Aus is a small settlement on the B4 between Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz, at the point where the road climbs into the Aus Mountains before dropping into the sand and gravel of the Sperrgebiet. It is one of the coldest places in Namibia in winter — snow has fallen here — and one of the most striking stretches of the southern drive.
Aloe Rock House provides self-catering apartment accommodation in the village, at roughly half the rate of the hotel. For travellers carrying their own food — which most people crossing the south are — it is the more economical way to spend a night in Aus, and the difference over two people is substantial.
The unit is an apartment rather than a room, so you get a kitchen and space to unpack. Given that Aus has very limited catering, being able to cook is a practical advantage rather than a preference.
The reason most travellers stop is the feral desert horses of the Namib. The herd waters at the Garub borehole about 20 km west of the village, where a viewing hide sits a short walk from the road; early morning and late afternoon are the reliable times. Aus also carries the remains of a First World War internment camp, marked and interpreted just outside the settlement.
Aus itself is tiny: fuel and a small shop, and not much else. Restock in Keetmanshoop before you come west, and treat the settlement as a launching point for Garub, the mountain pass and the run down to the coast rather than as a destination in its own right.
As a price guide, the apartment for two adults on a room-only, self-catering basis sits at around N$1,156 per night including taxes, a figure that held across two separate dated checks. Use the link below for live availability and today’s price on Booking.com.
Check current availability for Aloe Rock House on Booking.com.
