Aus – Including Kolmanskop, Luderitz & the Wild Horses of the Namib
Aus
Aus is a small town in southern Namibia located in a very scenic part of the Namib Desert between the Namib Naukluft National Park, the Fish River Canyon and Luderitz. It is surrounded by mountains, rocky hills, dunes and open grasslands where the famous wild horses of the Namib roam free and it is worth spending at least two days here to enjoy the tranquil and beautiful desert environment and include a visit to Kolmanskop and Luderitz.
Klein-Aus Vista has a good range of accommodation on the outskirts of Aus including Desert Horse Inn, Eagle’s Nest Chalets, Desert Horse Campsite and Geisterschlucht Cabin. The recently renovated Bahnhof Hotel in the town of Aus also offers excellent accommodation and facilities.
Kolmanskop
Located 10 kms from Luderitz and 110 kms from Aus, Kolmanskop is a ghost town which was once the centre of the local diamond industry after diamonds were discovered here in 1908. It was abandoned in 1956 and now some of the buildings house museums which relate the history of the town. Probably what fascinates visitors most of all are the exquisite German houses that were left to weather by the elements and now are filled with desert sand on the ground floors. Diamonds can be bought here in the Diamond Room.
Luderitz is a small town on the Atlantic Ocean in Southern Namibia and 120 kms from Aus. It survives off diamonds from the sea and desert as well as fish and rock lobster. The small town has a pleasant seaside atmosphere with lovely sea views and several areas along the coast to the south of the town are worth exploring.
Wild Horses of the Namib
The wild horses of the Namib are legendary and there are many stories of how they came to be here though none seem to have been verified. The horses are magnificent in their desert setting and can often be seen at the waterhole at Garub, 20 kms west of Aus. There is a hide here from where you can take pictures though they do not seem intimidated by human presence.
Aus is a worthwhile inclusion on an itinerary with destinations such as Richtersveld, Fish River Canyon and Sossusvlei.