Kolmanskop

Booking Details

Visitors to Kolmanskop need to purchase access permits in Lüderitz as the area is still mined.

Found just a few kilometers inland from Luderitz, Kolmanskop 'ghost town' was once a flourishing mining village, but is now eerily deserted as the houses are slowly reclaimed by the desert. Developed from 1908 onwards due to the discovery of diamonds in the area, the town of Kolmanskop provided much more than just basic shelter and had facilities such as a hospital, power station, ballroom, school, theatre and much more. There was also a railway line running from the town through to Lüderitz. Over 700 families lived in the town in the middle of the desert and had to contend with the sand constantly blowing across the roads and into their homes. Despite the harsh surroundings the town flourished with good wages, company housing, free milk, cold drink and ice deliveries as well as many other benefits. Sadly the mining town declined after World War 1 as diamond prices plummeted and mining operations moved to Oranjemund where a greater number of diamonds were found. Ultimately the town was born, established, flourished and died, all within the space of 40 years. Today visitors can explore the town on daily guided tours, wandering through the elegant houses and shops that lie deep in the sand.