Cape Cross Seal Reserve — Entry Fees & Practical Info

Cape Cross Seal Reserve, on Namibia's wild Atlantic coast north of Swakopmund, protects one of the largest breeding colonies of Cape fur seals in the world, where tens of thousands, and at peak times well over a hundred thousand, seals gather along the rocky shore. The sight, sound and pungent smell of this immense colony are an unforgettable sensory experience, with seals basking, squabbling, swimming and nursing their pups in a constant, noisy spectacle. Boardwalks allow visitors to observe the animals at close range while minimising disturbance. The site is also of great historical significance: it was here in 1486 that the Portuguese navigator Diego Cão became the first European known to set foot on this coast, erecting a stone cross, or padrão, that gave the cape its name, and replicas today mark the spot. Black-backed jackals and brown hyenas patrol the fringes of the colony in search of pups, while cormorants and other seabirds crowd the shoreline. Cape Cross offers a compelling combination of extraordinary wildlife density, dramatic coastal scenery and early maritime history.

Entry fees

Activities

Opening hours

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily

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