Those planning an overnight stay in Usakos can start by putting the town in historical context: its railway past and the Old Location area point to different chapters. The wider travel destination of Erongo adds natural and cultural sites with their own regional significance.
Railway hub during a historic period
Between 1920 and 1960, Usakos was one of Namibia’s most important railway hubs. During the same years, the town experienced steady economic growth. Its importance as a railway hub and its economic development therefore characterize the same period in the town’s history.
Old Location: another chapter in the town’s history
From the start of apartheid in the early 1960s, the former district of Usakos’s residents described as “coloured” and “black” was also affected by segregation policies and forced removals. The area is now called Old Location. These events fall in successive periods: the railway era spans 1920 to 1960; the history of the affected district is associated with the start of apartheid in the early 1960s.
Photographic subjects from Usakos
The Usakos photographs include studio portraits, class portraits, posed people, buildings and landscapes. Alongside the town’s political and economic history, they provide a visual perspective in which people, buildings and landscapes form subjects in their own right.
Erongo: nature and culture in a wider context
The Spitzkoppe offers a distinct natural attraction in the wider travel destination of Erongo. It lies west of Usakos; interesting plants, birds and other wildlife can be found in its surroundings. The Spitzkoppe is often called the “Matterhorn of Namibia.” Its age is estimated at almost 700 million years. Its highest point reaches 1,784 metres above sea level and stands around 700 metres above the surrounding plain.
In the northwest of the Erongo Region, Brandberg, the distinctively shaped Spitzkoppe Mountains and the very old Messum Crater are also counted among the natural monuments. Fishing, camping and hiking are listed as tourist activities in Dorob National Park. Check current access and campsite operating status before setting out.
Another regional attraction in the wider travel destination of Erongo is the Cape Cross Seal Reserve. It protects the world’s largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals. During the breeding season in November and December, up to 210,000 animals are there; this seasonal peak is an estimate and may vary from year to year. A walkway makes it easier to observe the seals. The Portuguese explorer Diego Cão landed at Cape Cross in 1486 and erected a stone padrão there. A replica is visible today; the area, including a second replica, is designated a National Heritage Site. Before visiting, check the current condition of the walkway and whether the visible replica can still be seen.
Cultural attractions are also part of the wider travel destination of Erongo: since 2008, visitors have been able to visit the Ju/'Hoansi-San Living Museum at Omandumba. The visit includes demonstrations of traditional dances and rituals, as well as games. Walvis Bay Lagoon and Sandwich Harbour are Ramsar-listed bird sanctuaries; Sandwich Harbour is about 30 kilometres south of Walvis Bay.
Discover more destinations: Karibib, Langstrand, Swakopmund, Cape Cross, Uigaran, Omaruru, Uis, Rand Rifles.
For the wider travel overview: Erongo.
