National West Coast Tourist Recreation Area

The National West Coast Tourist Recreation Area is in the Erongo Region of Namibia. It is on the Atlantic coast between the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the south and the Skeleton Coast National Park in the north. From south to north it extends from around 1 Walvis Bay to the mouth of the 1 Ugab River The settlements of Wlotzkasbaken and Henties Bay are situated within the park.

Understand

Fees and permits

You need a permit to enter the park as soon as you leave the settlements or the C or D roads in the park. You can buy it only at a Ministry of Environment and Tourism office. There are offices in Windhoek (corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue) and Swakopmund (Uhland Street).

Entrance fee

It costs 80 N$ per person (Namibians 10-30 N$, depending on the destination, neighboring countries' residents 60 N$), children under 16 free, and 10 N$ per car to enter the park (Mar 2020).

Camping fee

If you stay over at one of the government camp sites you also need a permit. Prices are higher than on private camp sites.

Angling fee

To catch fish in the Atlantic you need a fishing permit (N$ 50 pppd), even if you catch-and-release.

See

• The 2 Cape Cross seal colony attracts many visitors each year, overwhelmed by the huge number of about 60,000 seals. There are so many of them that the waves of the ocean look as though they were composed of seals. Replicas of the Portuguese crosses can be found at the site too.
• Between Swakopmund and Henties Bay there is the 3 Zeila wreck, one of the many shipwrecks on this coast, easily accessible from the C34.
• The holiday settlement of 2 Wlotzkasbaken is worth a visit. While there strictly is nothing to do there, it is the only Namibian settlement without fences. All houses have been designed by their owners. The skyline is dominated by individual water towers, as Wlotzkasbaken has never had running water. Annually in December the place wakes up to the "Marterpfahl" festival where people catch fish and drink alcohol as if there's no tomorrow.

Sleep