Come lose yourself in a land as vast and big as the sky. A place where the mountains are made of sand and the plains stretch to an endless horizon.
Namibia is home to vibrant cities where people are excited about the future, while remaining deeply connected to their rich, cultural past. A stable, democratic government, infrastructure that allows guests to move confidently off the beaten path and endless horizons that beckon you to explore define this country and its people.
The best time to visit is during the cool, dry winter months of May to September.
In summer, November to March, the landscape is verdant green, but expect high temperatures and heavy downpours. Summers here are hot with daily highs of over 28° Celsius (82 ° F) between October and February; evenings are usually cooler. Winter days are milder, with maximum and minimum means of 20 ° C (69 ° F) and 6° C (43° F) in July, but early mornings and evenings are crisp with frost.
Namibia is situated in south-western Africa on the latitude of the tropic of Capricorn. In the north it borders on Angola, in the east on Botswana, in the south on South Africa and in the west on the Atlantic Ocean. The Caprivi, in the far north-east of the country, extends as far east as Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Namibia has a surface area of 823 144 km². It is four times the size of Great Britain, more than twice the size of Germany and larger than Texas.
According to a 1998 estimate, Namibia has a population of 1,8 million, with a population density of 1,7 people per square kilometer, and an annual population growth of 3,1%. The population is heterogeneous, with all eleven population-groups living together peacefully and giving the country a treasure house of diverse cultures.
The largest part of the population lives in rural areas. Windhoek, the capital, is the only city in the country with a population of approximately 250 000. Other bigger towns in the country are Keetmanshoop, Ondangwa, Oshakati, Otjiwarongo, Rehoboth, Rundu, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Tsumeb.
Vaccinations against smallpox, cholera and yellow fever are not required.
However, visitors travelling from or through countries where yellow fever is endemic must be in possession of a valid International Certificate of Vaccination. This requirement does not apply to air travelers in transit.
Please contact your outfitter for further medical details or your local medical practitioner.
No major vaccinations are required.
The Chief Hosea Kutako Airport (Windhoek International Airport), 45 km (28 miles) east of the capital, is the major point of entry into Namibia. There are landing strips throughout the country and air-charter services are available in Windhoek and Swakopmund (coastal town).
Flights from USA
Flights depart on a daily basis from Atlanta, Chicago and New York to Johannesburg. There is also a daily connecting flight between Johannesburg and Windhoek International Airport (Chief Hosea Kutako Airport). Please contact DELTA AIRLINE International flight division for more information.
Flights from Europe
Direct flights are available from Frankfurt (Germany) or London (England) to Windhoek, Namibia. Other destinations in Europe can be routed through Johannesburg where daily connecting flights are available to Windhoek, Namibia. Please contact your travel agent for further details.
Traveling abroad with children
In order to assist travelers to meet the requirements of the laws of some countries of destination, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration strongly advises travelers as follows regarding traveling with children under the age of 18:
1. Travelers should at all times carry unabridged (full) birth certificates of the children, in addition to the children’s passports;
2. Adults traveling with children that are not their biological children should be in possession of an affidavit (sworn statement deposed to before a commissioner of oaths) from the child’s parents consenting that the child may travel with the particular traveler;
3. When a child is traveling with anyone other than his or her own parents, the traveler should have copies of the identity documents/passports of the parents or legal guardians of the child. Contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child should also be at hand.
4. If a child is traveling with only one parent, the other parent should, by way of affidavit, provide consent for the child to travel with the other parent.
5. Where applicable, travelers should be in possession of a death certificate of the other parent registered as a parent of the child on the birth certificate.
6. Any unaccompanied minor may be required to produce:
– Proof of consent from one or both his or her parents or legal guardian, as the case may be, in the form of an affidavit for the child to travel.
– letter from the person who is to receive the child, containing his or her residential address and contact details where the child will be residing;
– a copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child; and
– the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child.
Queries can be forwarded to the Public Relations Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Telephone number: +264 61 292 2169 / +264 81 125 364, E-mail: sakeus.kadhikwa(at)mha.gov.na / sakeus@gmail.
During the day dress is generally casual, but in some of the more sophisticated hotel restaurants and bars, jeans, T-shirts, and slip-slops are not acceptable during the evening when “smart casual” clothes are the norm.
Early mornings and evenings can be cold during the winter months (May to September), so pack warm clothing such as trousers, long-sleeved shirts, a jersey, or an anorak. During the hot summer months (October to April) loose-fitting clothes, a wide-brimmed hat, and a raincoat are essential.
After the rain, temperatures drop by quite a few degrees so include a light jersey for the occasional cool summer evening. Mosquitoes can be troublesome during summer, so remember to pack loose-fitting trousers and long-sleeved shirts to protect your legs and arms during the evenings. Warm clothing is necessary throughout the year along the coast where the fog and a chilly breeze can create unpleasant conditions.
In summer, Namibian Standard Time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and the same as South African Standard Time; in winter, Namibian Standard Time is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and thus one hour behind South African Standard Time.
Summer time commences at 02:00 on the first Sunday of September; wintertime commences on the first Sunday of April.
Etosha´s wildlife is absolutely stunning. Etosha is home to 114 mammalian species including the black-faced impala and the threatened black and white rhino. There are no buffalo, hippo, crocodile or monkeys. However, plains game such as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, springbok, impala and eland abound in great numbers on the grasslands and congregate at waterholes in the dry season. Lions and hyenas must be searched for, but silver-backed jackals trot around almost oblivious to you.
These dunes, part of the Namib Desert, have developed over a period of many millions of years. The result of material flowing from the Orange River dumped into the Atlantic Ocean, carried northward and then returned again to land by the surf. Here the wind continuously shifts the sand further and further inland, reshaping patters in warm tints that contrast vividly with the dazzling white surface of the large deflationary clay pans at their bases. Climbing up one of these dunes provides breathtaking views of the whole area, including Deadvlei, a large ghostly expanse of dried white clay punctuated by skeletons of ancient camelthorn trees, carbon dated between 500-600 years old.
The Fish River Canyon is the second largest natural gorge in the world and the largest in Africa. Set in a harsh, stony plain dotted with drought resistant succulents, such as the distinctive quiver tree or kokerboom, the canyon is a spectacular natural phenomenon. Formed over 500 million years ago, Fish River Canyon was created not only by water erosion, but through the collapse of the valley bottom due to movements in the earth’s crust. It drops vertically by half a kilometer without any warning.
Caprivi is a narrow strip of land in the far northeast of Namibia. About 400 km long, it protrudes from the rest of the country like a finger, owns a very unique history and shares borders with 4 other countries – Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is the wettest region of Namibia by a great margin and consists mostly of extensive wetlands, floodplains, woodlands and rivers, like the Okavango and Zambezi. This habitat sustains a large variety of animal and bird species. Spectacular herds of elephant, buffalo, red lechwe and reedbuck are among the highlights of any game viewing experience.
Camouflaged clothing is permitted only in the hunting field in Namibia!