A Guide to Visiting Namibia
Nestled in southwestern Africa, Namibia is renowned for its well-developed infrastructure, exceptional tourist facilities, and a breathtaking array of natural wonders. Visitors can explore the capital city of Windhoek and the coastal town of Swakopmund, where German influence is evident in the architecture, culture, cuisine, and annual Oktoberfest celebrations.
To truly experience Namibia, venture beyond the cities to discover its remarkable landscapes. Highlights include the stunning Fish River Canyon, wildlife-rich Etosha National Park, the hauntingly beautiful Kalahari Desert, and the vast Namib Desert, which stretches over 2,000 kilometers along the Atlantic coast. Namibia is an ideal destination for travelers seeking an unforgettable African adventure in a uniquely beautiful, untamed wilderness.
Quick Facts for Traveling to Namibia
• Currency: Namibian Dollar (NAD), often accepted interchangeably with the South African Rand (ZAR).
• Plug Sockets: Type D and M; Voltage: 220-240V; Frequency: 50Hz.
• Main Airports: Hosea Kutako International Airport (Windhoek), Walvis Bay Airport, and Eros Airport (Windhoek).
• Language: English is the official language. Afrikaans and German are also widely spoken, along with numerous indigenous languages.
The iconic red dunes of Namibis © Namibian Tourist Board
When to Visit Namibia
Namibia enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year, making it a great destination anytime! Here’s a quick look at what to expect in each season:
• Summer (January - March): Hot and fairly damp with temperatures between 25-35°C (77-95°F) during the day, and 10-20°C (50-68°F) at night. Expect blue skies in the morning, clouds by early afternoon, and occasional afternoon tropical storms. Spectacular storms and a fresh, vibrant landscape are highlights.
• Autumn (April - May): The rainy season ends, bringing sunny days and a lush, green landscape from the recent rains. This is perfect for enjoying the verdant scenery.
• Winter (June - August): Mild and dry weather with temperatures ranging from 15-25°C (59-77°F) during the day and 0-10°C (32-50°F) at night. Warm days, cool nights, and minimal clouds make for spectacular sunsets and ideal daytime activities.
• Spring (September): Dry and getting warmer with vegetation fading and heat beginning to return. This is a great time for wildlife spotting as animals gather around water sources.
Top Tip: No matter when you visit, don’t forget your sunscreen! Even in winter, the sun can be strong enough to cause sunburn.
Visas & Entry Requirements for Namibia
To enter Namibia, foreign nationals need a passport valid for at least six months beyond the entry date, with a minimum of six blank pages. A visa is necessary unless you’re from a country with a visa abolition agreement with Namibia. Here are some key points:
• South African Passport Holders: No visa needed for bona fide tourists; other purposes require a visa.
• Tourist Stay: Up to 90 days, at the discretion of immigration authorities.
• Visa Application: Available at Namibian embassies, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the NTB office in Cape Town. Not available at entry points.
• Visa Extensions: Can be requested at any Home Affairs Office, with applicable fees.
• Employment & Study Permits: Must be obtained prior to entry if you plan to work or study.
Check that your visa matches your intended stay duration. Remember, tourist visas don’t allow for employment.
How to Travel Within Namibia
Traveling through Namibia offers a variety of exciting options:
• Scheduled Tours: Luxury coaches or microbuses.
• Train: Scenic rail journeys.
• Fly-in Safaris: Quick and convenient.
• Self-Drive Tours: Flexibility and adventure.
• 4x4 Camping Trips: Off-the-beaten-track experiences.
• Specialized Tours: Tailor-made for bird-watchers, geologists, anglers, ethnologists, photographers, and more.
Self-Drive
Self-drive trips are perfect for those who love flexibility and exploring off the beaten path. Here’s what you need:
• A reliable vehicle.
• International driver’s license.
• A good map.
• A sense of adventure.
Namibia’s well-maintained roads, friendly people, and wide range of accommodations (from campsites to luxury lodges) make self-driving easy. English is the official language, so communication is straightforward for North Americans and most Europeans.
Group Tours
Guided group tours are great for those who prefer someone else handling logistics like route planning, driving, and accommodations. Ideal for single travelers looking for companionship, these tours range in price and focus. Some provide local insights without extensive research, while others offer specialized knowledge of specific areas.
If you are looking to join a group tour, check out Walking Wild Africa’s amazing women’s only Walking Wild Namibia adventure.
Fly-Ins
Perfect for travelers with a flexible budget and limited time, fly-in safaris use small private charter flights to reach all parts of Namibia, including remote areas like the Skeleton Coast. Fly-ins can be combined with overland trips for a comprehensive experience. Popular destinations include Sossusvlei’s iconic dunes and Himba villages in the northwest.
Companies Offering Personalized Fly-In Safaris:
• Skeleton Coast Fly-In Safaris.
• Wings Over Africa.
• Desert Air.
• Wilderness Air.
• African Profile Safaris.
• Scenic Air.
Explore Namibia your way and make the most of your adventure!
Join a group safari adventure to Namibia with Walking Wild Africa
Family Friendly Destination
Did you know that Namibia is considered the safest country in Africa? In fact, its safety is on par with that of Europe. With its secure environment, incredible wildlife, numerous adventures, and child-friendly lodges, Namibia makes for an ideal family destination.
Etosha National Park
Situated in northwest Namibia, Etosha National Park offers a premier game-viewing experience. The park’s diverse vegetation ranges from dense bush to open plains, attracting a wide variety of wildlife. At the heart of the park lies the Etosha Pan, a shallow depression covering 5,000 square kilometers. While dry and shimmering for most of the year, the pan fills with water after seasonal rains, creating an ideal habitat for wildlife. During the dry season, animals are drawn to the perennial springs and waterholes, making for excellent game-viewing. Visitors can expect to see a variety of large mammals, including lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, zebras, and giraffes, as well as diverse birdlife such as flamingos and pelicans.
Namibia offers unique and world-class safari experiences, featuring the highest cheetah populations in the world, the elusive desert-adapted elephant, and all of Africa’s iconic animals. Along with national parks, Namibia is home to several fantastic private game reserves, ensuring an amazing wildlife experience.
The Namib Desert
The world’s oldest desert, the Namib stretches along the entire length of Namibia’s coastline, extending into southern Angola and the northern Cape province of South Africa. Commonly, the Namib refers to the vast sea of sand stretching from Luderitz to Swakopmund. This expansive, breathtakingly beautiful sandy desert features remarkably varied scenery, including the massive red dunes of the world-renowned Sossusvlei, the moonscapes of Namib-Naukluft Park, the stark beauty of the Atlantic coast, and diverse fauna and flora. This windswept, arid, ancient landscape is teeming with desert-adapted wildlife such as endemic chameleons, brown hyenas, gemsbok, jackals, seals along the coastline, and a variety of plant life, including the famous Welwitschia plant, a unique living fossil. Other highlights of the Namib Desert include Fish River Canyon, the ghost town of Kolmanskop, Luderitz, Cape Cross Seal Colony, and the Skeleton Coast.
Damaraland
Known as one of Namibia’s most beautiful regions, Damaraland is a vast desert landscape that is huge, untamed, and ruggedly beautiful. This exceptionally scenic area features open plains, ancient valleys, and spectacular rock formations. Major attractions include the sacred Spitzkoppe, the Brandberg, Twyfelfontein, Vingerklip, and the otherworldly Petrified Forest. Visitors can enjoy dramatic vistas, catch a glimpse of the rare desert-adapted elephant, and stargaze under crystal-clear night skies from one of the many safari camps dotting the region. Popular activities also include guided drives, nature walks, and visiting local communities. Don’t miss the opportunity to view Damaraland’s world-famous ancient rock art.
Sossusvlei
Located in the scenic Namib-Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei is home to the iconic red sand dunes of the Namib Desert. The clear blue skies contrast with the towering red dunes, making this one of Africa’s most scenic natural wonders and a photographer’s paradise. This awe-inspiring destination is perhaps Namibia’s premier attraction, featuring unique dunes that rise to nearly 400 meters, some of the highest in the world. These iconic dunes come alive in the morning and evening light, drawing photography enthusiasts from around the globe. Sossusvlei is also home to a variety of desert wildlife, including oryx, springboks, ostriches, and various reptiles. Visitors can climb Big Daddy, one of Sossusvlei’s tallest dunes, explore Deadvlei, a white salt clay pan dotted with ancient trees, or indulge in scenic flights and hot air ballooning, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime champagne breakfast amidst these stunning dunes.
Swakopmund
Set along Namibia’s spectacular coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide, open avenues, colonial architecture, and surrounding otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbor for German South West Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and offers plenty to keep visitors entertained. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laid-back atmosphere, and cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination. Visitors can enjoy a variety of exciting activities, including quad biking, horse riding, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing, and fantastic desert tours.
Namibian Culture
Namibia is one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries, with approximately 2.3 million people living in a vast area of 824,292 km², which is about twice the size of France. The history of human presence in Namibia dates back to the Stone Age, and today, the country is home to thirteen different ethnic groups, each contributing to its rich cultural mosaic. Visitors traveling through Namibia will encounter a diverse array of languages, cultures, and ways of life.
In June 2007, Twyfelfontein was declared Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site. This area features rock engravings and paintings that serve as silent evidence of its early inhabitants, known to be hunters, including the San people—also referred to as Bushmen—and the Damara. These ancient artworks, which tell stories of bygone eras, can be viewed at Twyfelfontein and other sites throughout Namibia.
A few hundred years ago, herders and farmers from northern Africa joined the San and Damara, and towards the beginning of the 18th century, people from South Africa and European missionaries and traders arrived in Namibia. Today, the far north of the country is home to most of its population, thanks to its perennial rivers and fertile grounds. The capital, Windhoek, with about 400,000 inhabitants, serves as the hub for experiencing city life in Namibia.
Walk with the Bushmen when you stay at Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch
Photography in Namibia
Namibia, with its diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife, is a paradise for photographers. From the blazing red dunes of the Namib Desert to the lush green deserts post-thunderstorm, and from the rich wildlife of Etosha National Park to the cultural vibrancy of local tribes like the Himba and San, Namibia offers endless opportunities to capture stunning images. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an enthusiastic amateur, a photography safari here will enhance your portfolio.
Travel options are flexible and cater to different preferences, including self-drive tours on well-maintained roads, light aircraft flights offering aerial views, and boat tours for close encounters with marine life. Key tips include using a good zoom lens for wildlife, shooting during the golden hours of early morning and late afternoon, and always being respectful when photographing people. With its breathtaking scenery and welcoming people, Namibia is truly a dream destination for photographers.
Photographing people in Namibia is a highlight, but it must be done respectfully. Here are some tips:
• It’s illegal to photograph people in uniform unless in a public parade.
• Get to know locals and always ask before taking photos.
• Some people may expect payment, especially those in traditional dress.
• Show digital photos to your subjects and send printed copies if possible.
• When visiting Living Museums or on cultural tours, usually no permission is needed, but it’s best to check with your guide.