Namibian locals have supported us during the dark months when international travel was not possible in 2020 and later when it was extremely slow.

We are truely grateful for this support and have decided to continue offering reduced rates to Namibian residents in the future. Please enquire what spceials we offer, as this will vary from month to month, but will always be worth it.

These specials will include Living Desert Tours, Kayaking tours but can also include Dolphin cruises, Quadbiking, Sandwich Harbour tours and others from time to time.

To keep updated on what local special are on offer, like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Instagram.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for mor information, or call us on 081-1299076 

It is done! Our team got the first dose of vaccine. We are proud to be part of the solution of getting tourism back to Namibia. We need our clients to feel safe and travel to Namibia again!

It is long weekend time and we offer great specials

For the month of May we offer 10% DISCOUNT on the following activities:

Seal & Dolphin cruises now N$ 765.00 per person (was N$ 850.00 pp)

Sandwich Harbour tours now ONLY N$ 1575.00 per person (was N$ 1750.00 pp)

2 hour Quadbiking now ONLY N$ 585.00 per person (was N$ 650.00 pp)

Sossusvlei Scenic flight , price on request

In addition we offer a MASSIVE group discount for roups of only 4 people for our LIVING DUNES EXPERIENCE and the KAYAKING @ BIRD ROCK tour

For the long weekend of 1-3 May 2021, it is ONLY N$ 300.00 per person if you are a group of 4 guests. THis is a massive saving from our regular price of N$ 700.00 per person.

To make bookings, call our office at 081-1299076, or use the same number for WhatsApp, Telegram or SMS.

Alternatively email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or book online right here from the website.

In an attempt to keep the business going and the keep our permanent staff and our loyal guides employed, we are cutting our prices.

Until the end of February 2021 we will operate our new Kayaking, our Living Dunes Experience and the Welwitschia tour at N$ 500.00 per person and N$ 250.00 per child under 13 years.

All 3 excursions require a minimum of 2 adults to operate and children must be accompanied by at least one adult.

Covid-19 precaution include:

• Our comfortable 9 seater vehicles will only be carrying a maximum of 5 guests, private tours for minimum of 4 guests can be arranged.
• Our vehicles are sanitized daily. This includes: door handles inside and outside, seatbelt buckles and window opening mechanisms.
• Guests will be required to sanitize hands before entering the vehicle. Alcohol based sanitizer is provided.
• Guests will be required to wear face masks as per Government regulation. Guests must supply own masks.
• For the kayaking trip, guests are welcome to drive their own vehicle to the launch site near the Guano Island. 4x4 is required, (we will provide a compressor to re-inflate your tyres afterwards)
• Should guests wish to be collected from home, we will be carrying a maximum of 5 guests in our 9 seater vehicle, or maximum of 3 guests in our 5 seater vehicles.
• Kayaking guests must provide own towels.

So, here are some details for each tour:

Living Dunes Experience ("Little 5 tour")

• Departure 8h30, we can pick you up at your home, or we can meet at our office in the Brauhaus Arcade
• This tour returns just after 12h00
• One bottle of still mineral water per person in included

Kayaking at the Guano Island

• Departure 9h00, we can pick you up at your home or we can meet at our office in the Brauhaus Arcade
• We return to Swakopmund just after 12h00
• Life jackets (compulsory) and waterproof clothing is provided
• One bottle of mineral water per person is included
• Guests must supply own towel (don't worry, only your feet should get wet)
• Coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be available after the kayaking
• We will be kayaking for a little over one hour  

It is time to celebrate!

To celebrate Namibia’s 30 Year Independence, we will offer special prices for the next 30 days.

Our popular Living Dunes Experience will be reduced to N$ 450.00 per person. This is a massive N$ 250.00 per person saving for the next 30 days! Book this special online here.

The classic Welwitschia Tour will also be reduced to N$ 500.00 per person, which is another N$ 280.00 per person saving. Book online here

We are also discounting out new Kayak @Birdrock tour by N$ 250.00 per person for 30 days starting 1 April. Book this special rate online now!

All our vehicles are sanitized daily and our guides will make sure that each guest sanitizes their hands before entering any of our vehicles.

Direct bookings only, no agents.

Just like the rest of the world, the Namibian tourism industry is experiencing massive cancellations due to flight restrictions and general fear of travel. Namibia has restricted flights from Europe until 15 April 2020.

We encourage guests not to cancel any tours at this stage, but to rather postpone to a future date. Should a future date not be available yet, we encourage guests to rather keep their bookings on hold, until a new travel date is set. Payments made will lie as a credit for when travel will take place. Charly's Desert Tours will not be charging any cancellation fees should bookings be moved to a future date, or placed on hold.

Our standard cancellation policy stipulates that 80% of the full payment will be refunded if a booking is cancelled prior to 48 hours before the tour. We have re-evaluated this policy and we have introduced a more lenient interim policy to handle Corona virus related cancellations. 

Under this revised interim policy, should you prefer to receive a refund, we will refund 90% of the full amount paid for all bookings with travel dates from the current date until the end of April 2020. These refunds will be processed at the end of March for March bookings, and at the end of April for April bookings. 

Any bookings made for travel after 30 April 2020 will be subject to our standard cancelation policy. 

Re-instatement of bookings will be subject to availability as well as activity rate increases which come into effect after 1 Jan 2021.

We may re-evaluate these dates again, based on future flight availabilities. 

It has been thought, an idea and a wish for about two years. Now it is finally happening. Charly's Desert Tours now offers kayaking!

Kayaking at the Namibian coast is already quite well established and there are operators already offering quality kayaking tours, but our trips will be slightly different!

Where others have an hour long drive from Walvis Bay just to get to the launch sites at Pelican Point, we acknowledge that our guests are actually on holiday. Instead of expecting our guests to check in at Walvis Bay early in the morning, we will allow our guests to sleep in a little and have a leisurely breakfast, holiday style. Pick up is only at 9h00 in Swakopmund. Yes, we will actually pickup our kayaking guests. Transfer time is just about 20 minutes to get to the launch site at the historic landmark known as "Bird Rock". Sheltered by the big bay, we paddle in calm waters, enjoy wonderful bird life, see seals playing and dolphins swimming. Pelicans, cormorants and flamingoes are amongst the many birds to be seen on the beach, the water and the air.

Up to 16 guests at a time can join us every morning for a fun and peaceful kayaking trip. We paddle for about 1 hour 15 minutes, before we enjoy some hot beverages on the beach. Our brand new Fluid Synergy kayaks can be paddles solo or double, and they can even accommodate a little child together with mom and dad. Fun for the whole family. 

We have got life jackets in various sizes, and offer water proof pants and jackets. But is recommended to bring along a set of dry clothes, we even have a change room for your convenience!

So, come on, let’s have some fun, be a little active, breath in some fresh sea air and just enjoy nature!

Oh, before I forget, "Bird Rock" is also known as "Guano Island", which does not mean that it smells bad. It does sometimes smell a little, when the wind blows in the afternoon, but by then we are already gone again. We will however share the interesting story of one man's entrepreneurial spirit to build a man made island to harvest "white gold". By about 12h30 our guests are back in Swakopmund, getting ready for their afternoon activity, or leisurely stroll through our beautiful little town.

Combine the morning kayaking with any of the following afternoon activities and get 10% discount on the afternoon activity*! Choose from Living Dunes Experience, Welwitschia Tour, Swakopmund City Tour, Bites & Brews Culinary Experience, Sandwich Harbour tour or 2 hours of Quadbiking.

We are also working on a combination for active people, that includes a fat bike beach drive after the kayaking. This however will only be availbale on low tide. Check with us for suitable dates.

So here is the short version:

Pick up in Swakopmund at 9h00, 20 minutes transfer, 1 hour 15 minute kayaking, hot beverages and return to Swakopmund by 12h30. All equipment included. Price will be N$ 700.00 per adult and N$ 400.00 for Children up to 13 years. Pre-booking is essential.

*Terms and conditions apply, no agents.

As part of our Health & Safety training, our team took part in firefighting training. The handling of fire extinguishers and various other aspects of firefighting were addressed. Thank you to the staff of Excellent Fire Fighting Services in Swakopmund for facilitating this training session.

Implementing and renewing Emergency Safety Procedures are part of our commitment to the safety of our staff and our valued guests. All our guides are also trained in basic First Aid as required by regulation. Our fleet of modern vehicles undergoes frequent checks and all vehicles are equipped with required safety equipment.

It has been a long search to find a workable and feasible solution to get rid of single use plastic bottles on our day tours. Although we have not solved all the problems, logistical challenges and pricing, we are a step closer. Much closer! Today we are testing a re-usable glass bottle for the first time on tour. The water tastes great and the bottle is just the right size. So if the guides and the clients are happy, if we can manage to get the bottles back from our guests every time and if the supply can keep up with the demand, and if the price is acceptable....

For now it is just testing, but we got to start somewhere.

There has been too many misunderstandings as to the different desert tours we are offering. So we are officially renaming one of our tours in order to try to make things a little clearer.

The classic Charly’s desert tours which has always been called “Namib Desert Tour”, will from now on be known as “Welwitschia Tour”. The new name better represents the essence of the tour and hopefully assists travelers and booking offices to book the correct tour. We have ordered new brochures with the new name, however the old one’s will be in circulation for a long time.

So as a short reminder, the “Welwitschia Tour” explores the Moonlandscape, the ancient canyons carved into the Namib Desert by the ephemeral Swakop River. On this tour we focus on the desert flora, including the famous Welwitschia plants, the Nara and the lichens. Our guides will also introduce the basic geology and guests will see beautiful rock formations.

Although we occasionally come across some small creatures, the “Welwitschia Tour” does not enter the dunes, and we do not search for the “little 5” on this tour.

This 4 hour tour departs daily at 8h30 and at 14h00 with a minimum of 2 guests.

We also offer a full day “Welwitschia Tour”, starting at 8h30 and returns at about 16h30. A light lunch is included.

Probably the most underrated activity in Swakopmund must be the Intertidal Beach Tour offered by well-known fishing company Aquanaut Tours. These guys have been on our beaches and observing the live in the rock pools for many years. The intertidal beach tour is possible only low tide, so this activity will not be available every day and naturally not always at the same time.

Where we and others typically brag about the “little 5” tours in the dunes, the intertidal beach tour should have been called the “little 50” tour. The amount of life on our virtually pristine coastline is just amazing, but even more impressive is the skill of finding and identifying all these amazing little sea creatures. Sea cucumbers, crabs, variety of star fish, sea hare, mollusks, mussels, fish, anemones and so much more. This is the perfect outing for families, the kids will be as fascinated as the adults.

Make your reservation for December now. Since the departure time of this booking is tide dependent, the correct time of the tour will be communicated to you once we have your booking.

To reserve your seats, click here BOOK NOW

Online bookings and live availability checks are the way of to go. More and more Swakopmund based companies are making use of modern online reservations systems, and our fishing partner, Aquanaut Tours is one of them. Book your fishing trip online now, to make sure you don't miss out when the local holiday season starts.

It is all pretty easy via our website, where full and half day fishing trips and many other activities are available.

Yesterday was the beginning of our cruise ship season. The "Europa 2" was built in 2013 in France and can accommodate 516 passengers. We were contracted for a full day desert tour for 48 guests, departing from the Harbour of Walvis Bay. The sister ship "MS Europa" with a capacity of 408 passengers will call in early December, and we will be there again.

Today 5 years ago I took over Charly’s Desert Tours. What a strange experience it was to answer my first phone call with “Charly’s Desert Tours, how can we help?, still sitting in my little home office somewhere in Vineta and feeling a little lost.

The business was about to be closed under the previous owner and there were only one or two confirmed day tours on the calendar. Since I did not buy the old and familiar Land Rovers, I started with 2 second hand Mitsubishi Delica’s that I brought into the business from my previous work. A lot has changed since… I am no longer sitting alone in my home office, but we are a small team in a downtown office in a central location with lots of walk in clients and a great number of tour operators and hotels / guesthouses who are booking the various tours we are offering.

Today we are receiving the license to our 4^th custom build and brand new 10 seater vehicle and our fleet has grown to currently 9 vehicles.

Some of the old tours, like the Cape Cross and Messum Crater Combo, were discontinued, and we have eventually stopped offering tours, so we can concentrate entirely on the day tours we operate and the activities we sell from our registered booking office. We have also retired the old bookings diary and moved to an online booking and management system. Our new tour “Bites & Brews” has been introduced and we are busy getting the word out into the world and working on future bookings. We are confident that it will be a hit, but we know new things take time.

For the period of 1 year until today, we have had about 14 000 customers, and have received TripAdvisor certificates of Excellence for the last three years running. Reaching this point is due to lots of hard work, long hours and weekends, but would not have been possible with the team in the office, including my wife Rene who took over all the admin and the dedicated team of guides that stuck with me. Jonny, Ernst, Kooitjie, Nick, Bawden, Harald and Egon (who have since retired), Jochen, Cleo that eventually moved on, Ruth and lately Klaus, occasionally Frank, and a few drivers that have taken care of so many airport and desert dinner transfers.

So here is a big THANK YOU to all that have supported Charly’s Desert Tours in the last 5 years!

As part of guide training for our new day tour, here we are busy with many glasses of fine craft beer. What a fun afternoon this turned out to be. The guides are excited to start this new venture and we are sure our guests will have a lot of fun and will be amazed by the quality of products they will be introduced to on this tour. Online bookings for the BITES & BREWS are now open on our website.

West Coast Bites & Brews is a fresh new half day tour in Swakopmund,

Celebrating locally grown and crafted products.

In conjunction with local farms and craftsmen we introduce world class products made here in Swakopmund by passionate people. Local products are trendy, more sustainable, creative and fun.

At nearby farms we delve into the secrets of the ancient Jojoba oil, the endemic !Nara oil and visit an olive grove. We explore a coffee roastery, do tastings of Swakopmund craft beer and gin while snacking on some delicious local snacks.

Small groups of up to 10 guests ensure an intimate and fun experience.

Finally there is something to do in the afternoons, no matter if the South-west wind blows or not.

This tour includes visits to:

• an olive farm and tasting olive oils and olives
• a Jojoba plantation and testing of jojoba and other oils
• a coffee roastery with coffee tastings
• a gin distillery with gin tasting
• Craft beer tasting
• Delicious snack platter

Additionally we offer on-tour purchases of the products we test, taste and feel so bring you wallet

This tour will be available from 17 September, Monday to Friday 14h00-18h00

It is not yet time to reveal our new afternoon excursion, but the following two statements are true:

This tour will be departing Swakopmund with a minimum of 2 guests at 14h00.

We will operate this tour Mondays to Friday’s and not on weekends. (You see, it is already different to all the other tours that go out every day J )

Until we can tell you more, have a cold beer, the sun is shining in Swakopmund.

For decades the Swakopmund day tour / activity market has been dominated by a handful of choices. Some are water based like the Seal & Dolphin Cruises or Kayaking, some are based on the dunes like the Sandwich Harbour Tours and the Living Desert Tours, some explore the hinterland like the Welwitschia plains and the Kuiseb River with the Topnaar community. Some even go to Cape Cross, some fly over the desert and some stay in town like City Tours or Township Tours. All of these come in different shapes and sizes. Different timings, durations, prices, bigger groups, smaller groups, older vehicles, newer vehicles.... Most if these activities are great and totally worthwhile experiences, offered by passionate operators and guides. 

But it is time for something new! Something different!

Sometime in mid-September hopefully, Charly's Desert Tours will start a fresh new half day tour called........................................... (Ha, we will not give it away yet).

All I can say at this moment, our new tour will depart in the afternoon at 14h00. Oh, the afternoon winds we typically experience here at the coast will not bother us.

So, when you are back from your Kayaking trips and Dolphin cruises, your Living Dunes Experiences and your late morning Quadbike trip, you will be in time to join us in small groups of up to 10 guests on the ................(almost gave it away).

Oh, something else I can say. The duration will be about 4 hours.

We will reveal more information sometime next week...until then, enjoy a good cup of coffee, maybe it can help with the cold weather.