. . . now you don’t. For us, anyway, we feel a certain draw to the unusual, especially when it’s truly unusual. And, if it’s abandoned or has any manner of “legend” around it, it makes us want to hop on a train, plane or bus to see what the fuss is all about. And this one is really quite interesting, we think.
To set the stage, Kolmanskop is a ghost town in the Namib in southern Namibia, 10 kilometres inland from the port town of Lüderitz. It was named after a transport driver named Johnny Coleman who, during a sand storm, abandoned his ox wagon on a small incline opposite the settlement.
Strange enough. But, however, as diamond resources dwindled and richer deposits were discovered elsewhere, the town’s population began to decline. By the 1950s, Kolmanskop was largely abandoned. Today, it is a ghost town, partially reclaimed by the desert sands, and serves as a popular tourist destination and a reminder of the transient nature of boomtowns. It’s fascinating if you can find your way there.
Lufthansa have a variety of options to Namibia. Click here to book.
It’s not all sand & ruins. Stay at the comfy and seaside Lüderitz Nest Hotel. Click here.
If anyone can get you around the planet, Viator can. Click here to look and book.