Luderitz is a German colonial town on the Namib Desert coast, seemingly untouched by the 20th century. It began life in the late 1800s as a harbor and trading post, but the bay’s shallow water and rocky bottom, make it unusable for modern ships. Today Luderitz is a tourist town with shops and restaurants. Its main draw for visitors are wildlife cruises and the nearby ghost town of Kolmanskop.
Just off the coast is a marine wildlife sanctuary that can be visited by boat. There, you have an opportunity to see African penguins, sea lions, white-sided dolphins, flamingos and many other marine bird species.
The day after arriving in Luderitz, we walked to the harbor from our campsite to board the schooner, Sedina, for a morning cruise. We sailed into luderitz bay, past the lighthouse at Diaz Point and on to Halifax Island. Several dolphins showed us the way and accompanied us for most of the excursion.
As we approached Halifax island we saw sea lions basking in the sun, and along the rough ragged rocks, penguins jumped in and out of the waves. the water was choppy and the schooner did its best to hold position. Overhead flamingos flew to feed in the shallows of the bay. On our return trip into the harbor, we were again joined by the dolphins.
In the afternoon, we visited Kolmanskop. The last resident left the diamond boom town in 1956 and the once thriving settlement now sits crumbling in the desert 15 kilometers inland from Luderitz . It is gradually being buried by the sand, but it is still a fascinating place to visit, offering great photo opportunities and a glimpse into an exciting part of Namibia's past.
Just off the coast is a marine wildlife sanctuary that can be visited by boat. There, you have an opportunity to see African penguins, sea lions, white-sided dolphins, flamingos and many other marine bird species.
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