Namibia is a country of compelling beauty, abundant sunshine and unconfined
space. The wide horizons, the clear unpolluted skies and low
population density generate a sense of freedom. Along the coast the
fiery red dunes are in perfect contrast with the cool blue Atlantic
water. An endless choice of activities makes Namibia a top tourist
destination.
CLIMATE
Namibia has a dry climate typical of a semi-desert country where droughts are
a regular occurrence. Days are mostly warm to very hot, while
nights are generally cool. Average day temperatures in the
summer vary from 20°C - 34°C and average night temperatures in the
winter vary from 0°C - 10°C. There are vast differences
between the arid southern desert and semi-desert areas and the
tropical north-east with its abundant summer rains. The best
time to visit Namibia is Apr-Oct.
SHOPPING
Woodcarvings; basketry; pottery; fur coats & jackets, especially Swakara; gold
jewellery; individually-designed hand-woven carpets and wall hangings
made from karakul wool; Namibian semi-precious stones and diamonds;
Herero dolls.
CAPITAL
Windhoek
CURRENCY
1 Namibia Dollar = 100 cents.
Rands are accepted as legal tender. Traveller's cheques are accepted almost everywhere. German Marks, USD or Swiss Franc traveller's cheques are recommended.
In general, credit cards are accepted by most hotels as well as in Namibia Wildlife Resorts where MasterCard, Visa, (Diners Club and Amex not always), Namibian Dollars, Rand traveller's cheques and bank guaranteed cheques are accepted. Credit cards aren't accepted for fuel.
CUSTOMS
Duty Free Allowances
- 50 000 Namibian Dollar's worth of goods (including value of imported duty-free items)
- 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco
- 2 litres of wine
- 1 litre of spirits
- 500 ml of perfume
- 250 ml of eau de toilette
Prohibited Goods - Handguns
- Hunting rifles (unless with a permit issued by customs when entering the country)
Special Notes
- Only travellers over 16 years of age may bring alcohol and tobacco.
(NB! For full information, please contact the nearest Embassy of Namibia.)
ELECTRICITY
220 volts, 50 Hz. Plugs are 3-pin round.
HEALTH
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over
1 year of age coming from infected areas.
Visitors are advised to take pre-arrival precautions against malaria (risk
exists Nov-Jun in the northern regions such as Ovamboland and the
Caprivi Strip as well as in Omaheke and Otjozondjupa and throughout
the year along the Kavango and Kunene rivers), hepatitis A, polio and
typhoid. Tap water is safe.
POPULATION
2.1 Million
HOURS
Office Hours 8 am-5 pm Mon-Fri
Shopping Hours 8.30 am-5 pm Mon-Fri; 8.30 am-1 pm Sat; big supermarkets are open 11 am-1 pm & 4 pm-7 pm Sun
Banking Hours 9 am-3.30 pm Mon-Fri; 8.30 am-11 pm Sat
LANGUAGE
English is the official language. In shops, hotels and restaurants, Afrikaans and German are often spoken.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
New Years' Day (1 Jan); Independence Day (21 Mar); Good Friday (9 Apr);
Easter Monday (12 Apr); Labour Day (1 May); Cassinga Day (4 May);
Ascension Day (20 May); Africa Day (25 May); Heroes Day (26 Aug);
Goodwill Day (7 Oct); Human Rights' Day (10 Dec); Christmas Day (25
Dec); Boxing Day (26 Dec)
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS
There is a Christian majority. Western customs and courtesies are observed.
Business suits are worn in winter; in summer, safari suits are
acceptable.
TIME DIFFERENCE
GMT+2 (GMT +1 during Apr-Aug)
TIPPING
10 percent of the bill is customary.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Namibia is famous for the Namib Desert. It follows the 1600 km Atlantic
coastal belt and is one of the driest places on earth: hyper-arid
desert. Inland - a deeply incised escarpment rises to an altitude
of 2000 m before giving way to the mid-altitude plateau that merges
with the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.
Climate: Hot and dry with much colder night temperatures. Summer is between
December and March. There is frequent overnight mist along the coast
until morning. Namibia is bordered by Angola, Botswana, South
Africa and Zambia. Natural hazard is drought. They have limited fresh
water supplies.
GETTING THERE
Fly to the capital, Windhoek or drive north from Cape Town.
