kolmanskop
Do visit the nearby ghost town of Kolmanskop. Founded in 1908, it was a major settlement for diamond miners until richer ore and alluvial deposits were found near Oranjemund. The last settler left in 1956, giving the town over to the sand dunes that have crept in and started to take over the town. It is one of Namibia's premier ghost towns. There are one-hour guided tours daily in the mornings at 9h30 and 10h45. Permits are required and available at Luederitz Tours & Safaris in Bismarck Street, Tel 202719.
town walking tour
The historic town architecture is a mixture of German Imperial Style and Art Nouveau. These are best seen on foot, a short walk through the town. Visit the building noted above.
feral horses
West of Aus live unique desert-dwelling horses. The population is between 150 and 200 and are eccentric in their adaptation to desert conditions. For example, they are smalller than conventional hourses, can go without water for days at a time and urinate less than conventional horses. Several theories abound as to their heritage. Some say that they are remnants of the German Imperial Army abondoned during WWI. Others speculate that they are descendants from a shipwreck cargo. Follow the sign post north of the B4 about twenty kilometer west of Aus.