All visitors must be in possession of a passport which is valid for at least 6 months beyond intended departure date from Namibia and has at least 2 empty pages, as well as a valid return ticket.
Entry into Namibia will be permitted for a maximum period of 90 days. Extension is possible on application to immigration authorities during stay in Namibia.
Nationals from the countries listed below are not required to obtain Visas to travel to Namibia:
Angola, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malawi, Mozambique, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, Seychelles, South Africa, Singapore, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe
For more information please have a look at the website below.
www.worldtravelguide.net
The Namibian Dollar (NAD; symbol N$) is in note denominations of N$200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of N$5, N$1, 50 cents, 10 cents and 5 cents. It is linked to the South African Rand (R) on a 1:1 basis (South African Rand = 100 cents). The South African Rand is also acceptable as currency in Namibia.
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Credit cards are not usually accepted at petrol stations, so bear this in mind when you visit the ATM. Setting aside an emergency petrol cash fund is a good idea if you’re planning to drive.
Although ATMs can be found in most towns, it’s worth making sure that you’ve got enough cash handy at all times, as towns can be few and far between.
Banking hours are from Monday to Friday 09:00-15:30h and Saturdays 09:00-11:00h. Note that at the end of the month, when many government employees are paid, queues at the banks can be several hours long.
Vaccinations are not mandatory, but there are some vaccinations that are strongly recommended. We would like to recommend all travelers to to seek reliable medical advice before traveling to Namibia.
Below are the precautions that are recommended
Malaria can occur in the north of the country and in Etosha National Park. You need to take precautions against mosquito bites. In addition sometimes medication to prevent malaria is necessary. The advice differs per person, period of travel and areas visited. We recommend to seek advice from a medical travel specialist.
Yellow Fever: In Namibia no yellow fever exists. However vaccine is required for all travelers greater than one year of age arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country in Africa or the Americas or from a country in the endemic zones. The vaccine is also required for travelers on unscheduled flights who have transited an infected area.
Hepatitis A: Vaccination is recommended for all travelers to Namibia
Hepatitis B: Vaccination is recommended for all travelers to Namibia
DTP: Vaccination is recommended for all travelers to Namibia
Typhoid: Vaccination is recommended for all travelers to Namibia
Tuberculosis: The advice differs per person, period of travel and areas visited. We recommend you to seek advice from a medical travel specialist.
Dengue: In this country dengue fever occurs. As there is no vaccine against this mosquito borne desease you need to take sufficient precautions against mosquito bites.
Rabiës: Rabiës can occur amongst mammals. Avoid contact with mammals and discuss with a specialist if vaccination would be recommended for you.
Namibia is the only country in Southern Africa (and one of only 4 countries on the African continent) that makes use of summertime. Summertime starts on the first Sunday in September and ends on the first Sunday in April. The standard time in Namibia is GMT+1 and summertime is GMT+2.
With 300 days of sunshine on average per year, Namibia is a great place to visit all year round,. The climate is generally very dry and pleasant. Namibia only receives a fraction of the rain experienced by countries further east. Between about December to March some days will be humid and rain may follow, often the form of short, afternoon thunderstorms. These are more common in the centre and east of the country, and more unusual in the desert.
Inland, the rain falls exclusively in summer (November to March). The Caprivi Strip has a unique tropical climate, and is the only area that does get a lot of rain. It’s therefore significantly greener than the rest of Namibia and because of the heavy rainfall flooding often occurs between December and March.
In this period the country starts to flourish and even some of the desert areas come to life with green vegetation and flower carpets.
The summer months, especially January and February, are very hot, with temperatures often reaching 40 degrees or higher.
The weeks following the March rains are ideal for birdwatching, but less good for spotting game, as the animals are more dispersed than in the dry season. The Fish River Canyon hiking route is closed from mid-September to mid-April due to the risk of floods.
April and especially May are often lovely months in Namibia. The day temperature is around 25 degrees and the skies are blue. It’s increasingly dry, with a real freshness in the air, and much greenery in the landscape; at this time the air is clear and largely free from dust.
From June to August Namibia cools down and dries out more; nights can become cold, with temperatures dropping below zero in some desert areas. As the landscape dries so the game in the north of the country gravitates more to waterholes, and is more easily seen by visitors. By September and October it warms up again; game-viewing in most areas is at its best, because these are the driest months and wildlife will congregate near the waterholes. On the down side there's often a lot of dust around and the vegetation has lost its vibrancy.
November is a highly variable month. Sometimes the hot, dry weather will continue, at other times the sky will fill with clouds and threaten to rain – but if you're lucky enough to witness the first rains of the season, you'll never forget the dramatic panorama.
Pack light cottons, with slightly heavier cottons or light woollens for evening. In winter a warm jacket is highly reccommended. Inland, shoes are essential during the day as the ground is very hot. For walking or trekking, ankle-height boots are recommended as there are poisonous snakes in the desert including the Cape Cobra. Neutral colours are recommended for safaris and game viewing. At Sossusvlei, a pair of sunglasses is crucial, as the reflection of the sunlight on the dunes and Dead Vlei is near-blinding.
There are modern and efficient phonelines in practically all parts of the country. Domestic as well as international phone calls are possible almost everywhere. In the largers towns and cities telephone booths are present and up to date phonebooks are widely available.
There is a mobile network that has expanded to all the larger towns and cities, including the main roads. After South Africa and Morocco, Namibia has the best mobile network in Africa. Nevertheless it will occur in remote areas that getting a signal on your cellphone can be challenging.
If you have a cellphone with subscription in most cases you will be able to use it in Namibia. Another (and cheaper) option is to buy a pre-paid sim card to use your phone locally. Make sure your phone is sim-lock free if you would like to use this option. For more information you can contact your provider.
In most hotels you can make use of fax services and Internet is also widely available in accommodations as well as internetcafé’s.
Namibia’s cuisine reflects the agricultural and fishery products in the country. Excellent meat dishes, including beef, lam and game, are prominent. Thanks to the rich fish supplies there is also an abundance of delicious fresh fish and seafood.
The traditional German meat dishes are also part of the Namibian kitchen. Especially in Windhoek and Swakopmund there is a rich diversity in restaurants where pretty much all important kitchens of the world are represented.
Tap water is in most urban areas chemically treated and suitable for consumption. If this is nog the case you will be sufficiently notified by the locals and in your accommodation. Bottled mineral water is widely available.
The local and traditionally German brewn beer is of excellent quality. South African high quality wines are available in most restaurants at reasonable prices.
A tour through Southern Africa is an encounter with a different culture and people. Without a doubt you will like to record this with photo’s or on video. However, sometimes it’s regarded as intrusive by the local inhabitants. Showing respect and asking if it’s aloud to take pictures will create a lot of goodwill. Contact with the local people is simply more then just taking pictures. In most places it’s possible to charge the batteries for your equipment.
The voltage in Namibia is 220-240 v. U will need a three legged plug with round legs. U can buy an adapter at the airport, but less expensively in most supermarkets. Most accommodations also supply adapters for you to use.
As the average wage of most staff in hospitality and tourism is quite low, tipping is customary in restaurants, accommodations, for porters, taxi’s, at fuel stations and for guides and drivers. In restaurants the guideline is abo9ut 5 to 10 % of the total bill, depending on the quality of service. For more information have look at Tourbrief.com
