Photos

Kolmanskop - the “ghost town” close to Lüderitz.

In the early 1900’s this was a wealthy diamond miming centre, blooming in the 1920’s, after which diamond deposits were found elsewhere, people began to leave and the town was abandoned. It has been deserted ever since. It’s being said that during the years of bloom workers were actually crawling in the desert on their stomachs under the moon light, looking for diamonds. To describe the wealth of the town there was a hospital, concert hall, casino, school, power station etc. and the first X-ray in the southern hemisphere. However, apparently the X-ray wasn’t primarily for health care purposes, but to check that the workers hadn’t swallowed any diamonds...

For photography this is a fabulous destination. You are free to wander around the deserted buildings that offer basically an indefinite amount of spectacular views into exteriors and interiors of the buildings being devoured by the desert sand. Seeing the dunes inside livingrooms and bathrooms really provides a dreamlike feeling. Apparently the ghosts aren’t that keen on cleaning up...What also makes it interesting is that the town is continuously changing, and looks a bit different every day, as the (really) strong winds shape the sand formations.

The official opening hours are 09:00-13:00, and the tour for tourists starts at 09:30. However, with a photo permit you are free to access any time between sunrise and sunset – so it’s definitely worth the investment for catching the peaceful atmosphere and the best photographich opportunuties. You’ll need to purchase the permits from Lüderitz. So make sure you buy one the day before to be able to get in at the sunrise.

Word of warning. Driving to Lüderitz you’ll see warning signs “SAND” and “WIND” all over the place. They are’t there for nothing. Winds can easily be 30-40 km/h, so if you want to step out of your vechicle and don’t want your eyes to get a sandblast, at least wear some protctive glasses… Tested :)