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     Republic of Namibia

 
Tips & Hints for Namibia 

Climate
With an average rainfall of 270 mm a year, Namibia is generally considered an arid country.  More than 70 per cent of the country’s rain is recorded between January and April and in general the rainfall, as well as the length of the rainy season, increases from the coast inland and from south to north. 
Rain usually falls in the afternoons as thunderstorms which soon pass over.

The months between May and September are usually considered the best time to visit the interior.  Daytime temperatures are pleasant, but evenings are generally cold.  The following table will give a good idea of temperatures throughout the country.  Do not forget that they are average figures and summer temperatures of over 35C often occur. 

Temperatures along the coast are usually cooler than those of the interior and in summer the coast offers welcome relief from the warm temperatures further inland.   

Credit Cards 
Major credit cards such as Master Card and Visa are accepted throughout the country. However, vendors in remote areas and some service stations only accept cash. 

Currency 
Namibia has its own currency, the Namibian dollar, which is divided into 100 cents.  Notes are available in N$200, N$100, N$50, N$20, and N$10 denominations, while coins are available in N$5, N$1, 50c, 10c, 5c.

The Namibian dollar is on par with the South African Rand, which is also legal tender in Namibia.  The Namibian dollar is, however, not accepted in South Africa and other southern African countries.  It is, therefore, important to convert Namibian dollars to foreign currency before leaving the country. 

Electricity
Electricity of 220 volt AC is supplied and sockets are for round three-pin plugs, 15 amp types.

Health
Although the country is virtually free of tropical diseases, visitors to the northern regions must be aware of Malaria and bilharzias.

Tap water in towns is purified and you need have no hesitation in drinking it.  Water obtained from boreholes is very often brackish and can taste unpleasant, but is by no means a health risk.  However, in rural communal areas caution should be exercised.

Language
English is the official language and travelers should generally have little difficulty communicating, except in some of the remote rural areas.  Prior to independence in 1990, Afrikaans was the official language and it is still the lingua franca; the only exception is the Caprivi Region, where English is spoken.  German is widely spoken in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Lüderitz and some smaller towns.  Oshiwambo is the most widely spoken of Namibia’s indigenous languages. 

Personal Safety
Tourist in any country are a preferred target. Be on the alert for handbag snatchers and pickpockets. Exercise caution by keeping your vehicle locked, never leaving valuables/bags visible in the vehicle, using in towns and leaving cameras, electronic equipment, tickets, passports and excess cash safely at your hotel when sightseeing.
Take out insurance to cover personal effects and medical emergencies.

Posts & Telecommunications
The postal service in Namibia is operated by Nampost, a government owned enterprise, with post offices throughout the country.  Its services are generally efficient and reliable.
Telecommunication services in Namibia are provided by Telecom Namibia, an independent state-owned enterprise with more than 50 offices throughout the country.
Namibia has an excellent telecommunications system, with direct dialing to over 200 international destinations.  The international country code for overseas calls to Namibia is +264, while area codes in the country are preceded by a 0.  When calling from outside Namibia, the 0 of the area code must be submitted.   

Coin- and card-operated public phones are provided at post offices, police stations and public places.  Cards are sold at TeleShops and Nampost offices.
The cellular network is operated by Mobile Telecommunications Ltd (MTC).  The network covers Windhoek and virtually all major towns and their immediate surroundings.  

Public Holidays
The following public holidays are observed in Namibia:

New Year’s Day – 1 January
Independence Day – 21 March
Good Friday – March-April
Easter Monday – March-April
Workers’ Day – 1 May
Cassinga Day – 4 May
Ascension Day – 40 days after Easter
Africa Day – 25 May
Heroes’ Day – 26 August
Human Rights Day – 10 December
Christmas Day – 25 December
Family Day – 26 December 

Time
Namibia introduced differentiated standard times for summer and winter in 1994.  Summer time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +2) and commences at 02:00 in the first Sunday of September, ending at 02:00 on the first Sunday of April the following year.  Winter time is one hour in advance of GMT (GMT + 1) and commences at 02:00 on the first Sunday in April, ending at 02:00 on the first Sunday of September.  Namibian Winter Time is hence one hour behind South African Standard Time.  In the northeast of the country, however, many shops, businesses and offices continue to operate on Namibian Summer Time, as this region lies much further to the east than the rest of the country. 

Water
Water from all taps in Namibia is suitable for drinking.  Water is, however, one of Namibia’s scarcest commodities.  Tourists are earnestly requested to make a meaningful water-saving contribution while in the country.  This can be done by the following simple measures:

Thank you for helping us to conserve our water.

 What to pack
The aforementioned temperature clearly dictate the type of clothing required.  During summer (day and night) light clothing – cotton shirts, shorts or skirts – is necessary.  Long-sleeved shirts and long cotton trousers are a good idea if your skin is sensitive to the sun, and also keep mosquitoes at bay after sunset.  This clothing is also adequate for winter daywear but for early mornings, evenings and nights warm trousers, jerseys, track suits, balaclava, gloves and warm socks should be included. 

Miscellaneous items not to be forgotten include a sunhat, sunscreen cream, insect repellant, sunglasses, binoculars, sturdy walking shoes and a bathing costume.

We wish you a pleasant journey!
 

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