Luderitz Area Tourism Information

Quick Facts: Luderitz Area

• Luderitz is a harbour town located on the south-east coast of Namibia
• Luderitz is well know for its wildlife, particularly bird life
• The town of Luderitz was established in 1883
• In 1912 diamonds were discovered in the area, leading to the development of the mining town-Kolmanskop
• Kolmanskop is now a ghost town and popular tourist destination

Introducing Luderitz Area

Luderitz is a harbour town set on the south-east coast of Namibia in Southern Africa.  The port in Luderitz was developed around Robert Harbour and shark island.  The shallow harbour and the dangerous rocky bottoms make it near impossible for modern ships to navigate into the Luderitz  harbour, which led to Walvis Bay becoming the new Harbour port. 

Recently, a new port has been built allowing large fishing vessels to dock in Luderitz, Nambia, and the fishing industry is growing.  Luderitz is well known for its magnificent wildlife, including bird life such as penguins and flamingos as well as ostriches.  The art nouveau architecture and old colonial buildings are also a popular attraction in the town of Luderitz.

The town of Luderitz in Namibia was established in 1883 as a Trading Post with other activities such as fishing and guano-harvesting.  In 1909, diamonds were discovered nearby and Luderitz enjoyed a sudden rise of prosperity due to the development of a diamond rush.  It was in the year 1912 when the nearby diamond mining town of Kolmanskop was established and trade in Luderitz grew. 

After World War I, when South Africa took over the administration of Namibia, many of the Germans who were inhabiting Luderitz were deported and the population in the Luderitz harbour town shrunk to mainly local people

Today, Kolmanskop is a ghost town and a popular tourist destination which is believed to be inhabited by the diamond miners who used to  live there. Kolmanskop is slowly but surely being buried by the sands of the dunes of the Namib Desert.