Dune 7 is a 130-metre sand dune about ten kilometres east of Walvis Bay along the Swakopmund road, the highest dune in the area accessible without a 4×4. The name comes simply from its position — the seventh dune from the road on the way inland — but it is the local landmark and a popular spot for a quick desert experience.
The climb to the top takes about 30 minutes up the spine and is genuinely tough work; the reward is a sweeping view back across Walvis Bay, the lagoon, and the long line of dunes running south. Sandboarding is the other attraction: local operators rent boards by the day and run lessons for beginners. There are picnic facilities at the base. Go in the early morning or late afternoon — the sand becomes blisteringly hot underfoot at midday.