Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay is a port in Namibia and the bay on which it lies. The port of Walvis Bay exchanged hands numerous times, belonging to Britain, Germany, the Union of South Africa, and South-West Africa. In 1990, South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia, but Walvis Bay remained under South African sovereignty. It was not until 1994 that sovereignty over Walvis Bay was formally transferred to Namibia.

The following Shore Excursions are available for this port on this cruise, and may be reserved beginning 180 days before the cruise begins.

Birding Tour
Tour Code: WAL-010
Duration: 4 1/4 hours

If you are an avid bird enthusiast, then don't miss this half-day guided tour on the Walvis Bay Lagoon, a RAMSAR Natural Heritage Site.

Depart the pier via mini-bus for the drive to the Walvis Bay Lagoon, one of the most important wetlands along South Africa's west coast. The Walvis Bay Lagoon is renowned for its native bird species, and a vast array of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants. Upon arrival, you will take a guided walking tour in search of diverse bird species, including huge flocks of black-necked grebes and thousands of migrating terns. Plover and lark can be seen breeding here between October and April.

On the return journey, a stop will be made at nearby Bird Paradise and Guano Island. This manmade bird haven is home to the great white pelican, Eurasian and African black oystercatcher, common and black tern, and over 200,000 cormorants. Crowned cormorants may also be seen perched or nesting on the main support struts below the platform.

A brief photo stop will be made at the salt mine before returning to the ship.

Please note: This specialized tour is only recommended for bird enthusiasts. Guests with limited mobility or guests who utilize a wheelchair can manage this tour with the aid of a travel companion. Guests are strongly advised to wear comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. One set of binoculars and a birding book will accompany each vehicle.

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Terms & Conditions:

Free Unlimited Shore Excursions are for full fare guests only, capacity controlled and subject to availability. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking. Supplement will apply on Regent Choice excursions (indicated by the above) and excludes Private Arrangements and all Adventures Ashore programs. In order to ensure quality guides and sufficient transportation, we must provide the tour operator with passenger counts at least 36 hours in advance. Therefore no refunds will be given within 36 hours of tour departure for cancellations or no-shows. Please pay special attention to scheduling and tour lengths when booking your shore excursions. In many cases, it is not possible to participate in more than one tour per day in a given port. Tours operate rain or shine. Tours require minimum participation levels to operate so please sign up as early as possible. Tours may be cancelled if minimum participation levels are not met. Prices, Itineraries and General Information shore excursion prices are subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases or currency fluctuations. Please consult the Destination Services Desk onboard for information. During local or national holidays, access to certain facilities (such as museums or archaeological sites) may be limited or denied. In such instances, adjustments will be made to minimize inconvenience to guests. Some tours have limited availability. Tours are generally available for reserving 180 days prior to the beginning of a cruise. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment. Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to require guests to complete a liability waiver for select shore excursions. For more information, please visit the Destination Services Desk onboard.