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1. Do you require
a passport and / or visa to enter Namibia? |
| Yes you require
a passport and a visa to enter Namibia. All foreign
nationals must in possession of a passport that is
valid for at least six months after the date of
entry. All visitors require a visa except nationals
of the countries with which Namibia has the
necessary visa agreement. No visas are required from
countries that have the necessary visa agreement
with Namibia. Tourist visas can be obtained from the
Ministry of Home Affairs and Namibian embassies
abroad. Please see visas under travelling on the
website… |
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2. What is required at the
border when driving to Namibia from South Africa as
well as border post times? |
| A passport that
is valid for six months after date of entry is
required. There is also cross border charges (CBC)
or entry fees to pay when entering Namibia from
neighbouring countries. All foreign registered
vehicles entering the country must pay an amount of
N$120.00 per vehicle and N$80.00 per trailer. You
need a sticker that identifies the country you
coming from. South African citizens do not need a
visa. The times for the border posts vary. |
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Namibia / South Africa
Ariamsvlei: open 24hrs
Noordoewer: open 24hrs
Oranjemund / Alexander Bay: 06H00-22H00
Rietfontein: 08H00 – 16H30
Hohlweg: 08H00 – 16H30
Vioolsdrift / Onseepskans: 08H00 – 17H00
Namibia / Botswana
Impalila Island: 07H00 – 18H00
Ngoma Bridge: 07H00 – 18H00
Muhembo/ Shakawe: 06H00 – 18H00
Skilpadnek:07H00 - 21H00
Buitepos / Mamuno: 07H00 – 24H00
Namibia / Angola
Ruacana: 08H00 – 18H00
Omahenene: 08H00 – 18H00
Oshikango: 08H00 – 18H00
Rundu: 08H00 – 18H00
Namibia / Zambia
Wanele / Sesheke: 06H00 – 18H00 |
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3. How do I get
from the airport? |
There are car
rental companies operating from the airport. They
are registered private transfer operators that
transport passengers in and around Windhoek city and
to the Hosea Kutako
International Airport and
Eros Airport.
You can also request DeoVilla to assist you in this
regard in either arranging the shuttle service or
whatever most appropriate for the situation at that
stage. |
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4. What is the
public transport like? |
| There are regular transport
services in the city. Shuttle operators are
recommended as a means of transport for tourists
because they are registered with
Namibia Tourism Board
(NTB) and are insured for the safety of the
passengers. Car rental is the most popular form of
transport for visitors to Namibia; car rental
operators are available in all major -0pcenters. |
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5. What train
services operate into and around Namibia? |
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There are
several trains that regularly visit Namibia from
South Africa. These are luxurious trains such as the
Shongololo Express, Bushveld Train Safaris
and the Rovos Rail
these operators visit the country on scheduled
itineraries. Namibia also has its own luxurious
train known as the Desert Express. The train is
owned by Trans Namib Holdings Ltd. It offers
overnight scenic drives between Windhoek and
Swakopmund, stopping along the way for excursions.
The train also goes to northern and southern
Namibia. There is also
Omugulu Gwombashe Star is also a luxury train
that goes from Windhoek to Oshivelo in Northern
Namibia. |
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6. Are there
regular bus services? |
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The
Intercape Mainliner
bus service runs between major towns in Namibia. It
connects with
Johannesburg, Cape Town and other towns and
cities in South Africa. The bus service also travels
between Windhoek and Victoria Falls, Livingstone and
Chobe National Park. |
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7. Road and safety
conditions; are places easy to get to / clearly
signposted, distances and time of travel? |
In Namibia we
drive on the left hand side of the road. A driver’s
license is needed to drive on Namibian roads. All
passengers in the car must wear seatbelts. The road
network in Namibia is made up of tarred road, gravel
road and sand road. The speed limit in urban areas
is 60km/h, on tarred roads outside urban areas is
120km/h and on gravel roads outside urban areas is
100km/h. Gravel roads can be unpredictable. Do not
drive too fast; it is easy to lose control of your
vehicle.
Places are easy to get to because the roads are
clearly marked. Places are far from each other
because Namibia is a vast country. Along most of the
roads sign boards are displayed with information.
The distances between towns are clearly marked along
the road. Please avoid travelling during the night.
Wildlife is mostly active during the night, and the
possibility of an accident is increased. |
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8. Do we need an
international driver’s license for Namibia / can I
use my EU driver’s license in Namibia? |
| Tourist
travelling to Namibia can use their driver’s license
as long as they comply with the rules of the
national roads of the country. The car rental
companies may require international driving license,
because the language use on the license is not
English. It also depends from company to company. |
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| It is highly
recommended to use a 4x4 vehicle when you are
driving on gravel road. 4x4 are recommended because
of their height and durability. The vehicle will not
be damaged by lose stones on the road. Sedan cars
get stuck easily in sand roads; it is better and
safe to use 4x4 vehicles, however major national
gravel roads can be navigated by sedan but it is
slow paced and hard driving. Please insist on an
instruction from the car rental company on the
off-road mechanics of the vehicle and driving and
recovery techniques. |
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10. Petrol stations and
cards and where they can be used? |
| Shell Service
Stations uses D-Card. Most of the other petrol
stations use fuel cards. It is always better to ask
the petrol station attendant whether they accept
cards or cash before your vehicle is refueled. |
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11. What are the entry
permit requirements for the various parks across
Namibia? |
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All
National Park’s in Namibia issue the relevant
permits upon arrival at the park gates, fees and
requirements only differ at a few parks. |
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The
following are strictly prohibited in all parks:
pets, motorcycles, persons travelling on open
vehicles or open loading bays, hitch hikers, leaving
indicated roads, leaving the vehicle, pellets guns,
catapults or unsealed firearms, disturbance of game. |
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The
Kuadom National Park requires visitors to be in a
convoy of two or more vehicles and only one vehicle
of the convoy may tow a trailer. |
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12. When do I need a permit
to enter National Parks and should it be booked in
advance? |
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Booking in
advance will secure peace of mind knowing that all
formalities is taken care of, normal entry permits
is available at park gates, any other special
permits for hiking est., must be pre-arranged at the
Namibia Wildlife Resorts ( NWR) All
National parks
require some form of permit. |
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Please visit:
www.nwr.com.na or
www.met.gov.na |
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13. I have not received
feedback from NWR on my booking - what must I do
now? Is it normal that it takes so long? |
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NWR
do have large amounts of bookings weekly, if
response are perceived as delayed please contact the
NWR offices directly or request confirmation via
their website’s online booking office. |
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14. Where do I get the
permits for the Fish River Canyon hiking trail? |
| Namibia
Wildlife Resorts Central Reservations |
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Namibia Wildlife
Resorts Ltd
Private Bag 13378
Windhoek
Namibia
Tel: (061) 285 7200 or (061) 285 7000
Website:
www.nwr.com.na
Namibia Wildlife Resorts Ltd
P.O. Box 739
Cape Town 8000
South Africa
Tel: +272 1422 3761
Fax: +272 1422 5148
E-mail:
ct.bookings@nwr.com.na
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15. Can you advise the
Fishing and hunting regulations and seasons? |
15.1. Hunting Regulations:
Namibian Professional Hunters Association:
www.natron.net/napha/ |
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Hunting
season
The trophy hunting season stretches from 1st
February to 30th November. During December and
January the hunting season is closed to trophy
hunting. February may still fall within the rainy
season and November may still be too hot. |
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| Hunting Guides |
Hunting
shall be conducted exclusively in company of a
registered hunting guide, master hunting guide or
professional hunter.
Hunting guides
(HG) may only conduct hunts on their own farm(s),
duly registered as a hunting farm(s).
Master hunting
guides (MHG) may
only conduct hunts on their own farm(s) duly
registered, plus two additional duly registered
hunting farms.
Professional
hunters (PH) may
conduct hunts on all farms, provided they have
written permission from the owner of the property
independent of whether the farm is registered or
not.
P H with big-game
license. Only these
PH's may conduct hunts with guests for elephant,
rhinoceros, buffalo and lion.
Bow hunting.
Only hunting guides/ master hunting guides/
professional hunters in possession of a valid bow
hunting license may conduct bow hunting and guide
bow hunters. |
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| Hunting permits |
| A hunt shall
only commence if the HG / MHG / PH has obtained a
valid hunting permit (trophy hunting permit) from
Nature Conservation prior to the start of the hunt.
For cheetah and leopard an additional hunting permit
has to be obtained prior to the start of the hunt. |
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| Wing shooting |
| A hunter may
take no more than two members of the permitted bird
species during the hunt, which will be listed in the
trophy permit. During the official "wing shooting
season" more of each species is allowed. |
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| Hunting clients |
| A hunting
guide, master hunting guide or professional hunter
shall accompany only two hunters to hunt
simultaneously. |
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| Firearms |
Smallest
calibre 7 mm.
Minimum energy (EO - muzzle velocity): 1350 Joule
for springbuck, duiker etc.
2700 Joule for hartebeest, wildebeest, kudu,
gemsbok, eland etc.
5400 Joule for buffalo, elephant, rhino etc.
No solid point cartridge is allowed to be used on
antelope or any other species.
Handguns and automatic
weapons are prohibited. !! |
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| Bow hunting |
A Hunting
Guide, Master Hunting Guide or Professional Hunter
with additional qualifications for bow hunting must
guide trophy hunters. Bow-hunting for trophies may
only take place on game farms and areas which are
registered for this purpose with the Ministry of
Environment and Tourism. Hunting permits for various
game species must be organized by the outfitter.
Bow energy is specified as follows:
Small Game -25 ft/lb
Medium Game -40 ft/lb
Large Game -65 ft/lb. |
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| Trophies |
A hunting guest
may only take two animals of a kind each year,
irrespective if the trophies are exported or not.
All Trophies must attain the minimum points of
trophy quality. |
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| 15.2. Fishing
Regulations: |
Temporary
fishing permits can be obtained at any local MET or
MFMR offices in the coastal Towns, for further
information please visit:
www.mfmr.gov.na
This section will contain information with regard to
recreational fishing, such as allowable catches,
sizes and locations. |
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| Coastal Angling: |
| A New set of
regulations, made in terms of the new Fisheries Act
(Act 29 of 1992), came into force on 4 January 1993.
Sustainable conservation measures include as
follows: |
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| Prohibited
species: |
| No person shall
pursue, wilfully disturb, catch, shoot, kill or be
in possession of any great white shark, whale,
dolphin, marine turtle or polychaete (bristle) worm.
This means that angling with worms as bait, is now
prohibited. |
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| Trading,
exportation and importation: |
| No person
without a license or permit to catch fish on a
commercial basis or with the written authority of
the Minister shall sell any fish or marine
organisms, including plants, provided that any such
organisms imported into Namibia, may be sold. No
written authority shall be granted in respect of red
bait, coelenterates, limpets, periwinkles, chisons,
bivalves, slugs, hermit crabs, echinoderms and
galjoen. |
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| The written
authority of the Minister is needed to import or
export any live marine organisms. |
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| Prohibited areas
for catching of fish |
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Subject to sub regulation (2), no person shall catch
or disturb any fish or damage the seabed in such a
way that it may be detrimental to the marine life
ecosystem in general, within two nautical miles from
the high water-line in any of the following areas |
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a) |
from the middle of the Kunene River to the southern
bank of the Ugab River excluding the areas described
for fishing; |
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b) |
from concrete beacons marked SV1 (southern border of
Sandwich Harbour) to RL3 (just north of Luderitz); |
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c) |
from concrete
beacons marked P1 (just south of Luderitz) to P2
(just north of Pamona Island); |
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d) |
from the
southern limits of the quay in the harbour of Walvis
Bay, along the coastline to Pelican Point; |
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e) |
The shore of any
of the islands along the Namibian coast. |
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Angling areas
for catching of fish notwithstanding the provisions
of sub regulation (1) Any person may catch or
collect red bait in the following mark areas; |
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a) |
Terrace Bay between concrete beacons marked TB1
situated approximately 5 km north of Terrace Bay and
TB2 situated approximately 25 south of Terrace Bay; |
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b) |
Torra Bay between concrete beacons marked TB3
situated approximately 10km north of Torra Bay and
TB4 situated approximately 10km south of Torra Bay; |
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c) |
From the Ugab
River to Walvis Bay; |
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d) |
From Pelican
Point to Sandwich Harbour ( Sandwich Harbour marked
with concrete beacons, in the south SV1 and in the
north SV2); |
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e) |
From the Agate
beach to Grosse Bucht in the Luderitz area; |
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f) |
From Pamona
Island to the Orange River on the southern border of
Namibia. |
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| 3. |
From any fishing vessel in respect of which a
license or permit has been issued and which
authorizes the catching of small pelagic fish with
purse-seiner nets or rock lobster with traps or
ring-nets or the use of hand lines from such a
vessel, catch fish within two nautical miles at any
place within any area described in sub regulation
(1) but excluding the catching of rock lobster which
areas are described in regulation 19(1) (a) |
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With written
permission of the Minister |
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a) |
harvest or
collect aquatic plants washed up on the shore at any
place within area south of Hottentots Bay. |
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b) |
Remove aquatic plants washed up on the seashore
within the areas jurisdiction of local authorities
of Henties Bay, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Luderitz and
Oranjemund. |
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| General |
| 1. |
Subject to the provisions of sub regulations (2) and
(3), no person shall, except on the authority of the
Minister in the form set out in Annexure K, on any
one day catch or convey or be in possession of any
of the following species of fish in excess of the
number or mass stipulated; |
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Barnacles 5
Black mussels 50
Coelenterates 5
Echinoderms 5
Hermit crab 5
Limpets 15
Mollusks (other black mussel, limpet, periwinkles or
white mussel) 5
Prawns 5
Periwinkles 25
Red bait 2kg without shell
White mussel 25 |
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| 2. |
Sub regulation
(1) shall not |
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a) |
be construed as
prohibiting then conveyance or possession of any
species of fish referred to in that sub regulation
in excess of prescribed maximum quantity, if such
fish
emanated from any catch by any person whoever under
a license or permit or any other authorization
issued or granted under the Act or these
regulations; |
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b) |
Apply where prawns, octopus, squid or whelks are
caught from a fishing vessel in respect of which a
license or permit has been issued. |
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| 2. |
No permit as
contemplated in sub regulation (1) shall be issued
to catch within a distance of two nautical miles
from the high water-line more than the quantity
prescribed by that sub regulation in respect of
limpets, octopods, periwinkles, prawns or white
mussel. |
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| Quantity
limitations: Angling of specific species |
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. |
No
Person shall on any one day catch from the shore or
an angling boat or if for own use, and retain more
than 30 fish in total of one of the following
species: Kabeljou, Steenbras, Dassie, or Galjoen.
Only eight of these may be Galjoen.
In respect of the transporting of the fish,
restrictions as above are the same. If all or any
fish are not whole up to a maximum of 30kg may be
carried of which only 8kg may be Galjoen.
An angler may transport fish on behalf of another
angler as long as that person accompanies him in the
vehicle. In such a case 60 whole fish or 60kg if not
whole may be carried. If all or any of the fish are
on whole the weight may not exceed 60kg. Of the 60
fish carried there may not be more than 16 whole
Galjoen or 16kg if not whole.
Sub regulation (2) and (3) shall not be construed as
prohibiting the transport of a quantity of any of
the species of fish referred to in sub regulations
(1), but excluding gallon, in excess of any quantity
prescribed by those sub regulation, is such fish
emanated from any catch made by any person whoever
under any license or permit or other authorization
issued or granted under the Act or these regulation.
For the purposes of this regulation any fish of
which any one or more of the following parts have
been cut off or removed shall be deemed still to be
in a whole state, namely, the head,
tail, scales or intestines. |
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16. What are the opening
times of Etosha / Sossusvlei? |
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Etosha and
Sossusvlei National Park’s open at sunrise everyday
and close at sunset everyday, Namibia has a
day-light-savings time during winter season, and it
is advisable that visitors confirm the set sunrise
and sunset times during their season of visit.
Sossusvlei:
Overnight and day visitors may only enter between
sunrise and sunset only. The Sesriem Canyon and
Sossusvlei may be visited between sunrise and sunset
only. The distance to Sossusvlei from the Sesriem
camping site is approximately 63km, of which the
last 4km is negotiable by four-wheel-drive vehicles
only.
Etosha:
The park is open throughout the year.
Gates at entry points and the resorts are open from
sunrise to sunset. As the resorts must be reached
before sunset, the necessary traveling times between
resorts and/or gates (speed limit in the park:
60km/h) must be considered. The distance between
Halali and Namutoni or Okaukuejo is in both cases
about 70km. Day visitors have to leave the Park
before sunset. Once having entered the Park, Fees
(not included in the paid-up reservations) must be
paid at Namutoni or Okaukuejo before proceeding
through the Park. |
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17. How dangerous are some
wildlife? |
Wildlife should
be treated with respect at all times even the
smallest wild animal can cause harm when forced into
an defensive situation, below are some of the more
serious species.
Hippopotamus –
hippos are credited with killing more people than
any other African mammal. This is usually by
accident, as they tend to clumsily overturn
riverboats, leaving those thrown overboard to their
mercy. Once thought to be common throughout Africa,
only 170,000 hippos are left and they are now a
protected species.
Crocodile –
although attacks on humans are rare when a croc gets
its teeth into you, you’ll be lucky to live to tell
the tale. They rip your limbs off by clamping them
in their jaws and then twisting and thrashing their
bodies under water. The largest Nile crocodile on
record was shot in 1952 on the Semliki River in
Uganda. It was 6m long and weighed over a tonne.
Snake – snakes are
more frightened of you than you are of them, and
will flee at the mere sound of a footstep. However
there are poisonous snakes in Africa, such as the
vine snake, and there are constricting snakes such
as pythons, although they are more interested in
killing squirrels and monkeys. If you are worried
about snakes the best thing to do is to wear long
trousers tucked into your socks.
Shark – you may not
think so, but Africa has plenty of sharks,
especially the most deadly of them all – the Great
White. Great Whites weigh up to a tonne and mostly
eat seals, although they do sometimes attack people
on the beaches of South Africa. But don’t worry too
much – statistically speaking you is more likely to
be killed by a coconut falling on your head!
Mosquito – by far
the biggest killer in Africa is one of its smallest
animals. The mosquito can pass on yellow fever and
Dengue fever, but it is best known for transmitting
malaria, an extremely unpleasant disease that kills
hundreds of thousands of people in Africa every
year. You must take some form of protection against
mosquitoes, in the form of a net to hang over your
bed, chemical repellent or prescription drugs. Ask
an expert. |
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| Ten things you
never knew about Namibia |
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At
825,000 sq km Namibia is as big as the UK and France
put together.
There are only 1.8million people in Namibia, making
it one of the least densely populated countries on
earth.
Namibia is famous for having the world’s biggest
sand dunes – the monsters at Sossusflei take over an
hour to climb.
Some of Namibia’s desert plants are over 1,000 years
old. Experts think that the Welwitschia could even
be over 2,000 years old.
Although Namibia is rich in gold, diamond and oil
deposits more than half of its people live in
poverty as subsistence farmers.
Namibia used to belong to Germany, which is why so
many places – including the capital Windhoek – have
German names.
Some of the most ancient tribal people on Earth live
in Namibia. The San people, or ‘Bushmen’ are thought
to go back 27,000 years.
The most popular game in Namibia is… football.
Namibia is home to the world’s largest population of
wild cheetah – 12,000.
There is only one place on earth where four
countries meet – a so-called ‘quadripoint’ – the
four counties are Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and …
Namibia. |
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18. Conserving the big cats |
Although
Namibia is home to the largest population of
cheetahs, and the leopard is the most common of the
‘Big Cats’ in Africa, they are both endangered in
Namibia. This is because the land that they like to
hunt on has all been converted into cattle farms,
and the farmers don’t want wild cats on their land –
they mistakenly think they will kill their cattle.
Farms are different in Namibia from what we are used
to in the UK. When we think of a farm we think of a
small collection of fields where crops are grown or
animals graze. But in Africa farms can be so big –
some are as big as Kent – that the land is often
shared with wildlife (or ‘game’). It is quite common
to see giraffe or antelope on farms, and as they do
not pose a threat to the cattle they are left alone.
The problem is that there are 7,000 farms like this
in Namibia, and they take up every inch of habitat
that the cats need to live in. The only spare land
out there is the desert and only a few big mammals
such as the black rhino
and the elephant, and some ancient tribal people,
have learned to adapt to the harsh and arid
conditions.
Big cats are different and farmers don’t like them.
In the 1980s they shot 6,000 cheetahs, and that is
half the population, while in the 1990s they shot
another 3,000, virtually wiping out the entire
species. Many scientists think this was a big
mistake because they are not convinced that cats
pose any real threat to the cattle. Conservationists
claim that the cats have as much right to live there
as the farmers, and could actually bring the farmers
much needed income from increased tourism. The
debate has raged for years, leaving farmers on one
side of the fence and supporters of the cats on the
other. The Namibian government has tried to step in
by protecting the country’s wildlife, but with farms
that big, if you shoot a leopard, no one will ever
know. It’s a sad story, but something is being done
about it. In the 1990s Donna Hanssen and her
brothers bought a huge cattle farm in the middle of
Namibia and converted it into a sanctuary for local
wild cats. Called the Africat Foundation they have
so far saved nearly a thousand cheetah as well as
leopards and lions. The idea is that the foundation
will rescue cats, rehabilitate them and where
possible, return them to the wild. The foundation
also helps to educate local people and farmers,
helping them to understand that these beautiful
animals are worth more to them alive than dead.
A lot of the cats that come to Africat are admitted
because they are orphans – usually a farmer has shot
their mother and has no idea what to do with the
‘cute cubs’. Donna and her team of vets, trackers
and other animal experts give these animals a new
lease on life and help to preserve the wildlife
heritage of Namibia for generations to come. Africat
has a fantastic website and you can visit it at
www.africat.org. |
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19. Where can I eat? |
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Namibia’s rich tapestry of peoples and diverse
cultural expression is manifested in the food. It is
a wonderful mélange of historic influences, cultural
diversity and environment mixed together producing a
delicious assortment of Namibian culinary treats.
Namibian beef is, according to the EU, amongst the
best quality beef in the world, rivaling Argentina.
Thus it stands to reason that Namibian are loyal and
dedicated meat eaters, and why not. When the cattle
are feed the “old fashion way” resulting in healthy
breeding and quality meat…. I say again why not! The
regional Namibian cuisine is as fascinating as the
diverse landscape, equally tantalizing and
fulfilling. Every town boasts a selection of
restaurants, diners, bakeries and delis. For more
info on specific towns please visit:
www.diningoutnamibia.com
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20. What can I do in the
capital? |
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1. Camping
2. Bird Tours
3. Caving
4. Cycling Tours
5. Gaming & Casinos
6. Dance Classes
7. City Tours & Cultural Tours
8. Festivals & Carnivals
9. Shopping & Souvenirs
10. Day Trips
11. Exhibitions and Trade Shows
12. Flights
13. Visit Monuments & Historical Sites
14. Parliament Tours
15. Horse Riding
16. Industrial Tours
17. Hiking Trails
18. Visit the wild cats
19. Art Galleries
20. Sundowners
21. Star Gazing |
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For more info on
the above activities please visit:
www.windhoekcc.org.na |
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21. Is Namibia a
politically safe country |
| Namibia gained
independence on 21 March 1990, the country currently
has its second president residing and celebrating 15
years of independence and political stability as a
democracy. With stable economic growth in all
sectors promoting Namibia as a developing country to
the global economy. |
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22. Do I need malaria
prophylaxes? |
| Sleeping under
a mosquito net when mosquitoes are active at night.
If possible avoid going out between dusk and dawn,
when mosquitoes commonly bite. Wear long sleeved
clothing and trousers. Dark colours attract
mosquitoes. Apply mosquito’s repellents to exposed
skin and clothing. Sleep in rooms with windows and
doors screened with mosquito netting. Visitors
planning to travel to malaria endemic areas should
consult local medical practitioners or pharmacists
before departing for these areas. Always remember:
Namibian medical practitioners and pharmacists are
more familiar and up to date with the latest malaria
treatment, than local doctors in the visitor’s
country of origin. |
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23. What inoculations are
needed? |
| Vaccinations
for yellow fever for people coming from affected
countries, and vaccinations for malaria for people
going to affected places in Namibia. Inoculations
regulations can change at short notice. Please take
medical advice in case of doubt. |
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24. What is the best time
to travel to Namibia? |
Namibia is an
all round destination. Not advice to travel during
the rainy season for visitors determined to view
wildlife.
Summer (October-April) Rainy Season, birding is
recommended for this season.
Winter (May-September), Game viewing is recommended. |
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25. Can I travel
independently or is it better to travel in a group? |
| We encourage
self-drive tours in Namibia but necessary planning,
phoning ahead to destinations, emergency numbers,
safety tips need to be done accordingly. |
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| Strongly
advised to secure availability, ad-hock arrivals at
some places can be accommodated. |
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27. Are credit cards accepted in Namibia? |
| Credit/Debit
cards like American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard
and Visa are accepted. 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 station and shops in remote areas. |
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28. Is the EC Card accepted
in Namibia? |
| The European
Community Credit Card will be accepted at banks in
Namibia if it is a Master, Visa or a Maestro Card. |
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29. Should traveler’s
cheque be issued in US dollars or in Euro? |
| To avoid
additional exchange rate charges, travelers are
advised to take travelers cheques in US dollars or
South African Rand. Visitors from EU countries could
bring Euro and do not need to convert to USD. |
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30. Can we use our cell
phone in Namibia or is it possible to rent a cell
phone or to buy a sim card? |
MTC has
international roaming agreements with more than 218
networks in 102 countries. Visitors from these
countries can use their phones in Namibia. There are
various cell phone shops that rent out cell phones
and also selling sim cards.
Please visit MTC website:
www.mtc.com.na for roaming agreements. |
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31. Is it safe for a woman
to travel alone through Namibia? |
| Yes it is save
for woman to travel alone but it is strongly advice
not to travel of main routes and to isolated areas
without the necessary planning, emergency numbers
and safety tips. |
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32. When are the school
holidays in Namibia? |
| April/May,
August/September, December/January |
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33. What are the plug or
electricity requirements? |
| All electrical
appliances run on 220/240 volts. Outlets are of the
round 3 pin, 15 amps type the same as in South
Africa. Adapters for international plugs are
available in most general stores |
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|
34. What is the currency
and what is best to take |
| The Namibia
dollar and the South African Rand are the only legal
tender in Namibia. The two currencies are on par.
Currencies, travelers and personal cheques can be
converted at any bank or Bureau de Change. The
import of foreign currency is unlimited, provided
declare on arrival. Exports of foreign currency are
unlimited up to amount imported and declared as long
as the departure is within 12 months. |
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35. What are the seasons?
And when is the best time of year to travel? |
Winter
(May to September)
Temperatures in the interior range from 18 degrees
Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius during the day. Below
freezing temperatures and ground frost are common at
night.
Summer (October to
April) Average
interior temperatures range from 20 degrees Celsius
to 34 degrees Celsius during the day. Temperatures
above 40 degrees Celsius are often recorded in the
extreme north and south of the country.
The coast influenced by the cold Benquela current,
boasts a relatively stable range of 15 to 25 degrees
Celsius. Heavy fog is fairly common at night.
Humidity is generally very low in most parts of
Namibia, but it can reach as high as 80% in the
extreme north during summer.
The rainy season is from October to April. The
average annual rainfall varies from less than 50mm
along the coast to 350mm in the central interior and
700mm in the Caprivi.
Late winter beginning summer (June till November) is
the best time to come to Namibia. |
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36. Is leopard permitted to
be hunted by bow? |
| Leopard is
allowed to be hunted in Namibia with a rifle,
however being hunted by a bow is currently still
illegal. |
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37. What are the rifle
requirements when flying with
Air Namibia? |
| When flying
with Air Namibia a rifle case up to 10 kg will be
transported at no additional cost. Kindly ensure
that you are at the check in counter at least 3
hours before time of departure to arrange all
formalities. Separate transportation of weapons and
ammunition by the police and customs officials, will
take place. |
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38. Can I consume alcoholic
beverages when using malaria prophylaxes? |
| Malaria
prophylaxes tends to protect the kidneys against
malaria infection, hence consuming excess alcohol
can cause the body to go into shock, Elderly persons
on prophylaxes are advised not to consume alcohol
especially when flying, as alcohol has a dehydrating
effect on the body. |
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39. How do I know a
transfer operators in Namibia is legally registered? |
| All registered
transfer operators are required to carry a special
license disc in their windshield stating their
legitimacy to transfer visitors. All tourism
operators in Namibia must be registered with the
local tourism board (Namibia Tourism Board) please
refer to the registry. |
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40. When on a self-drive
tour in Namibia - what is the fuel situation? |
| Fuel is
regularly available; however some fuel points
indicated on maps no longer exist and can cause some
confusion. It is generally recommended that you fill
up at every town en-route to your destination as to
insure that you always have ample fuel. |
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41. What is meant by
Namibia being a multiracial destination? |
| Namibia is a
multiracial country as the population accounts
eleven ethnic groups of which the Oshiwambo people
constitute for seventy percent of the nation.
Caucasian Namibian people mainly from Afrikaans,
English and German origin, although there are
smaller groups from Italian, French and Portuguese
origin. All people consider themselves Namibians and
feel offended when termed Europeans. |
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42. What are the
requirements to get married in Namibia for
foreigners? |
| The below
mentioned documents must be submitted to your
Namibian wedding organiser and pastor. Also
important to know by local planners is whether the
wedding will be a religious wedding or only a civil
wedding as to arrange appropriate pastors. |
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•
•
•
•
|
Both passports and copy's of these.
In case you have been married before and divorced:
Final court papers of divorce
In case you have been married before and your spouse
died: Papers to proof death (Death certificate)
Two witnesses (Local operator’s staff is normally
willing to witness). |
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|
| All
technicalities will be arranged in the legal
requirements by your local pastor and wedding
organiser. |
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43. Is it Necessary to book
in advance? |
| By all means.
Your preferred establishment might be fully booked
by the time you wish to overnight there and this can
be prevented by booking in advance. |
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44. What do we do if our
vehicle breaks down? |
Your Vehicle
Rental Company has a 24hour emergency number which
you can call at all times.
Should you have no cell phone coverage, many roads
driven by tourists are often used by other road
users who can always lend you a hand. In the worst
case scenario, should you not arrive at the lodge
were you were expected by sunset, the lodge
management usually alarms your tour operator who
checks with the establishment were you overnight'd
the previous evening. Some of the lodges send out
vehicles which go and look for you on the road that
you would be expected to drive on. Always ensure
that you have some food and enough water especially
set aside for such emergencies. It is advisable to
phone ahead to your next destination informing them
on your route and approximate time of arrival. At
all times do not walk away from your vehicle as your
vehicle will always provide you with resources for
survival, and it is easier to spot a vehicle than
people, if a search party needs to be send out. |
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45. What is the right
procedure to handle traffic and general fines in
Namibia? |
| Namibia has a
government protocol that, like many western
countries, does not allow people being on the spot
when offending traffic rules. The police officer
finding you guilty of an offence has to issue a
written summons. You need to take this paper to the
nearest magistrate’s office or (police station in
some case) and pay your fine. Make sure you get a
receipt for payment made. NEVER pay a fine on the
spot unless, you are assured that a receipt will be
issued, such as at a mobile magistrate at a routine
roadblock. |
