Namibia tourism Offices

Windhoek:	Namibia Tourism, Private Bag 13244, Windhoek, Namibia	Tel. +264-(0)61-290 6000 Fax +264-(0)61-25 4848 info@namibiatourism.com.na www.namibiatourism.com.na
France:	LS Tourism Services 20 Avenue du Recteur Poincare, 75016 Paris, France	Tel. +33-1-405 088363 Fax +33-1-405 088363 namibie-tourisme@laposte.net
Britain	AMG, 200 Parkway House, Sheen Lane, London SW14 8LS, Britain	Tel. +44-(0)87-0330 9333 Fax +44-(0)20-8878 9124 info@namibiatourism.co.uk
Italy	Airconsult Via Adolpho Rava 106, 00142 Rome, Italy	Tel. +39-06-452 30032 Fax +39-06-541 0608 namibiatourism@airconsult.it
South Africa (Cape Town)	Namibia Tourism, P O Box 739, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa	Tel. +27-(0)21-422 3298 Fax +27-(0)21-422 5132 namibia@saol.com
South Africa (Johannesburg)	Lloyd Orr Communications Orchard Lane, Rivonia, 2128 South Africa	Tel. +27-(0)11-785 4626 / 07 Fax +27-(0)11-785 4601 chantal@lloydorr.com

Entry Requirements:

You must be in possession of a valid passport (valid for at least six months after the date of entry) – A return return bus or plane ticket may also be required. Entry for tourists is permitted for a maximum of 90 days. Business visitors can stay for up to 30 days, with a possible extention on application to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Windhoek.

Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Namibia: Angola, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Citizens of countries not on the list, should contact their local Namibian embassy or consulate. The Ministry of Home Affairs in Windhoek can be contacted about visas or health certificates (only an issue if you come from or have recently visited a country where yellow fever is endemic), but remember that time works differently in Africa, so be sure to contact them well in advance of your trip.

Visitors are not required to pay import duty on personal effects, such as clothing, sports equipment, cameras and jewellery. Trophy hunters are required to obtain a temporary import permit for their rifles. Handguns and rifles with magazines exceeding a 5-round capacity are not allowed to be imported.

Diseases

Malaria

Visitors to the Northern and Eastern parts of the country are advised to take anti-malaria medication, especially during and right after the rainy season. Sleep under a mosquito net if possible and use insect repellent on exposed skin.

HIV/Aids

HIV and Aids is a very serious problem in Namibia, especially in the rural areas. DO NOT HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX.

Sunburn

The Namibian sun can be deadly (literally). Wear a hat, sunglasses and copious amounts of sunblock. Red tourists are a common site in Namibia! This is especially important at the coastal areas, where the sun is much fiercer than it seems - even when it's overcast. You have been warned.

Practice common sense and good hygiene and you should be fine. Never drink water from rivers or pools unless its an emergency – and even then only after it has been boiled or purified (tap water is safe to drink). Namibia has good doctors and intensive care facilities, as well as rescue and evacuation services. It is recommended that visitors obtain insurance cover before they arrive.

Getting in

By Air: Hosea Katako International Airport is situated about 40 km outside of Windhoek. International flights are available between Windhoek and Frankfurt, London, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), Maun and Luanda. Contact your local travel advisor for the best way to reach Namibia.

By Road: It is relatively easy to drive yourself into Namibia from South Africa, or any one of it's other neighbors The most convenient international bus service into Namibia runs from Cape Town and Victoria Falls. There is also service from Johannesburg.

There are 9 border posts between Namibia and it's neighbours They are all relatively easy to get through as long as all your documents are in order. They are:

Border with:	Name	Operating hours
Angola	Oshikango	08:00 – 18:00
Botswana	Buitepos	24 hours a day
	Ngoma	07:00 – 18:00
	Mohembo	07:00 – 18:00
South Africa	Ariamsvlei	24 hours a day
	Klein Menasse	08:00 – 16:30
	Noordoewer	24 hours a day
	Velloorsdrift	08:00 – 16:30
Zambia	Wanela	06:00 – 18:00

If you want to drive across the border from Namibia into neighbouring South Africa, then you need permission from your hire car company in the form of a letter including the vehicle registration number and chassis number.

This must be presented at the border post, and a permit will be issued which must be carried at all times.

There may be a fee payable at the border post.

Getting through the border usually takes about 15 minutes and is pretty painless. But do make sure that all your documents are in order and that you don't have anything on you that you should not have.

Visitors are entitled to a VAT refund for goods purchased for over N$250. Keep the tax invoices for goods you wish to claim for and present them at the relevant office at the border post. Only the Ariamsvlei and Noordoewer, as well as Hosea Katako International Airport has these facilities. A refund cheque will be issued in South Africa Rands.

There is no longer a passenger rail service between Namibia and South Africa.

Money

The Namibian Dollar is permanently pegged at 1:1 with the SA Rand. Rands are also legal tender anywhere in Namibia. N$10, N$20, N$50, N$100 and N$200 banknotes are issued, as well as 5c, 10c, 50c, N$1 and N$5 coins.

Foreign Currency can be converted into Namibian dollars at commercial banks and at bureau de change. Banking hours are from 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays and from 08:30 until 11:00 on Saturdays. Travellers' cheques are easily exchanged for cash at any bank.

Banks in Namibia will convert Namibian Dollars for South African Rands and vice versa without charge or paperwork. Since any bank or currency exchange outside Namibia (including other members of the Common Monetary Area) will charge a substantial service fee to change currency, it is advisable to make use of a Namibian bank if you are leaving Namibia for South Africa.

Major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club) are accepted for most goods and services. They can also be used to withdraw cash from ATMs, which are available in most towns. Credit Cards are not accepted at fuel stations – only Petrocard and Autocard. Some only accept cash.

It is also advisable to carry proof (for example ATM receipts) that money you are taking out of the country is money that you brought into the country in the first place.

Prices in shops are fixed, but prices in open markets or from street vendors are open to barter.

Climate

Namibia’s climatic variations correspond roughly to its geographical subdivisions. In the arid central Namib Desert, summer daytime temperatures may climb to over 40°C, but can fall to below freezing during the night. Rainfall is heaviest in the north-east, which enjoys a subtropical climate, and reaches over 600mm annually along the Okavango River. The northern and interior regions experience ‘little rains’ between October and December, while the main stormy period occurs from January to April.

The weather is pleasant for most of the year, though visitors from colder countries may find the heat in the summer very uncomfortable (the coast is cooler than the interior in the summer and warmer in the winter). Namibia receives an average of about 300 days of sunshine per year.

Public Holidays

New Year's Day (January 1) Easter Monday (April 1) Ascension Day (May 9) International Human Rights Day (December 10)

Independence Day (Mar 21) Workers' Day (May 1) Africa Day (May 25) Christmas Day (December 25)

Good Friday (March 29) Cassinga Day (May 4) Heroes' Day (August 26) Family Day (December 26)

When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the next day (Monday) is a holiday as well.

Languages

English is the official language and is widely spoken. However the majority of older Namibians (those educated before independence) only speak English as a third language, and therefore the standard is fairly poor.

Afrikaans is spoken by many. German is also spoken by a large number of people of German descent, though they tend to be mostly in Windhoek, Swakopmund and various farms scattered through the country. There are also eleven 'recognized' languages in Namibia, as well as others that have too few speakers to be officially recognized

Staying in touch

Namibia's country code is +264. Each city or region has a three-digit area code. Mobile phones are very common and run on the GSM network, using the same frequency as Europe and the rest of Africa.

There are Internet cafés in most towns. Most accommodation will have an Internet service as well. There is also a high speed mobile Internet service in the larger cities and towns. The local cellphone operators will be able to help you with this.

Namibia has two GSM cellular phone operators, MTC and Cell One and both offer prepaid options. Starter packs and airtime vouchers are readily available at most stores. They have international agreements with most countries.

Getting Around

By Car

Despite the vast distances in Namibia, most people get around by land, and not air. A valid driving license from any country is accepted, as long as it is easily legible to the English speaking authorities. Languages such as Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic and ideogramatic languages such as Chinese and Japanese, etc. tend to cause problems and an international license should be applied for if this is the case.

Namibia's roads are very good, with primary routes paved, and secondary routes of well-graded gravel. An all-wheel drive vehicle is not necessary except on tertiary roads and the Skeleton Coast. Driving at night is very dangerous because there is a lot of wildlife on the roads. Traffic drives on the left and seatbelts should be worn. The speed limits are 60 km/h in towns and cities, 120 km/h on the main, tarred roads between towns and 80 km/h on gravel roads.

By minibus taxi

It is quite easy to get around using combies (shared or long-distance taxis). Just ask around to find out where the taxi rank is (sometimes there are several taxi ranks, each one with departures to different areas of the country). Drivers are not in the habit of overcharging foreigners.

By bus

TransNamib operates air-conditioned buses (and trains) to destinations all over Namibia via their StarLine service.

By train

The national railway company of Namibia, TransNamib operates trains (and buses) to destinations all over Namibia via their StarLine passenger service. Some routes available are

The StarLine scheduled service conveys passengers via special coaches hooked on the back of freight trains. These passenger coaches offer comfortable airline-style seating with air-conditioning and (sometimes) video entertainment. Vending machines provide refreshments on long journeys. StarLine,

There is also the Desert Express, a luxury tourist train that traverses Namibia regularly, taking tourists to such destinations as Walvisbay, Swakopmund and Etosha National Park. Buses are used to transport visitors from train stations to the various sights.

By plane

There are several flight charter companies that will take you to most places in Namibia. There are also a number of regular domestic flights to and from the various smaller airports around the country

Tipping

Though not required by law, it is customary in Namibia to give a small gratuity for certain services. Below is a quick guide to how much to tip and whom. Many people depend on tips for their livelihoods, so if you are given exceptional service, tip well.

Waiters: In restaurants where the traveller pays for the meal, a tip of 5% to 10% of the bill is customary, depending on the quality of the service. In accommodation establishments where the meal is included in the package, the traveller should not tip with the meal, but a tip should be left at reception on departure. In restaurants in national parks, no tip should be left. The policy of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is that no tipping is allowed.

Porters: Tip N$ 3 - N$ 5 per item of luggage. For larger pieces of luggage tip more.

Taxi Drivers: If using a 'radio taxi' (characterized by a black number in a white square) or other transfer service, tip N$ 5 - N$ 10 for shorter distances. If using a normal inner city taxi, shared with others, pay the fare in exact change and do not tip. Note that a display of wealth may attract unwanted attention.

Car guards: The presence of a car guard deters vehicle related crime. The car guard may also fill up an empty parking meter if a parking inspector approaches. Tip car guards N$ 2 - N$ 5. If the meter is refilled reimburse the car guard the amount put in the meter and tip N$ 10.

Pump attendants: A tip of between N$ 3 and N$ 5 may be given depending on the quality of the service. It is not customary to tip for refuelling only.

Official and public servants: Don't try to tip or attempt to bribe a public service official. Bribery is punishable by imprisonment.

Guides: A minimum tip of between N$ 20 per person per day is recommended.

Drivers: A minimum tip of between N$ 10 per person per day is recommended. The driver should receive the tip separately from the guide.

Local and community guides: A tip of between N$ 10 per person is recommended. In the case of a larger group, a tip of between N$ 50 and N$ 100 is recommended. Check the tipping policy and see of tins are put out to share tips at the site reception area.

Food

You will find many different and interesting cuisine on your Namibian trip. Except for at a few specialty establishments, most restaurants in Namibia tend to lean towards the European pallet, with a slight bias towards German dishes and seafood. Most people will find something that they like on any restaurant menu and kitchens are at least as hygienic as your average European establishment, so you do not have to worry about food poisoning when eating out. Prices are also very usually very reasonable compared to most western nations. There are also many local delicacies which are worth trying, the favorite being biltong, a kind of dried, preserved meat. Namibian biltong is considered to be the best in the world.

Namibians love meat, and most dishes will include meat. Namibian beef is considered to be some of the best in the world, with many other interesting meats also available in some restaurants, such as game (usually kudu or oryx), ostrich and crocodile, together with the usual mutton and pork. There is also usually a vegetarian section on the menu as well as several seafood dishes.

Most towns have large, modern and well stocked supermarkets where you will find fresh fruit and vegetables and plenty of canned foods, pasta, rice, bread, etc. Most of this is imported from South Africa and prices are reasonable. There are also many excellent fast food places (though mostly in the larger cities).

Drink

Alcohol

Namibia has a strong German brewing tradition and has several very good beers. Tafel Lager, Windhoek Lager and Hansa Draught being the favorites Namibians are very proud of their beer and will ask visitors what they think of it at every occasion.

Most of the available wine is imported from South Africa and many of these wines are at least as good as the best that Australia or California has to offer, at very reasonable prices. A good bottle of vintage estate wine costs about N$80 at a bottle store.

Soft Drinks

A large selection of canned and bottled soft drinks, fruit juice, energy drinks and bottled water is available ice cold from just about anywhere. A can of Coke costs about N$5.

Water

Namibia's tap water is generally safe to drink, although it may taste a bit metallic if it has been piped from far away. Natural sources should be purified, though water from underground springs and dry riverbeds seldom causes any problems.

Crime:

A reasonable amount of vigilence should ensure that your trip goes smoothly. Crime is not unknown in Namibia, but to a large extent, it is nowhere as big a broblem as in, for example, any big city in Europe or the United States. Murder and other forms of violent crime is relatively rare and the biggest thing one should be on the look-out for is simple and unsophisticated theft (smash-and-grab, etc). Try not to look too much like a tourist or a soft target and don't carry too much cash on you.

Above all: Enjoy your trip!!