Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Prices are variable depending on the size of your party and the length of tour. As with
activities in Swakop, money stretches further if you get together with a few friends and
combine a few destinations to make a longer outing.
Possible tours include: the Cape Cross seal colony; Rössing Mine gem tours; Welwits-
chia Drive; Walvis Bay Lagoon; and various destinations in the Namib Desert and
Naukluft Mountains.
404341;
www.charlysdeserttours.com
;
Sam Nujoma Ave)
,
Namib Tours and Safaris
(
406038;
www.namibia-tours-safaris.com
)
and
Turnstone Tours
( 403123;
www.turnstone-tours.com
)
. With the exception of Charly's, most operators do not have
central offices, so it's best to make arrangements through your accommodation.
If you're interested in arranging a visit to the Mondesa township,
Hafeni Cultural
Tours
( 400731; hafenictours@gmail.com; 4hr tour N$420)
runs a variety of different
excursions that provide insight into how the other half of Swakopmunders live.
TREKKOPJE MILITARY CEMETERY
In January 1915, after Swakopmund was occupied by South African forces, the Germans retreated and cut off
supplies to the city by damaging the Otavi and State railway lines. However, the South Africans had already be-
gun to replace the narrow-gauge track with a standard-gauge one, and at Trekkopje, their crew met German
forces. When the Germans attacked their camp on 26 April 1915, the South Africans defended themselves with
guns mounted on armoured vehicles and won easily. All fatalities of this battle are buried in the Trekkopje
cemetery - 112km northeast of Swakopmund along the B2 - which is immediately north of the railway line, near
the old train station.
GUIDED TOUR
Rössing Mine
( 402046; mine tours per person N$50)
This mine, 55km east of Swakopmund, is the
world's largest open-cast uranium mine. Uranium was first discovered here in the 1920s
by Peter Louw, though his attempts at developing the mine quickly failed. In 1965 the
concession was transferred to Rio Tinto-Zinc, and comprehensive surveys determined that
the formation measured 3km long and 1km wide. Ore extraction came on line in 1970, but
didn't reach capacity for another eight years.
Rössing, with 2500 employees, is currently a major player in Swakopmund's economy.
The affiliated Rössing Foundation provides an educational and training centre in Arandis,
northeast of the mine, as well as medical facilities and housing for its Swakopmund-based
