Namibia Tourist Info
A valid passport is required to enter Namibia.
Visas are needed except for nationals from Angola, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mozambique, the Netherlands, the Nordic Countries, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, South-Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Visas are obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Private Bag 13200, Windhoek, at Namibian Embassies and at Namibia Tourist Offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
All water from taps is purified and visitors need have no hesitation in drinking it. Travelers to the northern parts are advised to take anti-malaria precautions, especially in summer.
What to Pack:
Winter days are mild to warm, so you should bring light summer clothes. Nights can be quite chilly - even in summer at the coast. Warm clothes are thus also necessary. A good pair of sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, a sun hat, swimming costume, camera and flash or video camera are all standard equipment and can be bought in all large centers. All international-standard videotapes are available in Windhoek, as well as one hour film processing services.
Traffic Rules and Regulation:
Remember to drive on the left hand side of the road in Namibia. There is a general speed limit of 120 km/h on open roads (although it is recommended you reduce speed on gravel roads). Safety belts must be worn.
Overseas visitors (not residents of neighboring countries) must be in possession of a valid international drivers license if they plan to hire or drive a vehicle in this country. Road signs are internationally recognized symbols, and road and turnoffs are clearly signposted. Road signs warning against animals, particularly kudu, should be taken seriously, especially at night when they are blinded by headlights.
Car Hire:
Cars and four wheel drive vehicles can be hired in Windhoek, Tsumeb, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, and also at the Windhoek Airport.
Hunting and Hunting Safaris:
While Namibia is a popular area for overseas hunters, hunting laws are very strict, in order to enforce the sustainable utilization of this valuable resource. No one may hunt or kill an animal without permission.
The hunting season is in June and July, and written permission must be obtained from the farm owner, who has the right to decide what may be hunted and what to charge the hunter. Trophy hunters may hunt outside of season, except during January and December, and must have a permit from the directorate of nature Conservation. Residents of Namibia and South-Africa are restricted to normal hunting seasons. Trophy hunters must be accompanied by a professional hunter or a registered guide, and no handgun or bow-hunting is allowed. Custom regulations allow for hunters to bring their own rifles, but no handguns, subject to certain limitations, into the country. These of course must be declared at the airport. Rifles can also be hired in Windhoek.
For more information, contact:
The Namibian Hunting Association
PO Box 11291,
Windhoek
Tel : +264 61 23-4455
Fax : +264 61 22-2567
Accommodation:
Every region described on these pages has a number of guest farms which are ideal for peaceful, relaxing holidays. For details regarding accommodation (hotels, guest farms and rest camps etc.) ask your travel agent for the Namibian Accommodation Guide for Tourists which is a separately published and annually updated guide to these facilities.
Currency:
The unit of currency is the Namibia Dollar (N$) which has the same value as the S.A Rand and is divided into 100 cents. The South-African Rand is still accepted as legal tender in Namibia. Travelers checks are accepted almost everywhere. Those in foreign currencies must be cashed in at banks. In general credit cards are accepted by most hotels as well as in rest-camps of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, where Master, Visa, Diners Club cards, Namibia Dollars and Rand travelers checks and bank guaranteed checks are also acceptable.