Where towering Namib dunes cascade into the Atlantic, creating one of southern Africa's most important wetlands and a landscape of extraordinary beauty.
Overview
Sandwich Harbour is a tidal lagoon and wetland approximately 50 km south of Walvis Bay, nestled within the Namib-Naukluft Park. It is a Ramsar-designated wetland of international importance, where the towering dunes of the Namib Desert meet the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The area supports an extraordinary concentration of birdlife and marine species.
Heritage
Once a small whaling and fishing station, Sandwich Harbour was named after the whaler vessel that frequented the bay. The harbour silted up in the 1930s, and the area was incorporated into the Namib-Naukluft Park. It was designated a Ramsar Wetland Site in 1995, recognising its global significance for migratory and resident bird populations.
Highlights
Our Perspective
Sandwich Harbour is raw, untouched, and humbling. The scale of the dunes against the sea is unlike anything else on the continent. This is not a place you visit casually — it demands respect, preparation, and a willingness to be moved.
Practical
Sunrise – Sunset (tidal)
Beach driving only; tidal access — must time with low tide
None on-site; Walvis Bay is the nearest base
Challenging — 4x4 only
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