Luderitz
The small town of Luderitz on Namibia’s Atlantic Coast is famed locally for its stark, windswept beauty and the variety of its wildlife as the cold Benguela current keeps the waters chilly enough to attract seals and penguins. A former whaling station still stands close by.
The town itself was the first German settlement in southwest Africa and its early inhabitants have left behind some fine examples of German colonial architecture, the most notable being Goerke House which has a lovely Art Deco interior, fine wood panelling, exquisite stained glass windows and an impressive view from its perch at the top of Diamond Hill.
Just outside Luderitz is the atmospheric ‘ghost town’ of Kolmanskop, which was established during the diamond rush of 1908 but left deserted when more substantial diamond mines were discovered elsewhere. Its crumbling, sand-filled houses and desolate streets create a wonderful setting for a memorably spooky walk.
Walvis Bay
The apricot-colored sand dunes behind Walvis Bay are populated by gemsbok, springbok, ostrich, brown hyena, the rare, long-legged desert elephant, and sometimes even cheetah-amazing for such an apparently inhospitable environment. Inching ever closer is the relentless Namib Desert
