Cape Cross Seal Reserve
One of the largest fur seal colonies in the southern hemisphere, where tens of thousands of Cape fur seals crowd the rocks, with a replica of a Portuguese navigator's stone cross nearby.
Cape Cross lies along the C34 salt road about 60 km north of Henties Bay and is the most popular stop on the southern Skeleton Coast. In 1486, Portuguese navigator Diogo Cão set up a stone cross here. The original is held in Germany, and the site has a replica and a memorial. Tens of thousands of Cape fur seals, up to around 100,000, inhabit the rocks of the reserve. Wooden boardwalks allow close viewing, and black-backed jackals are often seen foraging among the colony. The reserve is open roughly 08:00 to 17:00 daily, and entrance fees are paid at the gate. The smell is strong, and it can be chilly on foggy days, so bring a jacket. Stay on the boardwalks and do not approach the seals. It is about a 1.5-hour drive from Swakopmund and can be done as a day trip, or it serves as the first stop on the way north to Skeleton Coast National Park.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Ugabmund Gate (Skeleton Coast Park southern gate)
- Terrace Bay
- Khowarib Gorge
- Hoanib River Valley
- Ongongo Waterfall
- Fort Sesfontein
- Möwe Bay
- Skeleton Coast