Travel

Travelling by Air
The national airline is Air Namibia (website: www.airnamibia.com.na). Planes can also be chartered.

Airports (www.airports.com.na):

• Hosea Kutako International Airport - 40km (25 miles) from Windhoek
• Eros airport
• Katima Mulilo
• Rundu
• Ondangwa
• Walvis Bay
• Lüderitz
• Keetmanshoop

There are over 300 known airfields, of which only 16 are licensed. Travelers are cautioned not to land at unlicensed fields. Aircraft fuel is not usually available at landing strips and landing must be arranged in advance. 

Destinations / Frequency:

International:

AIR NAMIBIA connects Europe with Namibia on a daily basis with its SIX weekly flights to/from Frankfurt, taking +- approximately 10 hours per flight. A variety of connections make the country accessible to the visitors.

Regional/From and to Windhoek:

• Johannesburg, South Africa
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Luanda, Angola 
• Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 
• Maun, Botswana 

Within Namibia:

• Ondangwa 
• Katima Mulilo 
• Walvis Bay 
• Oranjemund 
• Luderitz 
• CapeTown from Oranjemund

Departure taxes:

None.

Travelling by Sea
Main ports: There is a modern deep-water harbour at Walvis Bay. There is also a small port at Lüderitz.

Traveling by Road
A tarred road runs from the south through Upington in South Africa to Grünau, where it connects with the tarred road from Cape Town. The trans-Kalahari highway links Walvis Bay and Windhoek with Gaborone, Botswana and Gauteng, South Africa. The trans-Caprivi highway runs through the Caprivi strip and via Botswana into Zimbabwe.

Traffic drives on the left side of the road. Roads are generally well maintained. There are 64,799km (40,266 miles) of road, of which 7841km (4872 miles) are tarred.

Bus:
There is a local bus service in Windhoek, and taxis are also available. A luxury bus service exists between Windhoek and all major centres in Namibia and South Africa. Intercape Mainliner (www.intercapemainliner.co.za) runs direct overnight services from Windhoek to Cape Town four times a week, as well as services to Johannesburg via Upington. Other bus services go to Botswana and Zambia.

Car hire: 
Self-drive cars are available at the airport and Windhoek city centre, as well as some other major centres. Documentation: An International Drivers License is required.

Speed limit:
Speed limit in Namibia is 60 km/h in towns/cities and 120 km/h on highways.

For a guide to driving in Namibia please click here

Traveling by Rail
The main rail routes in Namibia are Windhoek-Keetmanshoop-Upington, South Africa, Walvis Bay- Swakopmund-Tsumeb, Windhoek-Tsumeb and Lüderitz-Keetmanshoop. First and second class carriages are available on these routes. Light refreshments are offered on some services. On overnight voyages, seats in first class compartments convert to four couchettes and those in second class to six couchettes. Local passenger and goods trains run daily. Children under two years of age travel free and children aged two to 11 pay half fare. The Desert Express, a luxury train aimed at tourists, runs between Swakopmund and Windhoek. The 19 hour 30 minute journey includes several stops which give travellers the opportunity to watch lions feeding, see the Namib Desert, walk in the sand dunes and admire the stars. A three course dinner and overnight accommodation are included in the ticket price. More details on rail services are available from TransNamib (website: www.transnamib.com.na )

Money

Currency Information
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$1, 50 cents, 10 cents and 5 cents. It is pegged to the South African Rand (R) on a 1:1 basis (South African Rand = 100 cents). The South African Rand is also legal tender in Namibia, although the N$ cannot be used in South Africa.

Currency Exchange
Traveler’s cheques can be exchanged during normal banking hours at any of the commercial banks, or at Bureau de change offices. A better rate of exchange can be obtained on travelers cheques than on cash.

Credit / Debit Card Information
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted countrywide. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. Credit cards are not usually accepted at petrol stations.

Travelers Cheque Advice
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler’s cheques in US Dollars or South African Rand.

Currency Restrictions
The import and export of local currency is limited to N$50,000. The import of foreign currency by visitors is unlimited, provided it is declared upon arrival. Export of foreign currency is unlimited up to the amount imported and declared as long as the departure is within 12 months. No limits exist for travel between Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland as these countries are members of the same common monetary area (Southern African Customs Union-SACU).

Banking Hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1530, Sat 0900-1230, Sun closed.

Climate

The Weather
The cold Benguela current keeps the coast of the Namib Desert cool, damp and free of rain for most of the year, with a thick coastal fog. Inland, rain falls in summer. Summer temperatures are high while the altitude means that nights are cool. Winter nights can be fairly cold, but days are generally warm and pleasant.

Winter (May-September)
Temperatures in the interior range from 18C-25C during the day. Below freezing temperatures and ground frost are common at night.

Summer (October-April)
Average interior temperatures range from 20C-34C during the day. Temperatures above 40C are often recorded in the extreme north and south of the country. The coast influenced by the cold Benguela current, boasts a relatively stable range of 15C-25C. Heavy fog is fairly common at night.

Humidity
Humidity is generally very low in most parts of Namibia, but can reach as high as 80% in the extreme north during summer. The rainy season is from October-April. The average annual rainfall varies from less than 50mm along the coast to 350mm in the central interior and 700mm in the Caprivi. The sporadic rains do not affect road travel significantly, however, tourists should exercise caution when crossing or camping in riverbeds during the rainy season, as flash foods are a common occurrence.

Visitors should pack both warm and cold weather clothing for any visit to Namibia. Windhoek boasts a number of excellent safari outfitters and tourists are advised to shop for clothing upon arrival.

Health

Medical services in Namibia are of a very high standard. However, the availability of most services is restricted to the main towns.

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for travellers from Europe. If you arrive from a country where yellow fever vaccinations are mandatory you need to produce proof that you have been vaccinated.

Malaria remains one of the most feared illnesses world-wide. In Namibia, however, this applies primarily to the local population in the northern parts of the country, as protection becomes too expensive in the long term.

Holidaymakers can protect themselves efficiently. Please note that this information is not intended to replace an individual consultation with a doctor or pharmacist!