* Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Excursions (Full day & PM excursion)

• Sandwich Harbour
• Ramsar wetland of particular interest to birdwatchers

* Marine Dune Day

• AM Marine Cruise combined with a Sandwich Harbour excursion
• Heaviside dolphins, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and occasional Dusky dolphins
  

• Cape fur seals colony
  

• Occasional sightings of sunfish and whales

• Damara terns, pelicans and flamingos

• Sandwich Harbour
• Ramsar wetland of particular interest to birdwatchers

* Marine Dune Day with BBQ on beach

• AM Marine excursion followed by Sandwich Harbour 4x4 excursion with BBQ lunch
  

* Birdwatching Walvis Bay Wetlands

• Walvis Bay Lagoon - greater and lesser flamingoes, various sandpipers and plovers
• Saltmines - phalaropes, grebes and the rare Damara tern
• Pelican Point - osprey and, with luck, African black oyestercatcher
• Kuiseb River Delta - dune and sabota lark
  

* Kayak Combo

• AM Kayak excursion followed by Sandwich Harbour 4x4 excursion
• Cape fur seals colony
• Sandwich Harbour
• Ramsar wetland of particular interest to birdwatchers

* Private Groups & Incentives

• Various options for private groups and incentives are available

The Atlantic Ocean, off the Namibian coastline, supports a great diversity and concentration of marine life. Participants on the Marine Dune Day may see a variety of marine life.

* Marine Life

• Heaviside dolphins, Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins and occasional Dusky dolphins.
  
• Cape fur seals at Pelican Point
• Sunfish (Mola) and leather backed turtles are spotted on occasion
  
• Humpback and Southern Right whales may be sighted between July and October.

* Bird Life

• Pelicans, cormorants and variety of gulls often accompany the boats
  
• Damara terns, white Chinned Petrel, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Cape Gannet and, on rare occasions, African Black Oystercatchers may be seen.

Sandwich Harbour lies between the sand sea of the Namib Desert and the Atlantic Ocean. The lagoon is separated from the sea by a bar of sand. The northern end of the lagoon is edged by a bed of reeds and watered by a freshwater aquifer from beneath the dunes. This fresh water is what attracts the numerous bird species and other mammals, and makes Sandwich Harbour a globally important wetland and interesting ecosystem.

* Bird Life
Sandwich Harbour is known to support up to 230,000 individual birds at times, but regularly supports over 50,000 birds in summer, and over 20,000 birds in winter. Between 42 and 51 species of wetland bird can be found.

• Cape Cormorant, Common Terns, Bar-tailed Godwits and Little Stint are very common in high numbers
  

• African Black Oystercatcher, Caspian Tern, Damara terns and Chestnut Banded Plover are some of the rare bird species frequently seen at Sandwich Harbour

* Mammals
A small amount of wildlife may be seen around the lagoon. This includes Black-backed jackal and, on rare occasions, Brown hyena.

The Walvis Bay area with the Walvis Bay Lagoon, the Salt Pans, and Sandwich Harbour is considered to be one of the most important wetland areas in southern Africa. Walvis Bay Lagoon and Sandwich Harbour are RAMSAR sites of international importance.

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 offers bird lovers the Marine Dune Day and the Birding Tour the opportunity to explore this bird rich environment during the Sandwich Harbour excursion.

Walvis Bay Lagoon supports major populations of migratory waders including Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, White-fronted Plover, Caspian Tern and Swift Tern. Some of the more unusual species which are seen fairly regularly include Terek Sandpiper, Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, and Eurasian Oystercatcher. The more rare vagrants include Broad-billed Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Damara Terns can usually be seen feeding over the lagoon, or roosting on the mud flats.

The Salt Pans of the Salt Works are a vast area populated mainly by Palaearctic migrants.  During the summer months Red-necked Phalarope, Eurasian Curlew, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Redshank occur.

Sandwich Harbour - Besides cormorants, during the summer months, the largest number of birds are the terns: up to 200,000 can congregate on the sand banks. On the fresh water pond Fulvous Duck can be found, which are seldom seen in Walvis Bay. The area between Sandwich Harbour and Walvis Bay holds 90-95% of the world population of Chestnut-banded Plover.

Vehicles
All Sandwich Harbour 4x4 vehicles have a Public Road Carrier permit, and are checked for road safety every 6 months. Vehicles have recovery kits and first aid kits on board. A two-way radio system is in place, between vehicles as well as the vehicles and the Walvis Bay office .

Guides
All guides have a Public Driving Permit (PDP), are highly experienced with sand driving, and undergo strict training about the area and environment they cover in the tours.

For the Marine Dune Day Sandwich Harbour 4x4 works in co-operation with Mola Mola.

Boats
All Mola Mola boats are surveyed annually and issued a safety certificate.  All boats are Catamaran shaped (double hull) to ensure stability in the water, have a toilet on board, a covered cabin area, and comfortable seating. All boats have guard rails.

Skippers
All Skippers are qualified with an under 25 ton ticket, and undergo strict training to ensure passengers have an informative and enjoyable tour.

Some tame seals are fed from the side of the boat. The skipper stands between the seal and the traveller.

Sea-sickness is a rarity as the boats are very stable, and as activities take place in the protected bay area, and is done in the mornings before the wind comes up.

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 operates several 4x4 vehicles, all modified for driving in desert conditions and with comfortable seating. Vehicles have recovery kits and first aid kits on board. A two-way radio system is in place, between vehicles as well as the vehicles and the Walvis Bay office .

No of vehicles	Type of vehicle	Passangers  per vehicle
5	Landrover Defender	4
2	Landrover Defender	7
1	Toyota Landcruiser	4

For the Marine Dune Day, morning boat cruise Sandwich Harbour co-operates with Mola Mola.

Mola Mola boats are motor launches adapted for the excursions. All boats are Catamaran shaped (double hull) to ensure stability in the water, have a toilet on board, a covered cabin area, and comfortable seating.  All boats have guard rails.

Boat Name	Seats
Kalina	25
Olin	18
Gambit	18
Sandy	12
Flipper	12
JoJo	12
Humphrey	10

Sandwich Harbour 4x4
Marketing & reservations
Tel: +264 - (0)64 - 207 663
Fax: +264 - (0)64 - 207 593
Mobile +264 - (0)811 473 933
E-mail: info@sandwich-harbour.com

Website: www.sandwich-harbour.com

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Offices and Departure Point
Walvis Bay Waterfront
Located behind the Walvis Bay Yacht Club

Check-in time is 15 minutes before departure

Anchor Restaurant
The Anchors Restaurant at the boat launch serves a breakfast buffet, light meals and light luncheons. The restaurant has a rustic beach-style theme.  Dinners for groups can be arranged on request.

The Jetty Shop
This gift shop at the Waterfront sells various gifts, mementos and post cards. There is a primarily nautical theme, but wooden curios, typical to Africa and hand made jewellery is also on sale.

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 guides either speak
* English and Afrikaans or
* German, English and Afrikaans

* Visa
* Master Card

Directions to the offices and departure point of Sandwich Harbour 4x4
From the Diaz Circle at the entrance to Walvis Bay.
* Follow Union Road to 5th Road
* Turn right onto 5th Road and drive to Atlantic Street
* Turn into Atlantic Street and follow it to the entrance to the Yacht Club
* Enter the Yacht Club and drive past the Club House to the Parking Area

* Check-in time is always 15 minutes before departure.  Please ensure this is stated clearly on clients’ voucher. 
* Unless groups are booked as a private group, times cannot be changed

Excursion Name	Departure & Return
Sandwich Harbour 4x4	10h00 – 16h30 approx.
Marine Dune Day	09h00 – 16h30 approx.
Birding Walvis Bay Wetlands	08h30 – 13h00 approx.
Kayak Combo	07h45 - 16h30 approx.

* If Sandwich Harbour 4x4 clients require transfers between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay these can be organized.
* Sandwich Harbour 4x4 have an agreement with Namibia Tracks and Trails in Swakopmund to do all transfers. Namibia Tracks and Trails will also reconfirm directly with the clients the night before.
* The transfer rate is the same for one way and return journeys.

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 offers a full day and PM Sandwich Harbour excursion. This excursion is particularly suited to birdwatchers, and for itineraries where something ‘unique’ and ‘different’ has been requested.

The excursion is a 4x4 drive experience departing from Walvis Bay to the Sandwich Harbour area in the Namib Naukluft Park approx. 50km south of the town.  The excursion covers the lagoon area to view the masses of birds that live in one of the biggest natural wetlands in the Southern Hemisphere.  The drive down to Sandwich crosses the Kuiseb river delta, a dry river bed where the odd springbok may still be seen, with the vehicles continuing along the beach until the natural fresh water lagoon is reached.
 
Clients can walk along the length of this lagoon, taking in the scenery of sky-high dunes with even more varied bird life found in the fresh waters.

After a sit-down picnic lunch including a selection of snacks, fresh local oysters, salad and bread, served with sparkling wine and drinks, the route homewards will be done testing the power of the vehicles on the dunes, the highlight being the 45m high roaring dune, to return to Walvis Bay mid-afternoon.
 
Please note that if vehicles cannot drive all the way along the beach to get to Sandwich Harbour due to the tides, clients will have to walk 1 - 2 km to reach this area, or alternatively take other routes to view the area, such as driving to the view point. 

Full day time duration:  10h00 to return by 16h30.
PM time duration:  13h00 to return between 17h00 & 18h00.

Boats depart from Walvis Bay Yacht Club, cruise through the harbour to Bird Island, then cut across the lagoon to moored Russian trawlers where seals swim up to the boats to be fed fish.  From there the boats head for Pelican Point where entertainment is provided by a large seal colony and schools of dolphins swimming alongside the boats.  Dolphins sighted are the Heaviside and Bottlenose species.

After the highlights of the Marine Cruise in the morning clients disembark the boats at approximately 11h30, close to the  lighthouse at Pelican Point. Here they are met by their guides in 4x4 vehicles, against the backdrop of the Namib Dunes. They travel from this point straight along the coast beside the dunes, onwards to the Sandwich Harbour area.  A lunch is served either on the beach or atop the massive dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, before returning to Walvis Bay in the late afternoon.

Time duration:  09h00 to approx. 16h30

The Sandwich Harbour 4x4 birdwatching tour is conducted in 4x4 vehicles, as large parts of the route are inaccessible to normal vehicles.

The tour begins with a slow drive around the Walvis Bay lagoon towards the mudflats. Depending on the time of the year,  up to 70,000 lesser and greater flamingoes may be spotted. The lagoon is also home to a wide variety of waders including various sandpipers, different species of plovers and pelicans.

The tour continues to the sedimentation pans of the Walvis Bay Salt Works. This area is very rich in nutrients found in muddy plankton deposits that attract many local breeding, as well as migratory birds. Chances here are good to spot Phalaropes, Grebes, and a wide variety of Terns, including the rare Damara Tern.

From here the excursion travels along the beach and heads up to Pelican Point to view the large Cape Fur Seal colony, and possibly get a chance to see resident Osprey, as well as a group of African Black Oystercatchers that frequent this area.

Depending on weather and time, the return journey gos through the Kuiseb River Delta where Dune Lark, Sabota Lark or the Orange River White Eye may be spotted. Late morning at a viewpoint rolls, soft drinks and coffee or tea are served.

Afternoon departures can be arranged on request.

Please note that
* weather conditions vary from day to day and most bird sightings are strictly dependent on weather and time of year
* bring warm clothes and your own binoculars, scopes and birding books as Sandwich Harbour 4X4 can only supply limited amounts.

Time duration:  08h30 – 13h00

The Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Kayak Combo is operated in co-operation with Eco-Marine Kayaking Tour and combines a morning kayak trip with a 4x4 trip to Sandwich Harbour. Travellers choose between single or double kayaks. The leader will use a waterproof camera to take pictures, which will be e-mailed to travellers later.

The excursion departs from the Sandwich Harbour 4x4 office at 7h45, taking a short drive to Pelican Point for some kayaking with a seal colony and possibly dolphins.

Around 11h30, the Sandwich Harbour 4x4 guide meets travellers with Landrovers. From there, travellers begin the Sandwich Harbour Excursion to see the Kuiseb River Delta, flamingoes, the saltpans and the wetlands just north of the Sandwich Harbour Lagoon.

The drive down to Sandwich crosses the Kuiseb river delta, a dry river bed where the odd springbok may still be seen, with the vehicles continuing along the beach until the natural fresh water lagoon is reached.
 
Clients can walk along the length of this lagoon, taking in the scenery of sky-high dunes with even more varied bird life found in the fresh waters.

After a sit-down picnic lunch including a selection of snacks, fresh local oysters, salad and bread, served with sparkling wine and drinks, the route homewards will be done testing the power of the vehicles on the dunes, the highlight being the 45m high roaring dune, to return to Walvis Bay mid-afternoon.

Please note that if vehicles cannot drive all the way along the beach to get to Sandwich Harbour due to the tides, clients will have to walk 1 - 2 km to reach this area, or alternatively take other routes to view the area, such as driving to the view point. 

Time duration: 07h45 – 16h30

Private Groups
* Where possible groups of 10 and more will be kept privatley on  vehicles and / or boats
* Special private tours can be quoted for on request

Incentives
Sandwich Harbour 4x4 can cater for corporate and incentive groups of up to approx. 80 persons for both the Sandwich Harbour 4x4 excursion and Marine Dune Day, and offer various options depending on group size and budget.

Groups of over 40 persons are split up between vehicles and / or boats and join up again for the beach lunch option, at an old wreck on a deserted beach where they enjoy a light, informal lunch of fresh oysters, grilled oysters, sausage, meat or fish, salad, fresh bread rolls and fresh fruit, all accompanied by sparkling wine.

01.11.2009 to 31.10.2010 Sandwich 4x4 excursion Full Day 10h00 to 16h30 Min 2 participants N$ 950 Sandwich 4x4 excursion PM 13h00 to 18h00 Min 2 participants  N$ 750 Marine Dune Day Min 2 participants N$ 1,200 Birding Walvis Bay Min 3 participants N$ 600 Kayak Combo Min 2 participants  N$ 1,400 Swakop - Walvis Transfer Min 2 participants  N$ 160

* All above rack rates are per person.
* For children discounts, please see Children Policy
* The transfer rate is valid for one way and return with a minimum of 2 people
* Rates include VAT (Value Added Tax at 15%)
* Rates are subject to change unless bookings are confirmed in writing.
* Private charter rates available on request

Please note that if vehicles cannot drive all the way along the beach to get to Sandwich Harbour due to the tides, clients will have to walk 1 - 2 km to reach this area, or alternatively take other routes to view the area, such as driving to the view point.

* All clients / guides are to report to the Sandwich Harbour 4x4 office at least 15 minutes before departure for payment or to hand in their vouchers.
* Every client is given a complimentary postcard as well as a boarding pass.
* A Guide or Shore Skipper monitors arrival of passengers, and organizes the loading and departure of vehicles and boats. 
* Passengers arriving without a boarding pass can cause confusion and delay of departures.
* Sandwich Harbour 4x4 has up to 40 pax departing every day, and share departure facilities with a number of other operators, so it is essential that departures run smoothly and on time.

Booking & Confirmation Policy
* Bookings must be made by email or fax. Telephonic bookings are to be followed up in writing.
* Sandwich Harbour 4x4 tries to responed within 24 hours.
* No response does not mean that the booking is confirmed. If a last-minute booking is a matter of urgency, please call Sandwich Harbour 4x4.
* All bookings will be reconfirmed telephonically a few days before the date. In doing this client contact details will be requested.
* Schedule tours require advance block bookings.
* Optional extra excursions require advance provisional bookings.

Note: Please ensure that the clients’ vouchers clearly states Sandwich Harbour 4x4 and the time and location of departure.

Cancellation Policy
* No –shows will be invoiced in full
* Other cancellation fees will be negotiable

* Each vehicle and boat has a fixed number of seats to ensure that there is no overcrowding, and ample space for everyone.
* If a Namibian guide wants to join the tour, the guide may do so at a minimum charge provided there are still open seats. Guides should please confirm this in the office at check-in time, NOT with the guide or skipper!
* If clients want their guides to join them on the boat, the above conditions must be made clear to them beforehand, or they can request an additional seat beforehand for which they will be invoiced.
* Tour Guides accompanying clients who are needed for translation purposes will be allocated a seat at a minimum charge.
* Sandwich Harbour 4x4 cannot allocate free seats to a Tour Guide, and a Driver, or several tour guides all with one group.
* Non Namibian tour leaders / escorts will be charged in full.

Children are welcome

For Sandwich Harbour 4x4 excursion, Birding Walvis Bay Wetlands and the Kayak Combo
* All children pay full adult price

For the Marine Dune Day
* Children under 16 years are FREE on the cruises, but pay full adult rate for the Sandwich Harbour excursion.

* If clients seem interested in Sandwich Harbour 4x4 tours at the M&G, it must be advised to make any bookings well in advance with us, preferably at M&G by telephone.
* If possible please take payment from clients; if not, credit card authorization.
* Confirmation can be followed up by email or fax later.
* Commissions must be invoiced to Sandwich Harbour 4x4.
* Always have Sandwich Harbour 4x4 brochures in client’s papers.
* Advise clients to avoid disappointment by booking early. Also note: Call personally and do not rely on hotel receptionists. Sandwich Harbour 4x4 is available telephonically at all hours.

Note: Please make sure clients know their booking is with Sandwich Harbour 4x4 and the time and location of departure. 

Hidden by a wall of dunes and the shifting shoreline of the Atlantic, few places are as hard to reach as Sandwich Harbour. And perhaps, because it is sheltered from mankind, this is why it is a natural paradise, attracting thousands of wading and seagoing birds.

Sandwich Harbour 4 X 4 trips, conducted by expert driver guides, traverse the Namib sands to show adventurous travellers the wonderful scenery and natural diversity in an eco-sensitive manner.

Hidden by a wall of dunes and the shifting shoreline of the Atlantic, few places are as hard to reach as Sandwich Harbour. And perhaps, because it is sheltered from mankind, this is why it is a natural paradise, attracting thousands of wading and seagoing birds.

Sandwich Harbour 4 X 4 trips, conducted by expert driver guides, traverse the Namib sands to show adventurous travellers the wonderful scenery and natural diversity in an eco-sensitive manner.

After a drive along the shore, travellers are greeted by the sight of a fertile lagoon, and a wetland of international importance. On an easy walk around the lagoon, explorers see huge numbers of birds and the remains of a settlement where men pinned hopes on the riches of whaling. Following a relaxed lunch, the excursion returns over the dunes, with a good measure of excitement.

These are the adventures from which memories are formed.

Mola Mola and Sandwich Harbour 4X4 Marine Dune Days come with a bit of magic. It could be Heaviside dolphins, a seal boarding, a Damara tern racing alongside the boat, occasional whales, or even a sun fish basking.

The marine tour is followed by a pickup on the beach and a drive over the dunes to Sandwich Harbour. Sheltered from mankind, this natural paradise and mecca for birdwatchers attracts thousands of wading and seagoing birds.

Mola Mola and Sandwich Harbour 4X4 Marine Dune Days come with a bit of magic. It could be Heaviside dolphins, a seal boarding, a Damara tern racing alongside the boat, occasional whales, or even a sun fish basking.

The marine tour is followed by a pickup on the beach and a drive over the dunes to Sandwich Harbour. Sheltered from mankind, this natural paradise and mecca for birdwatchers attracts thousands of wading and seagoing birds.

Hidden by a wall of dunes and the shifting shoreline of the Atlantic, few places are as hard to reach as Sandwich Harbour. The drive takes travellers over the dunes and along the shoreline of the Atlantic to a lagoon fed by a fresh water aquifer on the one side and filled by the waters of Atlantic on the other. In the contrasting environment of reed beds and shoreline, distinct bird species throng and thrive.

The Kuiseb Delta, Walvis Bay lagoon and the wetlands around Walvis are a vital stopping point for birds migrating between the southern and northern hemispheres. Yet they are also home to a large number of species that are resident around the year.

The Sandwich Harbour 4X4 birding tour takes birdwatchers to sites where they can add to their lists the incredible wealth of birdlife and, quite possibly, some of the rarer and more endangered specials.

The Kuiseb Delta, Walvis Bay lagoon and the wetlands around Walvis are a vital stopping point for birds migrating between the southern and northern hemispheres. Yet they are also home to a large number of species that are resident around the year.

The Sandwich Harbour 4X4 birding tour takes birdwatchers to sites where they can add to their lists the incredible wealth of birdlife and, quite possibly, some of the rarer and more endangered specials.

The expedition begins at Walvis Bay lagoon which is home to a wide variety of waders and tens of thousands of flamingos. At the Walvis Bay Salt Works, there will be a good opportunity to look for migrants and local species, including the rare Damara tern, attracted by deposits of plankton. Finally, after a busy morning adding to bird lists, the excursion returns via the Kuiseb Delta where a few last specials may be sighted.

The Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Kayak Combo, in co-operation with Eco-Marine Kayaking Tour, combines a morning kayak trip with a 4x4 trip to Sandwich Harbour.

Departing in twin or double kayaks, travellers are led by an experienced kayak guide to Pelican Point where they come into close proximity with seals and possibly dolphins. After leisurely hours of paddling, travellers beach at a pickup point from where they head out in 4X4s, over dunes, to adventure at Sandwich Harbour.

Perfect for active travellers and birdwatchers, the Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Kayak Combo brings active travellers into close contact with nature along the Namibian coast. From the gently rolling waves of the lagoon and Pelican Point to the reed beds and towering dunes of Sandwich Harbour, wonderful creatures such as Cape fur seals and Heaviside dolphins, and many species of migratory and resident birds, are rarely more than a short distance away.