This Is One of the Only Places on Earth Where Towering Sand Dunes Crash Into the Atlantic
Sandwich Harbour is one of the most iconic natural wonders of Namibia. No, it has nothing to do with Sandwiches. Funny Story, the name is believed to come from “Sandfische”, a German term referring to Sandfish, a type of fish once common in the area. Over time, as the region was passed through different colonial powers, the name shifted through translations and pronunciations until eventually it became “Sandwich”.
So if you don’t find any Sandwiches nor Sandfisches there, what is special about this Harbour? Well, Sandwich Harbour is one of the few places in the world where massive desert sand dunes drop straight into the ocean. We had seen something slightly similar when visiting Socotra in Yemen and Paracas in Peru, but the scale and vastness of the dunes were incomparable. The scenery at Sandwich Harbour is so striking that several scenes from the movie Dune were filmed in this region. We got to experience Sandwich Harbour on a fully guided tour during our time in Swakopmund, and in this post we’ll share honest review along with all the essential tips you need. This includes how to choose the best tour, common mistakes to avoid, and what you can expect from the whole experience.
⭐ This is the Tour we did and would 100% recommend! Make sure to book this full-day option. This tour is rated 4.9/5 with over 900 reviews and ranked #1/120 activities in Swakopmund!
What is Sandwich Harbour?
When we first looked up Namibia and the most unique experiences there, three places repeatedly showed up. That unforgettable picture of Deadvlei with the white clay pan, petrified trees, and towering red sand dune in the background, Etosha National Park’s amazing watering holes with the Big 5, and the other was Sandwich Harbour.
Located inside Namib Naukluft National Park around an hour drive from Walvis Bay, here you’ll find one of Namibia’s most dramatic natural wonders, where towering desert dunes plunge straight into the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, it is one of the few places in the world where you can observe this. To add to the adventure, this area is only accessible with a permitted 4×4 operator due to the shifting tides that constantly reshape the sand.
It is considered one of the most dramatic dune coastlines in the world and a place that easily sits among Namibia’s most iconic landscapes.
Is Sandwich Harbour Worth Visiting?
When looking up the best things to do in Swakopmund, Sandwich Harbour is undoubtedly one of the top options you see popping up. But with a higher price tag than most other activities in Swakopmund, you’re probably wondering if it is really worth it.
After experiencing it ourselves, we can say without a doubt that Sandwich Harbour is absolutely worth it!
What we loved about the tour was the amount of unique moments packed into one day, and how the entire trip felt like an expedition adventure. One moment you are watching wild ostriches and springboks wandering across the sand, the next you are cruising through a flock of 1000 black cormorants, then racing up and down the rolling dunes, and eventually standing at one of the most jaw dropping viewpoints in the entire Namib Desert! I mean, there’s a reason why parts of the movie Dune were shot here.
Alongside the incredible sand dunes of Sossusvlei and the otherworldly beauty of Deadvlei, Sandwich Harbour easily came in as the next most impressive sight on our Namibia Road Trip. Also, Sandwich Harbour is a photographer’s paradise!
Can you visit Sandwich Harbour without a Tour?
You cannot visit Sandwich Harbour without joining a Tour. The closest alternative is a self drive option where you follow the guide in your own 4×4, but even that is something we would not recommend.
The reason for this is the challenge of driving on the dunes, the possibility of getting stuck or lost, and the difficulties of monitoring the shifting water tides to cross the coast. For example, there are sections where you must drive along a narrow strip of beach with waves crashing against the shore, and you can only pass if you time it perfectly between swells. Next, while driving on the sand dunes, not only does your vehicle need to be super capable, but deciding which dunes are safe to go up, where to go down, and how to go down all require an experienced driver.
For that reason, please go with a proper tour operator and we suggest doing the fully guided option. We had done the self-drive option with the seal kayaking tour which turned out great since driving to Pelican point was quite easy, but we would not dare to try that at Sandwich Harbour.
Thinking of doing the Seal Kayaking tour in Swakopmund? check out our full Honest Review of Kayaking with Seals in Swakopmund + Essential tips!
Sandwich Harbour: Tour Overview
- Tour Name: Sandwich Harbour Full Day Adventure
- Duration: 6-7 Hours
- Starting Time: 8:30am (it is crucial to start the tour early to avoid bad weather)
- Starting Point: Walvis Bay or Swakopmund (the driver will come to your hotel)
- Highlights: Spotting thousands of seals, exhilarating ride driving up and down the sand dunes, stunning view of sandwich harbour, remote sand dunes picnic lunch.
- Options: Make sure you book the Full Day Sandwich Harbour Tour option listed here. Most of the tours you’ll see online are the half-day option (4 hours) which in our opinion, doesn’t actually leave you enough time to fully enjoy the sand dunes.
- Price: Check Price and Availability Here
Sandwich Harbour Tour Review:
Desert Dunes and Dust Tours
As you can tell from the previous section, we loved our experience on the Sandwich Harbour Tour. But there are countless tour operator and options out there, so we’ll give you a full and honest review of who we went with, Desert Dunes and Dust, so you can determine if they are right for you.
What we Liked about the Tour
pickup and Driver
First let’s start with what we enjoyed. It was nice being picked up from our hotel in Swakopmund and not needing to worry about waking up even earlier to drive to Walvis Bay. Our driver for the tour was very friendly and most importantly, skilled at driving on the sand dunes. Keep in mind that on the tour, you’ll be venturing out into the remote sand dunes so having a skilled and experienced driver to get you safely in and out is crucial!
Pacing of the Tour
We also really liked the pacing of the full day tour, allowing us ample time to see the flamingos right outside Walvis Bay, make several stops to spot wild animals and even investigate a seal carcass, then most importantly, a lot of time actually on the dunes of Sandwich Harbour. I wanted to mention this because we noticed several other tour groups arriving into the park around the same time as us, only to rush off and leave Sandwich Harbour much earlier.
Picnic Lunch and Sandwich Harbour
Then we got to enjoy a wonderful picnic lunch on top of the sand dunes of Sandwich Harbour which was unforgettable! The food was surprisingly delicious and plentiful, and we even got our favourite Savannah drink. We had plenty of time to relax, enjoy the meal, and wander across the dunes to find different viewpoints where the sand meets the ocean. Another small detail we appreciated was that the driver found a nice alcove behind one of the sand dunes for us to enjoy lunch, sheltered from the blowing sand.
Education on the Tour
One final aspect we really enjoyed was how educational the tour was. Not only did we learn a ton about the fauna and flora of Namibia, but also about the history and politics. He shared stories of his childhood and answered many questions we had about the Apartheid.
What Could Have Been Improved
There was only one small thing that could have been better during our tour, and it had to do with the vehicle transmission. Let me explain. Usually, the tour uses 4×4 vehicles with automatic transmission to handle the dunes smoothly without the worry of shifting gears.
On our tour, we ended up getting a manual transmission vehicle, probably because of booking last minute, which made it more challenging for the driver to tackle the dunes. In the end, he still managed to bring us to every stop we wanted to see, even if it took a bit more work. But maybe that touch of unpredictability made the trip feel even more adventurous!
➡️ You can check availability for the tour we did here
What to Expect on the Sandwich Harbour Tour
Below we’ll give you a quick breakdown of what to expect during your Sandwich Harbour tour.
Pickup and Start – 8:30am
Your adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel in Swakopmund at 8:30am. We stayed at The Secret Garden Guesthouse right in the centre of Swakopmund and would highly recommend it for an affordable and comfortable stay. From there, it’s about a 40-minute drive toward Walvis Bay.
Stop 1: Flamingo Lagoon
The first stop is the Flamingo Lagoon, where you’ll have a chance to see hundreds of flamingos if you’re there at the right time. What’s special is that you can actually see them from quite up close, making it the perfect spot for some photos!
Stop 2: Salt Mines and Pink Salt Lakes
Next, you’ll pass the salt mines and the pink salt lakes around Walvis Bay. The colours are beautiful and unique, and it is a nice spot to stretch your legs and enjoy the surreal landscape.
Drive to Sandwich Harbour – Around 1 Hour
The journey to Sandwich Harbour is one of the most exciting parts of the tour. You’ll drive along narrow coastal channels, hugging the shoreline and avoiding the incoming waves, and then enter the towering sand dunes. Along the way, you’ll get to spot many of the wild animals that call this desert its home, including springboks, ostriches, oryx, seals, black cormorants, and even little lizards.
Final Bathroom Stop
Once you enter the park, you’ll have your final chance for a bathroom stop. It’s a small little shack in the middle of the desert with a dry toilet but surprisingly clean.
Racing Through the Dunes
Once inside the park, the real adventure begins. The experience is quite exhilarating racing up and down the towering dunes, and at times, it almost feels like you’re going to free fall down the steep faces. Keep in mind that the sand dunes shift everyday due to the wind, so the landscape will be different every time. The driver will then navigate you through the dunes in search for the perfect viewpoint of Sandwich Harbour, where the ocean meets the dunes! Once there, you’ll have free time to take photos and wander around.
Lunch on the Sand Dunes – 45-60 Minutes
After exploring the dunes, you’ll be taken to a hidden spot protected from the wind and blowing sand for lunch. The meal is generous and surprisingly delicious, and there is plenty of time to relax. Enjoy your Savannah drink (our favourite in Namibia), and wander around to see different angles of the dunes meeting the ocean.
Return to Walvis Bay – Around 1 Hour
We had plenty of time to enjoy the area before starting our drive back to Walvis Bay, which takes around an hour. The tour finishes at around 4pm!
This post is part of our series about Namibia. If you want to learn more about Namibia, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:
Recommended Sandwich Harbour Tour
There are a couple of companies that offer Sandwich Harbour tours but the one we went with and recommend is this tour with Desert Dunes and Dust Tours. Here are some important considerations when choosing your Sandwich Harbour Tour:
- Choose a tour that starts early to get the best view of Sandwich Harbour. Later in the day, there tends to be fog that sets in and the wind picks up making it harder to enjoy the area. As the conditions worsen, it also becomes harder to drive on the dunes and avoid the tides. Our tour started at 8:30am whereas some tours like this one start at 10am.
- Take the Full Day Sandwich Harbour Tour instead of the half day Tour. Reaching Sandwich Harbour is quite a drive and if you only take the half-day tour, the time you spend at the sand dunes is actually quite limited. On the full day tour, we were able to enjoy a full lunch amongst the dunes and had free time to roam around there.
- Since you will be venturing into a quite remote and challenging region, it is recommended to go with a reputable company with good reviews. We had an excellent experience with Desert Dunes and Dust Tours and they have a rating of 4.9/5 with close to 900 reviews, and are ranked #1 out of 120 Tours & activities in Swakopmund.
Essential Tips for Sandwich Harbour Tour
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably seriously considering the Sandwich Harbour tour but still have a few final questions before booking. These were all things we wondered about too before we did the tour, so hopefully they’ll help you plan your experience and make the most of it.
Do not combine Seal Kayaking and Sandwich Harbour in same day
Some Sandwich Harbour tours combine with Seal Kayaking. However, we would recommend doing them as two separate activities on 2 separate days. The reason is that if you do the combined tour, you’ll start with Seal Kayaking and then in the afternoon go to Sandwich Harbour. However, as previously mentioned, the weather in the afternoon is usually not idea. Secondly, it also makes for a very tiring day.
You are not guaranteed to see the “ocean meets dunes” viewpoint
This is something really important to keep in mind. You are not guaranteed to see the iconic “ocean meets dunes” viewpoint. The conditions on the sand dunes change every single day, and sometimes this can prevent you from reaching the famous high lookout point. This happened to us and we were not able to reach the tallest dunes overlooking the ocean, but the viewpoint we did reach still offered a beautiful and dramatic view of the ocean meeting the sand.
The Tides Significantly Impact the Tour
Always check the tides with your tour company before you go. There is one narrow stretch where the vehicle has to squeeze between the dunes and the ocean, and if the tide is too high, there is no way to cross. This is exactly why you should confirm conditions in advance and also why you should never attempt a self drive to Sandwich Harbour.
Do the Full-Day Sandwich Harbour Tour Instead of Half-Day
As we mentioned earlier, choose the full day Sandwich Harbour tour instead of the half day option or the Sandwich Harbour and Seal Kayaking combo. This gives you the best chance to really enjoy everything Sandwich Harbour has to offer.
Will you get motion sick in the car?
When racing up and down the dunes, it is possible to get a bit motion sick. However, Nan is prone to getting motion sick when going up zig zagging roads but she felt fine on this tour. If ever you do feel motion sick, you can always let the driver know and he can choose to take gentler routes.
Bring a buff to cover your nose and mouth
As the winds usually pick up later in the day, it is a good idea to bring a buff to cover your nose and mouth from the sand. With the towering dunes all around you, the wind can easily lift the sand and blow it right into your face. A buff makes a big difference and keeps everything a lot more comfortable.
What is the best time of day to visit Sandwich Harbour
The weather in the early morning is usually much better, with clearer visibility, calmer wind, and easier driving conditions on the sand dunes. This appears to be the case everywhere in the world, as we were told the same when hiking the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu, hiking up Volcano Acatenango in Guatemala, Spotting Mount Fuji in Japan, and hiking in Patagonia.
➡️ So our recommendation? Book the Kayaking with Seals tour one day, and then the Full-day Sandwich Harbour Tour on a separate day.
Are there bathrooms during the Sandwich Harbour Tour
This is an important one! Yes there is one single dry toilet right at the entrance of the Sandwich Harbour Sand Dunes. Our tour made a stop there before entering the park.
Can you Fly a Drone in Sandwich Harbour
No, you are not permitted to fly a drone in Sandwich Harbour. Drones are often used by poachers and can also disturb the wildlife. If you still want to fly a drone, you will need to get a permit from the NCAA and the nature conservation authority in charge. If a ranger catches you without a permit, you will pay a hefty fine.
What to Pack for Sandwich Harbour Tour
- Buff or scarf to protect from blowing sand
- Sunglasses for wind and glare
- Windproof jacket
- Comfortable shoes (or sandals you can shake sand out of)
- Sunscreen
- Water (although the tour usually provides beverages and food)
- Camera (we would not recommend changing lenses on the sand dunes due to the blowing sand)
Other Recommended Things to do in Swakopmund
While you’re in Swakopmund, we highly recommend checking out some of these other activities. We stayed in total 3 days in Swakopmund and got to do a full-day Sandwich Harbour tour, visited the crystal museum to see one of the biggest pieces of Quartz in the world, enjoyed some of the best seafood meals in Namibia, visited the moon landscape, and much more!
A few exciting activities we missed was sky diving in Swakopmund, Desert Dunes Quad biking Tour, and the Living Desert Eco Tour!
📝 If you want more detailed recommendations, make sure to check out our full guide on the best things to do in Swakopmund!
Where to Go After Swakopmund
Next up, after visiting Swakopmund, either head south to see some of the most majestic dunes at Sossuvlei, or North towards Spitzkoppe for otherworldly landscapes and the best stargazing! Finally, head to Namibia’s most famous safari at Etosha National Park! Make sure to stay at both a private game lodge near Etosha and one of the government lodges inside the park so you can fully enjoy the incredible watering holes. We shared our full recommendations on the best lodges to stay at Etosha.
For more inspiration, check out our guide on the top Bucketlist experiences in Namibia!
Using WISE card in Namibia
When taking cash out of an ATM while abroad, you will most likely be charged both a foreign exchange fee and a foreign transaction fee by that country’s ATM. With my Canadian card, this can easily be 3-4$ + 2.75% + a markup on the exchange rate charged by my bank, and then another 3-5$ charged by the foreign ATM.
This can be really costly. For this reason, we recommend using WISE card which has only minimal fees and just about no foreign currency exchange markup. This helps me save at least 5-7$ every time I take out money from an ATM. If you want to see our full review of the card showing exactly how WISE can help you save, check out our WISE Travel card Review post.
Summary: Sandwich Harbour Tour in Namibia Review
Our Sandwich Harbour tour ended up being one of the most adventurous, educational, and unique experiences of our entire time in Namibia. Not only did we get to witness one of the rare places on earth where massive sand dunes collide with the ocean, but we also enjoyed the quiet and peaceful feeling of being in such a remote place surrounded by endless dunes.
We hope this Sandwich Harbour review has helped you decide if this experience is right for you, or maybe it has inspired you to try something truly exciting and unforgettable.
You can check availability for the tour we did here:
