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Photo: Duwisib Castle on the fringes of the Namib - Hardap Region				*Suggested Safari Itineraries*		<< previous page next >>
Namibia Country & Travel Info			Around Namibia	Namibia Regional	Cross-border Tours	Special Interests
Namibia - *important travel info* - General info on travelling in Namibia - What to pack for a Namibia safari? - Airport transfers on arrival in & departure from Namibia - Money matters ... 2 currencies & more - Driving in Namibia - Tips & Gratuities ... how best to reward good services provided by hospitality staff & tour guides - Safety - do's & don'ts for safe travelling in Namibia (and anywhere else in Southern Africa!) Should you require more specific information or details on topics not covered here, please contact us. Where to stay in Namibia and at travel destinations around neighbouring countries can be found under Recommended Accommodations. Here you'll find info on
			Select your preferred touring style and click the link to find matching travel ideas.
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			*Recommended Camps, Guest Farms, Guesthouses, Hotels & Lodges*
			Namibia	Botswana	South Africa	Zimbabwe

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			Activity & Excursion Options		Van, Sedan, 4x4 & Camper Hire

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Places of Interest around Namibia's Regions			Unique Tours & Safaris, Namibia Contact Heike by Email: info@unique-tours-safaris.com Web: www.unique-tours-safaris.com		P. O. Box 1301 Swakopmund/Namibia Cell: +264-(0)81-2122580 Tel/Fax: +264-(0)64-406313 NTB-Registration: TFA 00107
Complete safari proposals can be found under Suggested Itineraries


		Namibia - country & travel info - IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFO

	General Quick links to other travel info: - What to pack? - Airport transfers - Money matters - Driving in Namibia - Tips & Gratuities - Safety	Namibia is a country of vast expanses that comprise of desert, mountain, savannah and semi-tropical terrains. With a land surface almost as large as that of Central Europe but a small population of just over two million inhabitants, villages are few and far between. Even life in Namibia's handful of larger towns appears to be far more laid back than in any European holiday resort. So be prepared to find re-fuelling and essential shopping facilities at least 250 km apart on average and to often feel like being the only human beings on this planet while travelling and sightseeing in Namibia's countryside. This makes well-prepared travels as much a necessity as touring in a suitable, reliable vehicle yet beyond that there is little to be concerned about. Namibians in their vast majority are friendly and helpful people. If you keep the few safety recommendations in mind that we listed below, you should be able to avoid getting into challenging situations. As in most countries around the world, petty crime is the most common occurrence and born out of 'poverty meeting opportunity'. Not creating such exploitable opportunities usually does the trick. Most of Namibia's overseas visitors will also need some time at the beginning of a tour to get used to an unfamiliar climate and driving not only on the left-hand side but also mostly on gravel roads. Please do yourself a first holiday favour right away: Don't be in too great a hurry to hit the open road, after your arrival in the country! Spending at least one night in the vicinity of your port of entry, - as we suggest in all of our itinerary samples -, is the right thing to do to ensure your personal well-being, if you arrived on a tiring long-haul flight and/or straight from low lying home areas. In Namibia, when arriving at one of Windhoek's airports and for most of your travelling, your body functions need to adjust to an average altitude of +/-1500 metres above sea-level where the air is thinner containing lesser oxygen. In addition, most of the country is desert-dominated, i.e. has got a semi-arid to arid climate, which means in layman terms that water loss through evaporation, also from the human body, is greater than the amount of water that gets naturally replenished. You therefore have to drink a minimum of 2 litres per person per day of non-carbonated (!), non-alcoholic (!), non-sweetened beverages, preferably pure water, which is readily available in bottled, high quality varieties throughout Namibia. Not doing so will have detrimental effects on your health! Luckily too, our air counts amongst the cleanest in the world due to the absence of large industries, and so by drinking enough water and taking it a bit easy in the beginning of a tour, you should soon feel completely in your element. And, yes, Namibia's tap water is fit for human consumption too, in towns and on farmlands almost anywhere, except from the densely populated far northern regions of the country. It often does not smell and taste as nice though as the heavily filtered bottled variety due to high levels of minerals contained in our ground water. Still on the topic of consumption - food! We'd like to sum up the elaborate descriptions of Namibian cuisine elsewhere with the tongue-in-cheek comment: We know far more travellers who gained weight during their trips than those who managed to maintain it. In all sincerity, meals are delicious and of generous portions just about anywhere but since ours is a nation of meat & carbohydrate eaters, with veggies and greens regarded as side dishes rather than main courses, you do have to advise your hosts in advance of any special dietary requirements, which most will happily meet. A word of caution though to all those who are planning to do self-catering for most of their holidays in Namibia: While you will find grocery shops en route around the country, your choices in food stuffs, and especially in fresh produce, are pretty limited in rural areas. So prepare for stocking up in those very few urban centres and, if going camping, consider spending a few extra dollars on a 12-V freezer hired together with your camper vehicle and camping equipment, one that is large enough to accommodate a variety of frozen vegetables and ready-made meals of generally good quality ... the alternative, at day-time temperatures of 25+ degrees Celsius, will be stopping frequently to refill a battery of cooler boxes with comparatively pricy ice cubes. As far as left-hand and gravel road driving in Namibia is concerned, well, any lack of experience in this respect can only be addressed by practice and applying common sense. If you feel too insecure about jumping right in, you could always ask your travel organiser, Unique Tours & Safaris, to include another day or two at one of the places near your port of entry into Namibia that offer driving training in natural surroundings, next to pleasant guest farm or game lodge facilities. For some general advice on driving in Namibia, please see below. Which vehicle to choose for travelling Namibia is covered under vehicle hire. The often asked question about dress code in Namibia is easily answered: There's none, really! Keep it straight-forward and avoid any 'Out of Africa' or 'military' style, if you don't want to be classified and attract attention as tourist right away. Jeans, knee-length shorts and t-shirt or a plain shirt/blouse will do just fine, just about anywhere. More on what to pack for a Namibian safari can be found below. And that's about it already - for the remainder: ENJOY!

	What to pack?	In your suitcase for Namibia belongs only clothing that is comfortable to wear during outdoor activities and while driving in sunny, warm conditions, best from natural materials, not easy to stain or at least easy to clean; choose muted colours for game viewing purposes, and sensible walking shoes that can withstand sand, gravel, rocks and acacia thorns. Sandals are fine for moving about at your overnight places and in town but they too should be able to take some strain. You will also need a sweater OR windbreaker for cooler night times throughout the year, and both during the southern winter, from May to September. In general, prepare to dress in 'onion fashion': As the sun rises to its highest point, you will want to 'peel' off layer by layer, and as the sun sets, you'll be happy to put them on again in reverse order - especially during the Namibian winter, where, in terms of the northern hemisphere, you'll experience 3-4 seasons each day, bar the rain, snow and ice though, of course. But: Leave expensive jewellery and other non-essential valuables at home in order to avoid creating 'temptation'. Any kind of formal wear is unnecessary too, unless you know beforehand that you will be attending a truly formal, black-tie function. If you visit Namibia during the official rainy season, during the summer months November to April, DO NOT bring along, let alone use, an umbrella: For Namibians, this spells bad fortune for the amount of rain we'll receive - we hardly ever get enough as it is! So in case you do experience some rain fall, try not to panic, it will be over soon. Instead, celebrate with us its life-giving powers and the miracle of a tint of fresh green appearing overnight where there was only barren rock or a sea of desert sand the day before.

		Other essentials to pack:		Things you will need too but better buy/ can easily get in Namibia's towns:
		Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your departure date from Namibia and 2-3 empty pages to take immigration stamps. (Check with your travel agent at home, when booking flights, whether visa are required in advance for any country you are going to visit. Nationals of Western European and many other countries will be issues with tourist visa up to 3 months validity, upon arrival. Cash, Visa & Master Cards Quality sunglasses with high UV filter Replacement set of spectacles or contact lenses, if you need to wear any Hat or cap good for protecting eyes & head from the strong African sun Neck scarf for open-vehicle driving Camera, tele & wide-angle lenses and plenty of digital storage or film material Binoculars Prescription medicines in sufficient quantities for the tour duration		Sun protection lotion with high UV filter Malaria prophylaxis, if you forgot to get a prescription from your medic (only required in certain areas and during certain times of the year respectively) Insect repellent lotion or spray (your home products will not do the job as well as local ones, like e.g. Tabbart) Any kind of toiletries and cosmetics that are difficult to transport on flights these days (unless you can only use very specific products) Medicines against cold syndromes, headaches & other common ailments as well as anything else usually found in first-aid kits. Urban pharmacies can often also assist with homeopathic medicines and specialised ones, albeit of different names - so you'll need to know the required components.

	Airport Transfers	Transfers between Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) and accommodation establishments in or around town have to be pre-booked through your Tour Operator, as there is neither public transport in place nor an airport shuttle bus service. The same applies to Windhoek's Eros Airport (ERS), to the Walvis Bay International (WVB) and the Swakopmund Airport (SWP), which all handle regional commercial and charter flights from/to Botswana, South Africa and across the region. Airport transfers have to be pre-arranged in any of the following ways: - Many of the accommodation establishments located within a 50 km radius of any of the above mentioned airports offer transfers at a reduced charge, if you are staying with them for your first or last night in Namibia. - Most vehicle hire companies provide free airport transfers on arrival & departure, if you rented a vehicle for a minimum of 14 days. - Local transfer & touring companies, registered with the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB) and equipped with adequate insurance cover provide airport transfers at a fixed price, which require prior booking too.

	Money Matters	Exchanging your foreign currency is best done within Namibia, as local banks and Bureaus de Change will usually offer a more favourable exchange rate than those in your home country. Exchange rates are also normally better at financial institutions in town than at airports and hotels. Namibia has got two currencies of equal value that both are legal tender: The Namibia Dollar (NAD or N$) and the South African Rand (ZAR or R). This is due to the fact that Namibia remained in the Rand Monetary Union, even after gaining Independence and introducing its own currency, because of its continued dependence on imports of goods from South Africa. The South African Rand is a freely traded currency on world money markets and therefore in a constant balancing act against gold reserves and the US Dollar, while the Namibia Dollar is not - not directly at least, but its value still varies in sync with the South African Rand. So if you do want to exchange travel money already at home, then ask your local bank to organise South African Rand rather than Namibia Dollar - and if you'd like to keep an eye on the Namibia Dollar's exchange rate, simply watch where the South African Rand is going and apply it 1:1. "Plastic money" also known as credit and debit cards are in common use in Namibia, with Visa and Master Cards being the most widely accepted ones. Visitors from the European Union in possession of a Visa accredited bank card for their current account may draw up to N$2000 per day in cash, at designated ATMs found only in larger Namibian towns. Cheques of any origin, - from local, regional and foreign banks -, are hardly accepted anymore in Namibia, due to an insurmountable level of cheque fraud. Card skimming also has become quite a prominent occurrence in the countries of Southern Africa, and visitors as well as locals in Namibia are well advised to keep an eye on their cards when making payments, especially at larger public places, and to inspect ATMs for tell-tale signs prior to using them. In general however, it is still more advisable to pay for goods and services in excess of N$100 in total by card, where possible, than carrying large amounts of cash on tour. Booking and settling most of your travel services through a local tour organiser such as Unique Tours & Safaris will avoid most of the hassles and risks involved in direct payments to individual service providers. Only the self-driving tourist in Namibia will have to set aside a daily allowance of approx. N$500 in cash for re-fuelling the rental vehicle at petrol stations - unless you can present a so-called 'Garage or Petrol Card' issued by one of the Namibian banks, they'll insist on cash only. Customers of Unique Tours & Safaris will receive a list of Namibian towns and villages where ATM and Bureau de Change facilities are in place, with their travel documents.

	Driving in Namibia	Driving in Namibia is on the left-hand side of the road, which also means that vehicles have their steering wheels on the right and that the gear-changing lever is operated with the driver's left hand. Foot pedals and indicator levers as well as instruments in the dashboard are however in the very same locations you are used to from the models of international car manufacturers found in your home country. Speed limits applicable to Namibia - unless otherwise indicated by road signs: 80 km/hr on gravel roads 120 km/hr on general tar roads 60 km/hr in towns, villages and any built-up area Driving overland at night is an absolute 'no-no' in Namibia, except in emergencies! It is therefore very important for self-driving visitors to familiarise themselves with distances between overnight places already while planning a tour in order to avoid night drives or having to rush to reach their day's destination before sunset - for two simple reasons: Namibia has got far more gravel than tar roads, which are very difficult to negotiate in the dark due to an absence of road marks and the likely presence of road corrugation or potholes, AND there are countless wild free-roaming animals that prefer to migrate between farmlands and different parts of our vast nature conservation areas, under the cover of darkness.

	Tips & Gratuities	Rewarding good services received by guides, drivers and pilots, by hotel and restaurant personnel, as well as by service men at petrol stations and by hair dressers, with tips and gratuities is common in Namibia. In fact, the income earnings of many people providing services on a part-time or casual basis depend to a large extent on such freely given rewards. For car guards available at almost any public parking lot and on town centre streets, they are even the only source of income. In Namibia, service charges are never included in restaurant bills. Here are some guidelines on commonly paid tips & gratuities: - Restaurant waiter: 10% of the total bill - Car guard: N$2 for up to 3 hrs during daytimes; N$5 for longer hours & after dark - Hair washer at a hair dresser: N$5 - Service man at a petrol station: N$2 for re-fuelling only; N$5 for also cleaning the windscreen & checking tyre pressure/engine oil/radiator water - Localised guide: N$10 per person - Porter at airport & hotel: N$10 per piece of luggage/per person - Driver/Chauffeur: N$15-20 per day/per person - Tour Guide/Driver-Guide/Pilot: N$30+ per day/per person

	Safety	Observing the following safety recommendations will help to keep you out of harms way throughout your stay in Namibia. Even though Namibia is one of the politically and economically most stabile countries in Africa, a big gap still exists between the have's and the have not's. The rate of unemployment is far greater than in industrialised nations and vast areas of Namibia are still underdeveloped, providing very little opportunity for making a decent living. Please therefore always stay aware how you, the visitor from a far away land, will be perceived by the less fortunate part of Namibia's population - even by the vast majority who would never even consider harming you in any way. • In town, always carry your purse, backpack, handbag and camera in front and keep all compartments closed. Otherwise you will never become aware of pick- pockets tempering with them. • If you make use of an ATM, never let anybody help you with entering your pin or any other detail. Always take your partner with you and rather terminate withdrawing money, if there are one or more unknown individuals crowding you. • Never carry more cash than absolutely necessary. Most curio shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies accept credit card payments. • If you go walking, avoid quiet and gloomy areas, and walking at night at all. • Avoid getting crowded by street vendors selling souvenirs, newspapers, etc. and, if travelling without a guide, do not stop at informal settlements in rural areas. • If you are spoken to and do not trust the person, don't stop walking but proceed calm and confident to enter a shop or bank - seek the company of others. • If cannot avoid getting mugged, do not show any signs of aggression but try to remember particulars of the thief/thieves. Afterwards, report the incident at the nearest public place - chances are that you will find a shop or hotel owner who not only can communicate in English, German and Afrikaans but also knows how to get in touch with the appropriate police unit. • Under no circumstances, stop for hitchhikers or take along an unknown person. Apart from a potential threat to your well-being, your vehicle rental contract and insurance cover will cease immediately. • In case of a breakdown, whether in an urban or rural area, never leave your vehicle unoccupied, as it might quickly be dismantled even if the surroundings seem uninhabited. In rural areas, always stay aware of your approximate geographical position and distance from the last/next inhabited place, and try to find help through cell phone calls first. • Never leave camera, cell phone, purse or any other valuables in the vehicle, if it can be avoided. If you do have to leave valuables in the vehicle, store as many as possible out of sight and make use of guarded parking lots where available. As we pointed out in the general introductions on travelling in Namibia above - avoiding the creation of opportunities that can be exploited by shady or poverty-driven individuals is the key to spending happy holidays in Namibia.

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Last update: August 2011

Namibia Travel Info: What to pack for a safari; Airport transfers; Money matters; Driving in Namibia; Tips and gratuities; Safety