often be the scariest part, especially if you're afraid
of flying (though it certainly makes the jump that much easier!). If you want physical
evidence of your momentary lapse of reason, there are two photo/video options available:
one is a handycam strapped to your tandem master, while the other is a professional pho-
tographer jumping out of the plane alongside you and filming the entire descent. Have a
light breakfast - you'll thank us later!
Pleasure Flights
( 404500;
www.pleasureflights.com.na
; prices variable)
One of the most reputable
light-plane operators in Namibia, Pleasure Flights has been offering scenic aerial cruises
for almost 20 years. Considering that so much of the South Atlantic coastline is inaccess-
ible on the ground, taking to the skies is a wonderful way to appreciate the wild nature
that typifies most of the region. Several uniquely designed routes are available for your
choosing, which take in a range of destinations, including the Salt Works, Sandwich Har-
bour, Welwitschia Drive, the Brandberg Mountains, Sossusvlei, the Skeleton Coast and
beyond.
Prices start at around N$850 per person for a one-hour circuit, though prices are de-
pendent on the length of the flight and the number of passengers on board as well as the
fluctuating price of aviation fuel. Generally speaking, if you can put together a large
group, and you spring for the longer flight, you will get much better value for your dol-
lars. Regardless, chartering a private plane is a privileged experience that is well worth the
splurge, and there are few places in the world that can rival the beauty and grandeur of
Central Namibia.
SCENIC FLIGHTS
THE MARTIN LUTHER
In the desert 4km east of Swakopmund, a lonely and forlorn steam locomotive languished for several years. The
14,000kg machine was imported to Walvis Bay, from Halberstadt in Germany, in 1896 to replace the ox wagons
used to transport freight between Swakopmund and the interior. However, its inauguration into service was
delayed by the outbreak of the Nama-Herero wars, and in the interim its locomotive engineer returned to Germany
without having revealed the secret of its operation.
A US prospector eventually got it running, but it consumed enormous quantities of locally precious water. It
took three months to complete its initial trip from Walvis Bay to Swakopmund, and subsequently survived just a
