About
Kolmanskop is an abandoned diamond mining town in the Karas Region of southern Namibia. Once a settlement built around the mining of diamonds, it has been left to the desert, and the sand now creeps into its streets and houses. Today it is a heritage site that draws visitors who come to walk among the ruins and photograph them.
What to expect
- A ghost town slowly being reclaimed by desert sands, with drifts of sand inside and around the buildings.
- Abandoned houses and rooms that make a haunting setting, and that many visitors find especially rewarding for photography.
- A visit that suits anyone interested in mining history, the story of abandoned towns, or the look of a landscape in transition.
Planning a visit
Kolmanskop lies in the Karas Region, in the southern part of Namibia, which makes it a destination in its own right within the country's desert landscapes. Because the ruins are fragile and the sand is constantly shifting, it is wise to follow the guidance of the site and to take care when moving between buildings. A visit is best approached slowly, giving time to notice the details of the rooms and the way the desert has settled into them.
Kolmanskop offers a quiet, unusual experience: a place where the story of a mining boom is told mostly through what has been left behind and what the desert has taken back.