Aus is a village in the stony hills of southern Namibia, at about 1,400 metres, and its job is to watch over the road to the coast. Beyond it, the land drops toward the Atlantic and the old diamond town of Lüderitz, and the desert grows harsher with every kilometre. In the First World War, the South African forces who took the colony from Germany built an internment camp here, where thousands of German prisoners were held, and traces of the camp, including stone foundations, can still be seen among the rocks on the hillside.
The surprise lies a short way west, near the railway halt of Garub: a herd of wild desert horses that live in the Namib without any permanent water other than a trough pumped for them. How they got here is debated, with stories that they descended from horses abandoned by German cavalry or from a farm stud, but they have survived on sparse grass in this dry country for a century. A viewing platform near the trough lets you watch them drink, especially in the morning and evening.
Riding in the region is a pleasure for those who like open space. The B4 highway runs from Aus to Lüderitz in a long, gently dipping line across plains of stone and sand, with ghostly dunes drifting over the road in places, and the wind can blow hard, sometimes carrying sand across the tarmac. The D707 and other gravel roads lead north through the dramatic scenery of the Tsau Khaeb region. Nights are cold at this altitude, with frost in winter, while days can be hot, so layers are a good idea.
Aus has a petrol station, a couple of guesthouses and a small shop, and it is the last reliable stop before the coast, so fill the tank and your water bottles before heading west. Lüderitz, about a hundred and twenty kilometres away, is a quirky town of colonial architecture and cold sea breezes, and Kolmanskop, a ghost town buried in sand, lies on the way. Obey the signs in the diamond restricted area, and do not leave the road. The stars here are superb, and a night in Aus is a good place to see them.