The Hope

Walvis Bay


During the winter, rail services between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are often plagued by windblown sand, which covers the tracks and undermines the trackbed and sleepers. This isn’t a new problem – 5km east of town on the C14, notice the embankment which has buried a section of narrow-gauge track from the last century. In front of the train station are the remains of the Hope, an old locomotive that once ran on the original narrow-gauge railway.

Both were abandoned after the line was repeatedly buried beneath 10m sand drifts. The Hope is now a national monument and stands on 6th St in front of the train station.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Walvis Bay attractions

1. Port

0.35 MILES

With permission from the public-relations officer of the Portnet or from the Railway Police – beside the train station near the end of 13th Rd – you can…

2. Walvis Bay Museum

0.45 MILES

The town museum is located in the library. It concentrates on the history and maritime background of Walvis Bay, but also has archaeological exhibits, a…

3. Rhenish Mission Church

0.9 MILES

Walvis Bay’s oldest remaining building, the Rhenish Mission Church was prefabricated in Hamburg, Germany, reconstructed beside the harbour in 1880 and…

4. Bird Paradise

1.29 MILES

Immediately east of town at the municipal sewage-purification works is this nature sanctuary, which consists of a series of shallow artificial pools,…

5. Lookout

1.36 MILES

A good spot for getting an overview of the bird-rich ponds.

6. Lagoon

2.27 MILES

The shallow and sheltered 45,000-hectare lagoon, southwest of town and west of the Kuiseb River mouth, attracts a range of coastal water birds and…

7. Salt Works

5.49 MILES

Southwest of the lagoon is this 3500-hectare salt-pan complex, which currently supplies over 90% of South Africa's salt. As with the one in Swakopmund,…

8. Dune 7

5.82 MILES

In the bleak expanse just off the C14, 6km by road from town, Dune 7 is popular with locals as a slope for sandboarding and skiing. The picnic site, which…

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