Swakopmund lies on the Atlantic coast just north of the mouth of the Swakop, a river that is almost always dry. From Windhoek it is 360 kilometres on tar. With its half-timbering, promenade and coffee shops, the town feels like a German seaside resort, except that the desert starts right behind it. At the 2023 census Swakopmund had 75,921 residents.
- founded as a harbour
- 1892
- residents, 2023 census
- 75,921
- to Windhoek on tar
- 360 km
- days of fog a year
- 180+
The cold Benguela Current sets the climate. Average temperatures sit between 15 and 25 °C, less than 20 millimetres of rain falls in a year, and thick fog rolls in on more than 180 days. In summer the sea reaches 16 to 18 °C. That makes the town Namibia's summer retreat when the interior gets too hot.
The German colony badly needed a harbour. Walvis Bay, the better bay, belonged to Britain, and Lüderitz was too far from the interior. In August 1892 Captain Curt von François landed at the mouth of the Swakop and had two beacons put up. Most German settlers then arrived through Swakopmund, and in 1909 it became a municipality.
Much of what you see on a walk dates from that time. The Woermannhaus of 1906 with its Damara Tower is now a public library. The dentist Alfons Weber founded the Swakopmund Museum in 1951, covering the country's nature, history and cultures. The lighthouse stands right next to it. The old railway station is part of the Swakopmund Hotel with its casino, and even the Old Prison of 1909 looks like a villa from outside.
The jetty is an iron landing pier. A wooden one came first, in 1905. Work on the iron one beside it began in 1911 or 1912. The First World War halted construction at 262 metres, and no ship ever used it. Waves and salt ate at the iron. Several times the pier had to be closed. A walk out to the end is still part of every visit.
Swakopmund is also the base for Cape Cross and its seal colony, for the Skeleton Coast Park further north and for the Welwitschia Drive into the Moon Landscape.
Today, as of Swakopmund has grown fast, from 23,808 residents at the 2001 census to 75,921 in 2023. The far end of the jetty, still fenced off with barbed wire in 2005, has been restored, and a restaurant opened there in 2010. To Walvis Bay you can now also take the four-lane Dr Hifikepunye Pohamba Freeway behind Dune 7, about 42 kilometres, open since 2025.
- Time needed
- two nights, one of them for an excursion
- From Windhoek
- 360 km, 255 minutes
Our tipGet your permit for the Welwitschia Drive on your first day at the environment ministry office on the corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue. You may not drive the route without it.
Places to stay in Swakopmund
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Crossroads Luxury Accommodation
Equatorial Street
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Pets allowed
from €160per night on 18 November 2026
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An Der Mole Apartment
Ludwig Koch Street
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €136per night on 23 November 2026
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Cornerstone Guesthouse
40 Hendrik Witbooi street
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €111per night on 28 November 2026
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Atlantik Sicht Apartment
Strand Street
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €150per night on 2 March 2027
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Swakopmund
2 Theo-Ben Gurirab Street
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €174per night on 23 November 2026
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Desert Breeze Lodge
On the banks of the Swakop River
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €138per night on 23 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoSwakopmund: frequently asked questions
Why is Swakopmund so cool?
The cold Benguela Current flows past Swakopmund. It keeps average temperatures between 15 and 25 °C and brings thick fog on more than 180 days a year.
How long is the Swakopmund jetty?
The iron jetty in Swakopmund is 262 metres long. Construction began in 1911 or 1912, and the First World War stopped it before it was finished.
Where do I get the Welwitschia Drive permit in Swakopmund?
The permit for the Welwitschia Drive is issued by the environment ministry office in Swakopmund, on the corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue. Get it before you set off.