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Voyage 4203 - Walvis Bay, Namibia port call

CASHIPman

By CASHIPman,
in Silversea

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dusababy

dusababy

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We're on the Whisper which will call at Walvis Bay, Nambia for an overnight. Can anyone provide any information on either the ship's sponsored tours or independent tours that may be available?

Thanks!

 

Craig -- Dinner in the Desert -- which I assume you're referring to as a SS "sponsored tour" (although I haven't checked your itinerary) -- is one of the highlights of our long time SS experiences, not to be missed. Additionally --

 

If you have time, which we did, take a taxi from the port. I'm quoting from my Trip Report at that time:

 

"Walvis Bay is bordered on 3 sides by the Namib desert, and is the only deep water port on the coast. The port itself is very busy - it's a commercial town that handles the country's very important mineral exports and the needed imports. There seemed to be many homeless people standing around. About 20 miles up the coast is the beautiful resort town of SWAKOPMUND - settled by Germans in the late 1800's. It's amazing to see the downtown with immaculate old buildings that look like they could be in Bavaria! The drive from the port to Swakopmund was also pretty amazing, gorgeous blue sea, and on the other side, rolling sands and desert. Downtown had many interesting shops, not a spot of dirt or graffiti, welcoming English speaking blacks and whites. The main drag is named KAISER WILHELMSTRASSE."

This from our voyage Rio/Cape Town -- March 2001 on Shadow.

 

I think this voyage will be high on your list of favorites......

 

Mary Ann aka Dusababy

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duct tape

duct tape

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I remember an excursion into the desert to see the life under the sands. It was truly amazing. Albino lizards where you can see their whole circulatory and organ systems! Also not to be missed is Dinner in the Desert, as stated above, one of my very fav SS Experiences. Done it 3-4 times and am looking forward to it again in Feb! You can also do a small plane to Soussevli (sp?), the largest sand dunes in the world. The flight covers the Skeleton Coast and flies over the opening scene from Close Encounters...the ship in the desert. Done that twice since the first time we did it we had to do an emergency landing in the desert! Enjoy.

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CASHIPman

CASHIPman

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Thanks for this info, ladies!

There doesn't seem to be the air tour listed, (unless I want to charter the entire aircraft!). Also, the Silversea Experience isn't listed on the tour list. Even though SSE's are included in the fare I seem to remember them being listed and prebookable in the past. I've sent Silversea an email on this.

 

The other tours offered by SS of Walvis Bay seem pretty lackluster based on their online definition so I've also asked Silversea for some clarification but so far I've been a bit disappointed on the information desk's responses to email requests for information.

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You don't use a TA? The flight to the dunes is a 4 seater. I think you could google sightseeing flights out of Walvis Bay and find it. Just don't get our plane that had the emergency landing! I am kidding. The next year we went back we DID get the same plane but it had a new engine :). I am also going on the SS site. I can't imagine they are not doing the dinner. Good luck.

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OOps, I was not looking at the price of the dunes flight...google it. OK - here is where I found it: SS website - ships - Whisper - View Voyages - #4203 - Feb 1 Walvis Bay - Your Tours (top) - WVB-SSE 1 Feb 2012! Honest! Joe may do the Etosha Tour out of WB in Feb. I would love to but...

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CASHIPman

CASHIPman

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OOps, I was not looking at the price of the dunes flight...google it. OK - here is where I found it: SS website - ships - Whisper - View Voyages - #4203 - Feb 1 Walvis Bay - Your Tours (top) - WVB-SSE 1 Feb 2012! Honest! Joe may do the Etosha Tour out of WB in Feb. I would love to but...

 

I think you and Joe need to change your plans and join us on the Whisper in Jan. Just sayin'... :D

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CruisinPashmina

CruisinPashmina

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Have to jump in! The Dinner in the Desert is an unforgettable experience....such a beautiful memory. It was glorious!

As for the flight in the teeny weenie plane; I've never been so scared in my life. When we flew low over the mountains and the lava fields, the winds pulled and bounced us around between the gulches. Whatever beauty was there was lost in terror. By the time our pilot, a baby in a leather jacket, turned the plane and headed "home" over the Skelaton Coast, I was exhausted. The part of the flight along the beach really was lovely and calm, but then whoops! We had to land the thing in wild cross winds and blowing sand. If this kind of experience sounds exciting, it really is. You couldn't pay me enough to do it again!

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CASHIPman

CASHIPman

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Thank you all for the wonderful information. SS replied to my email regarding the "experience" and it's now listed on the list of prebookable tours.

 

DT: I do use a travel agent but if there's a specific question then I'll ask Silversea directly. If there's a problem then I'll sic the TA on SS!

 

One question I didn't get a satisfactory answer to was about a St. Helena tour that includes a tour of the Govenor-General's home given by his wife, Mrs. Gurr. (It specifically mentions Mrs. Gurr in the tour info.)

 

I happen to know that the Gurr's left their posting in August and will be replaced in October so I emailed SS this infor and asked if they know if the new GG will be opening their home to tours. (After all, they may not want a shipload of strangers traipsing through their house!) They replied that Mrs. Gurr will still be giving the tour and cut-and-pasted the tour info from the website. <sigh>

 

I'll ask again in November when the new governor is in situ.

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