Excursion Kolmanskop – ghost town walking exploration tour at Luderitz

Kolmanskop is Namibia's most well-known ghost town, situated in the Spergebiet, (forbidden territory), just a few kilometers inland from Luderitz.

Kolmanskop 'Ghost Town'

In 1908, the railway worker Zacharias Lewala found a sparkling stone amongst the sand whilst he was working in a railway maintenance team near Kolmanskop. His supervisor August Stauch, was convinced it was a diamond and when this was confirmed, the news spread like wildfire, sparking a “Diamond Rush” which caused fortune hunters to converge on the town in droves.

Kolmanskop soon became a bustling centre providing workers with shelter from the harsh environment of the Namib Desert. Large, elegant houses were built and it soon resembled a German town, complete with an impressive array of amenities including a hospital, ballroom, power station, school, 2-lane skittle alley, theatre and sports hall, casino, ice factory, butchery, bakery and the first x-ray station in the southern hemisphere.

The development of Kolmanskop reached its peak in the 1920's, with approximately 300 German adults, 40 children and 800 Ovambo contract workers living in the town. The drop in diamond sales after World War I, as well as the discovery of richer deposits further south at Oranjemund, resulted in the decline of Kolmanskop. Within a span of 40 years, the town lived, flourished and died.

Today the ghost town's crumbling ruins bear little resemblance to its former glory. The stately homes have been nearly demolished by the wind, and are gradually becoming enveloped by encroaching sand dunes. The area creates the perfect backdrop for good photographic opportunities, and film enthusiasts may be interested to know, that in 2000, the film, The King Is Alive, was filmed in Kolmanskop, with the town being utilized as the film's main setting. The town was also used as one of the locations in the 1993 film, Dust Devil.

Walking Exploration

Join a guided walking tour, during which you will be given a short introduction, covering the history of the town, as well as the diamond industry today. Also pay a visit to some of the more important buildings, before taking time to explore the town on your own.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion may include: Kolmanskop 'Ghost Town' Walking Exploration, Local Refreshment

Note

Please note: This tour involves an extensive amount of walking of approximately 1km or 0.9miles at times over uneven surfaces and about 30 steps to negotiate at the visited sites and a few to get on/off the coach. It is not suitable for guests with limited mobility or those who utilise a wheelchair. Lightweight comfortable clothing, and flat, closed-toe walking shoes are recommended. Qualified guides are limited and all tours, small vehicles and coach tours, are conducted with driver/guides only; some may lack experience in guiding for visiting cruise ships, however, their local experiences will carry over well to all guests. We please urge flexibility. The vehicles are extremely limited in numbers and are contracted from neighboring towns therefore this may affect on the cost. We thank you for your understanding. It is not permitted to utilize drones during the tour.