Luderitz

Lüderitz is a harbour town in south west Namibia, Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.

The town is filled with old colonial German architecture, surrounded by the Namib Desert and ghost towns. Visitors can join guided tours through these ghost towns that were once bustling with diamond miners.

Visit the Goerke Haus (Grand Residence), built in 1909 and the old Victorian Gothic church of Felsenkirche.

The Luderitz Museum has artefacts and pictures detailing it's past (mostly in German).

The area surrounding the town of Luderitz has been declared a conservation site, with 12 small islands around the town, known collectively as the Penguin Islands, being a breeding ground for penguin colonies and other rare species of birds.

A favourite light meal here consists of crisp bread rolls (Brötchen), filled with cheese, eggs, meat or salad. Snacks include biltong (spiced dried meat), droewors (spicy dried sausage) and landjäger, a smoked port and beef sausage, a traditional German snack.

Cruise ships usually anchor and tender passengers ashore. Some small vessels may be able to dock. The centre of town is a short walk away.

Near the harbour area, there are small shops selling souvenirs and local handicrafts.