Namibia
With incredible wildlife and extraordinary landscapes, Namibia is definitely one of the most beautiful places to visit. Namibia boasts an impressive 300 days of sunshine each year. This makes it a great destination at any time of year with reliable game viewing regardless of the season. For a small population, Namibia is home to a surprising diversity of languages with English being its official language. Overall making Namibia one of our favourite destinations.
20
national parks
3 Transfrontier parks
17% of all land is protected
Getting There
There are two main routings from London Uk to Namibia.The first is to fly from Heathrow to Johannesburg and then Johannesburg to Windhoek and secondly you can fly Windhoek via Frankfurt. Flights from London Heathrow depart every evening; arriving in Johannesburg the following morning. The connections link through from Johannesburg to Windhoek, arriving around the middle of the day.
Windhoek (WDH)
Germany - Frankfurt (FRA) Windhoek (WDH) 10h20 (non-stop)
Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls (VFA) Windhoek (WDH) 1h35 (non-stop)
South Africa - Johannesburg (JNB) Windhoek (WDH) 2h05
South Africa - Cape Town (CPT) Windhoek (WDH) 2h00
Ethiopia - Addis Ababa (ADD) Windhoek (WDH) 5h50 (non-stop)
Walvis baY
South Africa -Cape Town (CPT)Walvis Bay (WVB)02h10 (non-stop)
South Africa -Johannesburg(JNB)Walvis Bay (WVB)02h15 (non-stop)
Windhoek
Walvis bay
NAMIB DESERT
home to
population
2.448 million +
birds
+/- 680 species
mammals
250 species+
24 indigenous languages
One of the oldest and largest deserts, the Namib stretches inland from the Atlantic Ocean, covering a broad area of Namibia and parts of Angola and South Africa. This arid area surprisingly supports a diverse number of fauna and flora, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Making Namibia a unique destination.
plants
4,200 species, of which 17% are endemic to Namibia
TIME
Namibia is GMT +1 hour, with daylight saving time going forward an hour to GMT +2 from the first Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April.
CURRENCY
The Namibian Dollar is fixed and equal to the South African Rand, which is also an accepted currency. But South Africa doesn’t return the favour, so you can’t spend Namibian Dollars across the border. ATMs are common, and credit and debit cards are widely accepted. Foreign currency can be exchanged at bureaux-de-change, hotels and banks.
WEATHER
Namibia gets very hot, then pretty cold, then very hot again. Windhoek itself doesn’t get the extreme weather of the deserts that cover much of the country, hitting 30°C from October to January and sometimes dipping into single figures in June and July. May to September is the dry period, with December being the wettest month.
ELECTRICITY
Namibia uses the same type of sockets as South Africa, with three fat round pins. Many hotels have installed European or UK-style sockets too, and keep adaptors at reception.
TRANSPORT
The city centre is very walkable, but to reach hotels in the suburb you’ll need to hire a car, call a taxi or try the bus service. It runs on a smart card ticketing system and the timetable is online at www.movewindhoek.com.na
Public transport beyond Windhoek is poor, mainly because this scantily populated country has so few people to transport.
WHY NAMIBIA
Desert
Skeleton Coast
Seal Colony
Wild Animals
frequently asked
questions
Tipping
Tipping for good service is only expected in upmarket tourist establishments but is officially prohibited in national parks and reserves. A service charge is included in many restaurant bills – if not, and the service was satisfactory, a tip of 10% is standard.
For in-depth tipping guidelines, enquire with one of our Africa Safari Experts - they'd be happy to share their knowledge with you.
Best Time to Travel
Soussusvlei safari - May to October (Winter)
Etosha safari - May to October (Winter)
Bird Watching - November to April (Summer Rains)
Climate
Average summer temperatures: 15°C to 40°C
Average winter temperatures: 0°C to 23°C
Rainy season: October/November to April.
What to Pack
Temperatures in Namibia vary depending on the region and season but in general days are hot and nights can be unexpectedly chilly, so layering clothing is your best bet on a Namibia safari. Opt for cool, cotton fabrics in neutral colours for the daytime and a fleece or jacket for morning and evening game drives. Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are a must.
For more information on what to pack, please get hold of one of our safari specialists.
Flights & Getting Around
Hosea Kutako International Airport is Windhoeks major airport, this will most likely be your point of entry, via Namibias international gateway. To get to the further corners of Namibia, charter flights on light aircraft will be utilised through Eros, a smaller secondary airport in Windhoek.
Walvis Bay Airport: located 15km east of Walvis Bay, Namibia's second largest airport is well located for easy access to places such as Swapokmund.
The country's good road system allows many visitors to Namibia to hire a car for a self drive safari. This option makes for independent, flexible travel within the ambit of a pre-planned itinerary.
Visa & Passport Requirements
Every visitor to Namibia must be in possession of a passport that is valid until six months after the initial date of travel; however no visas are required for citizens of the USA, UK, most European countries (including France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland), Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore. Travellers receive entry for 90 days and visas for onward travel can be obtained in Windhoek.
For visitors from other countries, please check with your nearest Namibian Consulate about obtaining a visa.
Ready to Go on Safari?
Get in touch with one of our Experts to help you tailor-make a safari itinerary:
