Walvis Bay, Namibia

Hello Everyone!

As I wrote in my previous post, we weren't able to dock in Lüderitz, Namibia on 6 April due to high winds. We left there in the late afternoon of the 6th and headed overnight to our next stop, Walvis Bay, Namibia. We were originally scheduled to arrive there at noon on Tuesday 7 April 2026, but since we left the Lüderitz vicinity early, the captain and crew tried to secure an earlier arrival time for us. Unfortunately our berth was occupied by another ship that wouldn't be departing until just before noon, so we slowed down to make our original arrival time.

But the best laid plans 'O mice and men oft go astray. As we approached, the captain was notified that there wouldn't be a pilot available to guide us into port until 12:00. That meant our actual arrival was delayed until about 1:30pm. Once again, the crew adapted, worked with our tour operators to alter shore excursion departure times, and generally make everything work.

Namibia Background

Before I tell you about the three fun and interesting excursions I had during this stop, let me tell you a bit about Namibia, a country about which I knew very little before this trip.

Namibia is a vast, sparsely populated country on Africa’s southwest coast, where gigantic sand dunes meet the Atlantic and wildlife still roams wide open spaces. Most of its modern history was shaped by colonial rule, first by Germany in the late 1800s, then by South Africa after World War I. A long independence struggle led by SWAPO (South West Africa People’s Organization, Namibia’s main liberation movement turned political party) finally brought freedom in 1990, making it one of Africa’s youngest nations. Today it’s known for its political stability, striking landscapes, and a quiet, resilient identity forged in one of the driest places on Earth.

It is very dry here. What was striking to me was how the desert sand dunes are immediately adjacent to the ocean. I couldn't think of any other place like that, so I asked Google. I learned that it is indeed unusual. Only Chile/Peru (Atacama desert) and Oman/UAE (Rub' al Khali) have similar regions, and neither is as large as Namibia's vast dunes. It seemed counterintuitive to me that Namibia could be coastal and yet not get rains from the abundant moisture in the nearby sea. What I learned was that unlike most other coastal regions, the Atlantic ocean is quite cold there compared to other parts of the world. Prevailing currents channel frigid water from Antarctica up along the west coast of Africa, and ocean temps here run 10-15 deg cooler than on the East side of the continent. 

Colder water evaporates less quickly, so there's less moisture in the air. Even though fog forms, it's too shallow and doesn't extend far enough inland to supply appreciable moisture. Namibia sits under a subtropical high-pressure zone in which the air tends to descend instead of rising. Sinking air warms as it compresses, and that inhibits or prevents cloud formation. Finally, once the desert was established, it became a self-sustaining system. The dry land heats up strongly, enhancing stable atmospheric layers and making rain even less likely.

Owing to its desert climate, Namibia is very sparsely populated. With a population of about 3.1M and landmass of about 824,000 km², it is the 2nd least densely populated country in the world, just edging out Mongolia. If you count the Namib desert and the Kalahari further east of the coast, somewhere between 70-85% of the country is either true desert or semi-arid.

Namibia is one of Africa’s most mineral-rich countries, boasting significant reserves of diamonds, uranium, copper, and other metals such as copper, lead and tin. They are also a leading producer of commercial-grade salt. Mining alone accounts for about 50-70% of export earnings and government revenue. Still, unemployment is among the highest in the world at about 50-55%, and GDP per capita (~$4,000) places Namibia well behind developed countries, but in the upper-middle tier within Africa. That's because the mining industry depends heavily on mechanization and doesn't produce a lot of jobs. Also, there's no appreciable manufacturing here. 

Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay is Namibia’s main deep-water port. It sits on a rare natural lagoon along the otherwise harsh Skeleton Coast, and it has long been prized as a strategic foothold in the desert. First used by whalers and traders (its name means “Whale Bay”), it was formally annexed by Britain in 1878 and later administered as part of South Africa, remaining under South African control even after Namibia (then South West Africa) came under mandate rule following World War I. Because of its valuable harbor and access to the interior, Walvis Bay became a key logistical and military hub during the 20th century, especially under apartheid-era South Africa. Only in 1994, four years after Namibia’s independence, was Walvis Bay finally transferred to Namibian sovereignty. Today, it serves as the country’s primary maritime gateway and a regional trade hub for southern Africa.

Walvis Bay is one of Namibia’s wealthiest and most economically strategic cities, thanks to its port, fishing industry, and logistics role. The housing here is generally nice, with many walled developments and properties. There is a small mall in town that has significant "upscale" merchandise. The city is clean, neat, and orderly, and traffic is minimal. Current population about 100,000 people, and significant growth largely due to migration for jobs in the port, fishing, and related industries makes it one of Namibia’s largest and fastest-growing cities.

City/Desert Tour and Beer/Gin Tasting

We were here overnight and I got to do three excursions. On the first one, we boarded a bus and went for a scenic drive through the rather small, but neat/clean city of Walvis Bay. I was pleasantly surprised by how good most of the buildings and infrastructure looked. Despite the town's German colonial heritage, the official language is English, I guess because the Brits were the last to occupy the country. Here are a some of typical views I saw along the drive.

Beachside Dwellings

Local Cafe/Restaurant

Main Street in the Central Business District

The Ubiquitous KFC

Our first stop was at a viewpoint overlooking the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Normally this area is crowded with tens of thousands of bright pink greater and lesser flamingos. However, at the time we visited, the mature birds had migrated inland for breeding season. The juveniles (anywhere from one to six years old) remain behind and don't make their first migration until reaching sexual maturity. That's also when they pick up their beautiful, pink plumage.

Flock of Juvenile Flamingos

Some of these birds were just starting to get their adult plumage.

Older Juveniles

Our route took us south of town, and once we neared the city limits, things started to look decidedly desert-like. Several times I was reminded of the scenery north of Lancaster, California, on the drive to Edwards AFB. I made that drive frequently when I was stationed at Edwards in the late 90s. Buildings were all low, there were walls around many of them, and there were mountains (dunes, really) in the distance. In many places the flat terrain took on a "hard pan" look, similar to the salt flats around Edwards.

Lancaster, CA, or Walvis Bay, Namibia?

Lancaster, CA, or Walvis Bay, Namibia?

Here's a typical sand dune just outside the city. The heights are impressive, ranging up to around 425 feet. There are inland sand dunes which I'm told exceed 1,000 feet! Although the sand drifts with the winds, the location and approximate height of the dunes remain constant over time. We got to see these close up when we went on a 4x4 ride the next day.

Dunes Near Walvis Bay

We made our way through the desert to a small craft brewery called Brewer and Butcher. It was a very nice place, and they did all their brewing on-site. They had a small selection of German-style beers, all conforming to the strict German purity laws (Reinheitsgebot) which limit ingredients to just malted barley/wheat/rye, hops, water and yeast. Here's a look at the tasting room and the brewery behind it.

Tasting Room & Brewery

We tasted four beers. From left to right below, they were a dark stout (not typically brewed in Germany), a Weizen (wheat beer/hefeweizen), a Helles (Munich-style lager), and a Märzen (amber lager). Each beer was very true to its style, unfiltered, unpasteurized, and fresh. It was hard to pick a favorite, but I preferred the Märzen. 

Flight of Four German Beers

We moved from there to tasting some gin. The gin I tried was from Stillhouse Atlantic, a Swakopmund craft distillery known for using local Namibian botanicals and having multiple gin varieties, including a pink gin called Stillhouse Wild. This one was unique (not that I'm any gin connoisseur) in that it was hibiscus-based, lightly floral and spicy. I didn't get as much of the juniper berry "pine" taste as I've noticed with other gins. It had a very slight pink hue due to being infused with hibiscus. It was good enough that I bought a bottle to take back to the ship. I gave it to my favorite bartender to hold for me behind the bar in the Explorer's Lounge so that I can have it in gin & tonics whenever I want.

Stillhouse Wild Gin & Tonics

A Night Under the Stars

We returned to the ship and had an hour or so before it was time to leave for a special event put on by Viking. They were pretty cagey about telling us exactly what was planned, wanting to keep it for a surprise. It was open to all guests on the ship at no extra charge. All they would tell us was that we'd be transported to a "secret location" for a "night under the stars".

As the sun was beginning to set, we all boarded buses and headed out for what was almost a one hour drive into the desert. I figured that either they were going to leave all of us out there to fend for ourselves while the crew went back an partied the rest of the way to London, or that this would be something really unique and special. Thankfully it was the latter!

The roads just kept getting worse and worse until we finally turned onto a really rough, washboard road for the last 10-15 minutes. We could see some huge dunes in the setting sun, and then we rounded a corner and came into a large clearing at the foot of one of the dunes. There were luminarias and a red carpet leading up to three huge tents with tables and chairs set up inside them. There were women in traditional Namibian dress to greet us, and there was a small marimba band playing festive but soothing music. There were all sorts of delicious smells in the air from a variety of local foods, and wine and champagne were flowing. Somehow they pulled off the incredible logistical feat of hosting what looked like a sheik's wedding party for 800+ people out in the middle of nowhere. It all went very smoothly. The lines for food were short and quick moving, there was plenty to drink, and no one had to fight for a seat.

These local ladies were wearing native outfits reminiscent of the Victorian era German influence. The headdresses were purely Namibian and are supposed to resemble the horns on cattle, a very important part of the pre-colonial Namibian culture and economy.

Local Ladies in Native Dress

Overall View

The food was abundant and excellent. There were grilled chicken kabobs, vegetable kebabs, lamb stew, grilled fish, roasted local vegetables, a polenta-like mush made from maize, great salads, and other foods I can't recall. Everything tasted amazing.

Grill Stations

Grilled Lamb Stew

Tables Set Up Inside One of the Tents

As the evening went on, we had a performance by some fire dancers. It was very lively and captivating.

Fire Dancers

Back to the Ship for Dessert

After a very enjoyable evening, they bused us all back to the ship, but the surprises weren't over yet! The crew that remained aboard the ship while we were gone all formed a long receiving line and waved the lights on their phones as they danced to upbeat music while we filed back onto the ship. Once aboard, they directed up to the pool deck where champagne, desserts, and a live band were waiting for us. 

Welcoming Committee

4x4 Sand Dune Adventure

The following morning (Wed 8 April 2026) a group of us left the ship in the morning and split up into groups of four to ride out to the dunes in 4x4s for some sightseeing and adventures.

I mentioned earlier that one of Namibia's big exports is commercial rock salt. On the way out to the dunes we stopped at one of the salt producers to have a look around. It was a huge operation. It consisted of many rather large but shallow lakes, or "pans". Each was flooded with a few feet of seawater, which was then allowed to evaporate slowly over about a three-year period. The resulting salt was then "harvested" by large earth movers, rinsed with strong brine to remove dirt and foreign matter, then bagged up and shipped out.

Here you can see one of the partially-evaporated lakes.

Salt Crystals Forming in Evaporation Pond

At one point in the evaporation cycle, some pink/red colored algae begins to grow in the brackish water. Many of us were familiar with pink "Himalayan" sea salt and assumed this was how it was produced. We were told that's not where it comes from. Once the algae dies off as the salt dries, the pink color fades away, leaving pure white crystals.

Pink Algae Growing in the Salt Pans

As we drove on toward the dunes, we saw another interesting "pink" phenomenon - pink sand. We stopped to take a look, and the guide told us to use our phones to take extreme closeups of the sand and then zoom in on them. 

Examining the Pink Sand

Pink Sand

It's really all about the mineral content of the sand. zoom in on the picture below and you can see small beads of several different materials.

• Red - Garnet
• Pink - Pink Quartz
• White - Silica
• Black - Magnetite
• Green - Amethyst
• Yellow - Hematite

Pink Sand Macro View

The guide had some of the magnetite that had been filtered out using a magnet. He placed it in my hand, then passed a large magnet beneath my hand. As he did, the magnetite particles stood up at attention to form little stalagmites. Pretty fun.

Magnetite Standing at Attention

The guide saved the best for last, and soon we were rocketing over the dunes, flying up one side and down the other, sliding and drifting, until we reached the top where we got out to enjoy the vista. It was a magnificent view of the ocean.

View from the Top

Dune Panorama

Ocean View from Top of Dunes

It was challenging to walk on the dunes because the sand was fine and, of course, deep. Going downhill wasn't too bad, but climbing back up again was slow and tiring. The air temperature was quite nice - mid-70s - but the sun was hot. As a result, the sand felt quite warm. However, if you poked your finger into it, only about the first inch or so was warm. Below that it was pleasantly cool.

Dune Dude

After we finished up on the top of the dunes, our drivers all congregated on the beach and treated us to a nice little picnic.

Picnic Site at Base of Dunes

They put out a nice cold buffet of ribs, chicken, seafood, various vegetables, spring rolls, and sweets. They served champagne, beer, soft drinks and water too. All very fun and unexpected.

Back to the Ship

Then it was time to climb aboard the Land Cruisers one last time and head back to the ship. Once there, I got showered, changed, and had a very enjoyable dinner with a new friend later in the evening. 

Norovirus!

A dreaded event on any cruise ship is a norovirus outbreak. Until recently we've been fortunate to avoid any significant issues. However, a number (don't know how many) of passengers began exhibiting symptoms (nausea and diarrhea) a few days ago. The captain initiated several steps in Viking's graduated contingency plans that have affected many services aboard the ship. Since day one on board we've been constantly reminded to wash our hands frequently and always before entering the restaurants and common areas. But now, those reminders are everywhere. Staff is going around continuously wiping down surfaces and touch points such as elevator buttons and handrails in common areas with bleach solution, and we're no longer allowed to serve ourselves from buffet lines - staff dishes up all food. There are no longer salt and pepper shakers, sugar/creamer or place mats on the tables in the cafe. Each is available on request. Every time we have a gathering in the theater, staff come in afterwards and wipe down all the seats and surfaces. All of the self-service launderettes are closed, but the ship's laundry of course continues to operate. They seem to be changing the bedding and towels more often. Those are just some of the steps, and I know there's a lot more going on behind the scenes.

No one I know personally has been sick, but I've heard several anecdotal stories. The medical clinic onboard is providing care and any person identified with symptoms is restricted to their cabin until 48 hours after symptoms end. 

Since covid, I've been a big advocate for handwashing and do so myself often. The last several days I've been even more diligent. Knock on wood, I've made it this far with hardly a sniffle, no seasickness, and no GI issues at all. Hopefully my luck will hold for the next 30 days or so!

Onward to Angola

Later in the afternoon of 8 April we shoved off for our next stop in Luanda, Angola, another place I've never been and know next to nothing about. I guess we'll learn together! We'll have two sea days enroute - it's a comparatively long way.

Stay Tuned,
Jim