Aus, Kolmanskop and Luderitz

The south-western part of Namibia is mainly barren deserts with few settlements, but a small corner of this part of the country does hold some interest for more adventurous travellers. The tiny desert outpost of Aus is the first staging point that you visit and is renowned for a population of feral desert horses.On the coast the quaint Germanic town of Luderitz offers visitors the chance to relax by the seaside, enjoy superb seafood and explore the quirky streets and see examples of German colonial architecture.It is the abandoned diamond mining town of Kolmanskop that is the big draw of the area though. Once a booming town, boasting the first X-Ray machine in the southern hemisphere amongst a number of accolades, the decline of diamond mining saw the town abandoned to be reclaimed by the desert. Today you can tour the town each morning, learn about its history and photograph the eerily beautiful buildings and sand-covered streets.