1. Culture
Namibia is home to some of the worlds most ancient tribes including the Himba and Herero people. Both groups are easily recognisable through their very distinctive clothing styles. A good starting point for learning about these two tribes is Opuwo. Those interested in learning more about eh Herero people should travel further north to Epupa Falls (4 x 4 required)
2. Fishing
Thanks to the cold Benguela current which flows northwards from the Antarctic, Namibia offers some of the best surf angling in the world. The best time for surf angling is between November and March and the sport is permitted north of Walvis Bay and south of the Ugab River. Most fishing is done around Swakopmund and Henties bay area.
3. 4 x 4 ing
Huge undeveloped and sparsely populated land makes Namibia a paradise for 4 x 4 enthusiasts. The most popular areas are the sandy coastal areas between Luderitz and Swakopmund and through the rough, rocky expanse of the Koakeveld in the north west. Drivers should note that this is not for the inexperienced drivers.
4. Hiking
Namibia’s best known hiking trail is the Fish River Canyon, an 80 km trail that requires 4 to 5 days to complete. This lies in the south close to the South African border. Due to extreme heat conditions in summer, it is only open between 01 May and 15 September and bookings need to be done in advance.
5. Game Viewing
Namibia offers incredible game viewing experiences in landscape like no other in the world... Etosha National Park covers approximately 22 000 km2 and supports more than 100 mammal species and over 300 different bird species. The best time of the year to visit Etosha is during the height of the dry season where animals are forced to congregate around the water holes. The best time for seeing enormous flocks of migrating water birds including flamingoes is during the brief rainy season between November and March.
While not allowed in the National Parks, hunting is very popular in Namibia and is available on many private reserves and game farms.
6. Sossusvlei
The bright orange sand dunes at Sossusvlei are said to be the highest in the word, reaching some 300m off the desert floor. The changing colours on the dunes make for an amazing photo opportunity. Several companies offer hot air ballooning flights or small plane flights over the dunes which are usually done in the early mornings. You can reach within 4 km of the dunes in a normal car and then the last 4 km need to be done either by foot or in a 4 x 4 vehicle.
CAPITAL: Windhoek
CLIMATE:
Dry and arid, Namibia has two season
Summer: November through to April and is hot and sunny. Daytime temperatures reach 40 C and night time drops to around 18 C
Winter: May to October and is sunny and mild. Daytime temperatures average around 23 C while night time temperatures can be very cold at around 0 C.
In the north the rains come in February and March making many of the 4 x 4 trails on the Angolan border impassable.
COMMUNICATIONS:
The international country code for Namibia is + 264
Cell phone reception beyond major towns is very limited.
Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay have internet cafes
ELECTRICITY:
250 V. The plug type is the rectangular 3 pin (as found in the UK)
LANGUAGE:
The official language is English, but outside major tourist areas it is not widely spoken. Afrikaans and German are the most commonly spoken languages.
TIME:
Namibia observes daylight saving time.
First Sunday in September to first Sunday in April - GMT + 2 hrs
From April to September - GMT + 1 hr
ENTERING AND GETTING AROUND:
AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX: None
ARRIVAL BY AIR: Namibia’s main airport is Hosea Kutako International Airport 49 km outside of Windhoek. There is also an international airport in Walvis Bay which services Swakopmund area.
DRIVING: Foreign drivers require an international drivers license. Driving is on the left hand side of the road. Four wheel drive vehicles are essential for exploring the Kaokoveld, Damaraland and Bushmanland regions
CUSTOMS:
Duty free allowance of 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, 2 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits, 50 ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette. Currency must be declared on arrival.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
A valid passport is required to enter Mozambique and the validity date needs to be atleast 6 months after the visitor intends to leave the country. Visitors may also be asked to produce outgoing travel documents and proof of sufficient funds to finance their stay. Nationals of some countries require visas – please check individual requirements. Visas need to be obtained prior to departure and will not be issued at border posts on arrival.
HEALTH
Please check with your local doctor on which immunizations are deemed necessary and whether malaria prophylactics should be taken. The northern areas of Namibia are considered a malaria risk area especially during the rainy season. Windhoek. Walvis Bay and Swakopmund have good medical facilities on par with European standards, but in the rural areas they are below standard.
It is strongly recommended that you ensure that you have adequate medical insurance when visiting Namibia.
MONEY
ATM’S:
Available in most cities and towns
BANKS:
There are 4 commercial banks with branches I mot towns and cities: Standard bank of Namibia, First National Bank, Nedbank and Bank Windhoek. Operating hours vary, but most banks are open between 09h00 and 15h30 weekdays and 09h00 to 11h00 on Saturdays.
CREDIT CARDS:
Credit cards are readily accepted in most cities and towns but in the rural areas only cash is accepted. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted, but some places also accept American Express and Diners. Petrol stations do not accept credit cards.
CURRENCY:
The unit of currency is the Namibian Dollar which is divided into 100 cents. Notes are issued in ND200, ND100, ND50, ND20, ND10. The Namibian dollar is pegged to the South African Rand and South African Rands are accepted as currency throughout Namibia. Please note that Namibian Dollars are not accepted in South Africa.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE:
Foreign currency and travellers cheques can be changed at banks and Bureaux de change. There are Bureaux de change at airports and some of the larger hotels.
TRAVELLERS CHEQUES:
These can be exchanged at banks and Bureaux de Change. Some vendors accept travellers cheques, but do not rely on this as a payment method.
