Lüderitz was hands down the biggest surprise of our self-drive Namibia road trip. We loved it. From our morning spent exploring the abandoned mines at Elizabeth Bay to our afternoon roaming the rocky outcrops of the Lüderitz peninsula, we were shocked at how much this small town has to offer.
If you’re spending two weeks in Namibia, we think Lüderitz is an essential stop on your tour. This guide will cover the highlights of the area and give you ideas on how to spend one to two days. While that should be enough to see the highlights, we also offer advice on how to extend your trip.
What’s Included:
- Where is Lüderitz?
- Why Lüderitz Deserves a Spot on Your Namibia Itinerary?
- What to See and Do in Lüderitz
- What to See and Do on Lüderitz Peninsula
- What to See and Do Around Lüderitz
- Where to Eat in Lüderitz
Where is Lüderitz?
Lüderitz is a small town on the southern coast of Namibia with a long history first as a colonial trading post, then concentration camp, and then diamond prospecting town. Despite its large role in the early history of Namibia, the town experienced a decline in the 1920s and has remained small ever since.
Lüderitz is not as highly touristed as most other locations in Namibia because of its remote location. It’s approximately 8 hours drive directly from Windhoek via the B1 and B4 highways, or 6 hours drive south from Sesriem along the C27 or C14.
It is sandwiched between the Sperrgebiet (or “forbidden zone”) to the south and the Namib-Naukluft National Park to the north. Both the Sperrgebiet and Namib-Naukluft National Park have limited access and few roads, making the B4 highway the only way into the town. It may seem a long drive to get to Lüderitz, but the ample array of adventure activities available on the city’s doorstep make it worth the trouble.
Why Lüderitz Deserves a Spot on Your Namibia Itinerary?
Lüderitz has a remarkable array of activities and impressive sites. The town has a small museum on Lüderitz’s history, the notable Felsenkirche (“rock church”), and a number of brilliantly preserved colonial buildings.
Just outside of town is the Lüderitz peninsula, which offers miles of remote, rocky beaches, perfect for testing your off road driving skills. There’s also Kolmanskop, the famous abandoned diamond mining town where the sand dunes have swallowed up the buildings. .
If you have time and want to go further, you can take half-day, full-day, and multi-day trips out of Lüderitz to amazing destinations including Elizabeth Bay, Bogenfels, and Saddle Hill. If you’re an adventure lover, your Namibia itinerary needs to include Lüderitz.
What to See and Do in Lüderitz
The historic center of Lüderitz is easily walkable and the Bradt Namibia travel guide provides an excellent 45-minute self-guided walking tour. Along the route are several points of interest worth visiting, but many have limited opening hours.
- Lüderitz Museum – This museum provides insight into Lüderitz’s history as well as Namibian history in general. Despite its small size, you’ll find plenty of artifacts and photos. Expect to spend about one hour here.
- Felsenkirche – Felsenkirche means “rock church” in German. This stunning building is located at the top of a hill on Lüderitz’s southern side. Despite the church’s plain exterior, it’s brilliantly situated for photos. Just to the right of the church, you’ll find great views over Lüderitz Bay. This is an excellent place to watch the sunset. The church has remarkable stained glass windows and, if you want to see them for yourself, you can visit between 5:00pm and 6:00pm every day but Sunday.
- Goerke Haus – Built in 1910, this house typifies the German-influenced architecture from Lüderitz’s colonial period. The interior is interesting in both its architecture and decoration, but lacks original furnishings.
- Penguin Catamaran Tours – Glimpse the African Penguins that call Lüderitz’s Halifax Island home on a catamaran tour, which depart daily at 8:00am. The area is home to over 800 mating pairs of these diminutive penguins. If that’s not enough, a tour also gives you the chance to spot whales, Heaviside’s Dolphin, and Cape Fur Seals.
- Lüderitz Hollywood Sign – While it will never rival Los Angeles’ Hollywood sign in fame, Lüderitz copies the iconic letters with this sign spelling out the town’s name. Perched in a rocky outcrop near the entrance to the city, it is possible to hike up to the letters, though the views don’t necessarily merit the effort.
What to See and Do on Lüderitz Peninsula
Lüderitz’s most impressive asset is the nearby Tsau Khaeb National Park, more commonly known as the Lüderitz Peninsula. This natural park hosts a variety of wildlife, salt pans, coves and fjords, as well as a large number of off-road tracks. We highly recommend you reserve at least a half day to self-drive this peninsula and explore the highlights. Guided tours of the peninsula are also available from local tour operators, but the sights are easily accessible on your own.
In the map below we have noted our favorite spots with red hearts and other points of interest with blue stars. Click on each icon for a short description of the location. The blue lines on the map are well-maintained public (D-type) gravel roads and the purple lines are 4×4 off-road tracks (although some routes are passable in 2×4 as noted in the map comments). Even if you are new to off-road driving, we think it’s worth the effort to try these tracks as they’re relatively easy and quite well marked. While you drive, look for small concrete block markers at the intersections of both the public and 4×4 roads, which indicate nearby attractions.
Although most routes are well marked, we do recommend that you bring an offline map app like Maps.me to help navigate. Both the Nest Hotel and local tour operators offer a colorful map that covers the town and peninsula. Alongside local highlights, it has information on the area’s wildlife such as Damara Turns, African Penguins, Greater Flamingos, Cape Fur Seals, and more.
What to See and Do Around Lüderitz
Lüderitz is located at the southernmost tip of the Namib Desert. If you want to explore the desert, you can join a tour that will guide you through the vast dune sea. Here you’ll find some of the world’s most spectacular dunes, and even get the chance to climb a few.
Lüderitz is also located at the very northern end of the Sperrgebiet diamond mining zone, which was off-limits to the public for decades. While it’s now a national park, you’ll still need a permit to explore the area, which is home to several abandoned diamond mining towns.
Tours to the north and south can take anywhere from half a day up to several days depending on how far you want to roam. All tours into these areas require permits arranged in advance by a tour operator.
We think the best tour operator in Lüderitz is Namib Offroad Excursions. The owner, Heinz, leads tours to both the Namib Desert dunes and the diamond mining towns. The company’s website may be barebones, but the tours are anything but. Whether traveling with Heinz or another tour operator, we recommend saving time during your stopover in Lüderitz to visit one or more of the following destinations:
- Kolmanskop – Want to see a diamond mining town but didn’t arrange in advance? Kolmanskop is for you. It’s accessible directly from the B4 about 10km outside of Lüderitz. Kolmanskop offers free tours with purchase of an entry ticket which includes a 45 minute walking tour and free time to take photos. If you’re serious about getting the best photos possible, plan to visit around sunrise. To do so, you’ll need to get a photo permit, which allows any-time access (access is otherwise restricted to tour times). Kolmanskop is one of Namibia’s biggest tourist attractions thanks to the haunting sand dunes that have swept into the buildings, nearly engulfing them in some places. That being said, if you’re serious about getting off the tourist track, look to travel further into the Sperrgebiet with a tour operator
- Elizabeth Bay – This abandoned diamond mining town, operated between the 1920s and 1940s, sits just 5km away from a modern diamond mining facility of the same name. If you have limited time in Lüderitz, Elizabeth Bay is a perfect half-day tour. Your tour will include a brief drive through the old town with major highlights pointed out and explained. This is followed by free time to take photos of any part of the town that interests you. This town is substantially larger than Kolmanskop, right against the coast, and offers the possibility of seeing rare brown hyenas, which roam the area. Accessing Elizabeth Bay requires that you go on a permitted tour.
- Bogenfels Town and Rock Arch – Yet another abandoned diamond mining town, Bogenfels is much smaller than Kolmanskop or Elizabeth Bay. It is also much further out and requires a full day permitted tour. However, in addition to the town, Bongenfels is the location of a massive rock arch that stretches from the land out into the ocean. Highlights along the way include incredible vistas of some of the most untouched desert lands in the world and opportunities to see wildlife including seals and hyenas.
- Agate Beach – Just 7km north of Lüderitz, Agate Beach is accessible to the public without a permit. This beach was created from the tailings of a former diamond mining operation and has become is a popular spot to swim in the Atlantic or to search for agate and crystals. If you only have a short time to spend in Lüderitz, this is one of the quickest excursions. Similar agate beaches also dot the Lüderitz Peninsula.
- Vast Dune Sea – For off-road adventurers, a dune-driving tour into the Namib Desert is a must. Saddle Hill, a steep dune that abuts the coast, is a common destination point, but tours can typically be sized to the length and duration you prefer. We were advised by our tour guide that three days is a minimum to fully appreciate the atmosphere. Drive over sand dunes along the desolate coastline where sand meets water. You’ll see some of the tallest dunes in the world and glimpse endless stretches of desert rivaled only by the Sahara and Gobi. And to top it off, nighttimes are spent camping in one of the best stargazing spots in the world.
Despite the remote and rugged coastline around Lüderitz, the surroundings are not a major area for shipwreck sightseeing. The concentration of the most impressive shipwrecks is around Walvis Bay, to the North, and not easily accessible from Lüderitz. Those shipwrecks around Lüderitz have mostly deteriorated or are completely submerged.
Where to Eat in Lüderitz
- The Portuguese Fisherman – This fish-centric restaurant with water views prepares excellent dishes with fresh caught local fish. To drink, there’s local Namibian beer and a wide variety of affordable wines. There’s also a small sushi bar, if you’re interested in getting a local taste of Japanese cuisine. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the owner makes rounds of the tables to check on the diners.
- Barrels – Barrels, the local sports bar, is frequently packed with residents and tourists alike. The relaxed setting lends itself to slowly enjoying an ice cold Namibian beer after a long day of sightseeing. The bar food menu is simple and filling. Don’t skip the fresh-baked malva pudding for dessert!
- Essenzeit – This elegant restaurant overlooks the harbor and offers a menu to suit all tastes, including vegetarian and vegan diets. Notably this restaurant also serves breakfast, as an alternative to the offering you may have at your accommodation. The staff are friendly, but the experience can feel a little less personal than other dining options in Lüderitz.
Roam The Reaches 