Start with a pickup from one of the many hotels and guesthouses in Swakopmund City, and then travel with your group and guide to the Mondesa township on the outskirts of town. Your exact route and itinerary is likely to vary according to local conditions and events, but the tour is sure to bring you eye to eye with local Namibians going about their daily lives.
First, enjoy the hustle and bustle of Mondesa’s bustling OB Street, and soak up the atmosphere of daily life in this part of the world. With your guide on hand to translate if necessary, chat with locals and tradespeople in the home-craft market, and view the homes and schools typical of the area.
Your guide will introduce you to a few colorful characters that belong to this thriving community. While the exact people you meet are subject to change, you may be introduced to Miss Lena Goses, the acting Damara chief. Dressed in traditional clothing and fluent in Damara and German, the lady is quite a character, and at 80-something years old she has many tales to tell! You may also meet Augusta Ochurus who’ll share her knowledge of the medicines prevalent in the local Nama culture, or Talitha Tjindjo, who will explain the traditional Herero clothing and culture.
Travel onward to the Democratic Resettlement Community, an informal settlement just outside Mondesa, to learn how local projects and initiatives are improving housing conditions for the area’s many residents. After exploring, take a breather and enjoy a drink in a shebeen (bar), and then enjoy some of the more unusual Namibian delicacies in a local restaurant. Dishes often change, but typically ondhwa (barbequed chicken), omagungu (dried mopane worms), porridge, omakunde (beans) and oofukwa (ground nuts) all feature on your menu!
After a few hours discovering the culture and cuisine of a Namibian township, travel back to your Swakopmund hotel where your tour finishes.