Excursion Luderitz walking orientation tour at Luderitz

Lüderitz is an isolated town built on a windswept, rocky hillside beside the bay, and is located on the only part of the Namibian coast with a rocky shore. A peninsula with numerous coves juts out of the coast to form the bay. Three small islands - Penguin, Seal and Flamingo - lie within the bay. Shark Island was also once an island in the bay, but the new harbor development now joins it to the mainland. Twelve islands, collectively known as the Penguin Islands lie in Namibian waters north and south of Lüderitz.

Behind the town, a road runs into the interior. It passes Kolmanskop, now a ghost town, where diamonds were first mined, before reaching the next town Aus, which lies 125 km to the east.

Luderitz Walking Tour

After disembarking the tender, join your local guide at the Waterfront and st

Join a two-hour guided walking tour through the town's barren streets, passing many colonial German-style buildings, with their domes, towers & turrets, steep roofs, oriel windows, embellished gables, bay windows and Wintergärtens (sun rooms), which provide shelter from the wind.

Luderitz Museum

Visit the Luderitz Museum with its flora, history and ethnology exhibits. It also contains information on local indigenous groups and the diamond mining industry.

Goerke Haus (outside visit)

Other notable buildings visited outside include the Goerke Haus. Goerke Haus is a grand residence or "diamond palace" built in 1909, restored to its former glory and furnished with period pieces. Originally the home of Lieutenant Hans Goerke who was a mine inspector for the German diamond-mining company and designed by architect Otto Etrl, it was one of the town's most expensive properties. Although the building was erected in the art nouveau period (1890-1910), its architecture is not typical of this style.

Felsenkirche (Church on the Rocks)

Felsenkirche (Church on the Rocks) is the name given to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church built in 1912. The cornerstone was laid on 19 November 1911.

The stained-glass windows and the woodwork inside the church are impressive. The fine proportions of the church and its verticality of form represent the Vertical Gothic-style, which was popular in the Victorian era, rather than the neo-Gothic-style which was preferred in the German Church at the time. It was designed and built by Albert Bause for the German Evangelical Lutheran congregation. The side windows were donated by members of the aristocracy in Germany, while the altar window was a gift from the German Emperor. The church was claimed a national monument in 1978.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion may include: Luderitz Guided Walking Tour, Goerke Haus (outside visit), Felsenkirche, Luderitz Museum

Note

Please note: This tour involves an extensive amount of walking of approximately 2km or 1.2miles at times over uneven surfaces and about 20 steps to negotiate at the visited sites. It is not suitable for guests with limited mobility or those who utilise a wheelchair. Lightweight comfortable clothing, and flat, closed-toe walking shoes are recommended. Qualified guides are limited and all tours, small vehicles and coach tours, are conducted with driver/guides only; some may lack experience in guiding for visiting cruise ships, however, their local experiences will carry over well to all guests. We please urge flexibility. The vehicles are extremely limited in numbers and are contracted from neighboring towns therefore this may affect on the cost. We thank you for your understanding.