Two dolphin species are regularly seen in Walvis Bay: the bottlenose dolphin, and the much smaller Heaviside’s dolphin, a species found almost nowhere else in the world outside Namibian waters. Both are wild, so sightings aren’t guaranteed on any single trip, but our catamaran routes through the bay and out toward Pelican Point put you in the areas they’re most often seen.
Telling the two species apart
Bottlenose dolphins are the larger, more familiar species: grey, robust, and often seen riding the bow wave of the boat. Heaviside’s dolphins are considerably smaller, with a distinctive rounded dorsal fin and a more compact body shape. They tend to be shier around boats than bottlenose dolphins but are still spotted regularly on our routes. Because Heaviside’s dolphin is endemic to this coastline, a sighting here is genuinely rare anywhere else in the world.
Best time of day and year
Dolphins are seen year-round in Walvis Bay, with no strong seasonal pattern the way whale sightings have. Morning departures tend to catch calmer water, which can make it easier to spot dorsal fins at a distance. Read the full species breakdown in our dolphins guide.
Best tours for dolphin sightings
Any of our catamaran cruises can produce a dolphin sighting, but the longer routes spend more time in the open bay where dolphins are most active:
Also on the water
Most dolphin cruises also pass the Pelican Point seal colony and regularly see pelicans and, seasonally, humpback whales.
Frequently asked questions
Are dolphin sightings guaranteed?
No: they’re wild animals, so sightings vary by trip. Most cruises do see dolphins, but we can’t promise it on any single outing.
What’s the difference between a “dolphin cruise” and your other boat tours?
All our catamaran cruises pass through the same waters where dolphins are seen; there’s no separate dolphin-only trip. This page is here to help dolphin-focused visitors pick the right tour length.
Ready to book?
Three decades of catamaran cruises on the bay, kayaking among the seals at Pelican Point and 4x4 trips through the dunes to Sandwich Harbour, under the wide-open Namib sky, with a Walvis Bay crew who know every tide and wind on this coast.