Tips and travel information Namibia.

Is it winter in Europe — is it summer in Namibia, etc. Accordingly, the days are shorter or longer. Central Europe and Namibia are basically located in neighboring time zones, but these change depending on the season. Namibia also has summer and winter time, but their transition is different from ours. Summer time (Central Africa Time): GMT + 2 hours from the 1st Sunday in September to the 1st Sunday in April. Winter time (West Africa Time): GMT + 1 hour from the 1st Sunday in April to the 1st Sunday in September.

The official language is English. 80% of the population speaks Oshiwambo, Otjiherero or another African language. There is also a lot of Afrikaans and German spoken.

The public transportation Namibia is geared to the needs of the population and is limited to the main roads between major metropolitan areas. There is only inner-city public transport in Windhoek. Although cheap and reliable, this is of little use to the traveller as most of Namibia's tourist attractions are off the beaten track. Some private companies offer connections between Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Victoria Falls (border area Zimbabwe and Zambia) and Cape Town (South Africa), with stops in smaller towns. The state-owned railway company TransNamib only plays a small role in public transport. Progress is slow (mostly overnight) and travel destinations are limited. One of the possible routes is from Windhoek via Swakopmund to Walvis Bay. The journey takes around 12 hours.

There are big airlinesthat fly to Windhoek and Swakopmund. Other destinations can be reached by car or charter flight.

Motoring

In Namibia, you drive on the left side. The roads are generally in fairly good condition, even though only less than 15% are asphalted. The vast majority of roads (called 'pads') are gravel roads or sandy roads. If you don't need a 4x4 drive for the larger roads, we strongly recommend renting a robust car. A Golf or similar vehicle is okay in the Windhoek area, but is also unsuitable for a joyful self-drive holiday. Unfortunately, there are a fairly high number of accidents in Namibia, which usually do not involve third-party vehicles, but are due to an inadequate speed. The gravel roads in good condition in particular are dangerous, as you tend to drive too fast here. Always stay below 80 km/h, obstacles may arise at any time, sand drifts or potholes may occur, animals or people may cross the road, etc. In principle, the traffic regulations are the same as those in Europe. As in some other countries, there is no right to left right of way rule. 4-way stop junctions are popular. All arriving vehicles stop and drive off again in the order they arrived. That works wonderfully! The maximum speed limit on paved national roads is 120 km/h, but often less. However, it is generally recommended not to drive faster than a maximum speed of 100 km/h — it may also be that your landlord prescribes a maximum speed. The speed limit in cities and built-up areas is 60 km/h, unless otherwise signposted. You should plan your routes so that you can reach your stage destination while still bright. We do not recommend driving at night. The roads and vehicles are often poorly lit and pasture and wild animals often roam around on the roads. You should also avoid driving through townships and taking hitchhikers along. Our recommendation is to carry an international driving license - so you are always on the safe side!

Please also note that Namibia often has poor mobile phone coverage outside the capital cities and that gas stations, which only accept cash, are far apart. This is how good advance planning should be made.

In urban areas, there are many gas stations that are often open 24 hours a day and also accept credit cards. In rural regions, this network is becoming significantly thinner and you should pay attention to your gas levels and refuel earlier than you might be used to. Here, gas stations often have limited opening hours and you often have to pay in cash. Refueling is usually carried out by personnel, who often also clean windows and check air pressure and oil if necessary. The gas station attendant is very happy to receive a few cents in tip.

As everywhere in the world, many people who have provided you with a service are happy to receive a tip. In the following, we have tried to make a small recommendation, but of course it can only serve as a guide and it depends a lot on the respective situation. It is always advisable to have a few coins or small notes (10 Namibian dollars) in your pocket, which you can then quickly access when needed, without having to pull out your entire wallet. In restaurants, 5% — 10% is usual. With particularly good service, it can also be a bit more, if service is poor, it can be less. When refueling, you should give the gas station attendant 2-3 Namibia dollars if the windows have also been cleaned or the air and oil levels have been checked, a little more. For parking lot attendants, the tip may vary slightly depending on parking time. For short stops (up to approx. 1 hour) 2-3 Namibia dollars, for longer periods of time or good service including entry and expulsion, etc. up to 10 Namibia dollars. In hotels, you should give 5 Namibia dollars to luggage porters. All other tips are usually collected and placed in a box. Chambermaids usually get their tips from this. Depending on the category, you should budget 50 to 80 Namibia dollars. Of course, you can also give employees who were particularly helpful to you a small note at any time. On safaris, there are mostly local recommendations. Here, it is often common to reward your personal driver separately with a tip; all other employees receive their share as a result. Depending on the quality of the service, you can roughly focus on 80-120 Namibia dollars per day, for the ranger and for the community.

Like ours, the power grid is designed for 220/240 volts alternating current. In Namibia, 3-pin plugs (as in South Africa) are used. The corresponding adapters can be purchased in any major supermarket or at many gas stations in the country. In many cases, the accommodations also offer adapters on loan. Larger hotels often already have Euro-standard sockets. Some guest farms and lodges are not connected to the public power grid and therefore produce their own electricity using generators. This may not be available at full power around the clock. However, it is usually sufficient to charge the batteries of the camera, mobile phone, etc.

In Namibia, you pay with the Namibian dollar. 1 Namibian dollar is equal to 100 cents and has an “NAD” as its currency symbol. The currency is tied to the South African rand and is therefore the same. One Namibian dollar is equivalent to one rand. You can pay anywhere with South African notes and coins. But it doesn't work the other way around, Namibian dollars are not valid in South Africa. Payment with credit cards (MasterCard and Visa) is now widespread and is also often used for small amounts. In rural areas and markets, you generally have to pay with cash. You can get this at currency exchange offices, banks or, most easily, at ATMs. At most ATMs (“ATMs”), you can get cash with your Maestro card or credit card. Please check with your issuing bank for the fees. At Hosea Kutako International Airport Windhoek, there are several currency exchange offices and ATMs in the public area.

Namibia has leisure activities for all ages. Sporty travelers can, for example, choose from balloon rides, boat trips, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, surfing, bike tours, paragliding, dolphin watching, wildlife viewing, quad biking, sightseeing flights in light aircraft and helicopters, golfing and much more.

There is no visa requirement for tourists from Germany - as long as their stay does not exceed 90 days per calendar year and you do not take up any activity. The passport must only be valid for six months beyond the return date. Children, regardless of age, need their own travel documents and entries in their parents' passports are no longer accepted! It is currently common practice at Namibian border control posts to check the custody situation when minor children enter and leave. In addition to their passport, persons under 18 years of age must be able to present a birth certificate that lists their parents. In order to avoid difficulties when entering and leaving the country, it is therefore recommended to carry international birth certificates or, if applicable, certified English translations. It is recommended to provide explanations, certificates or translations in English. Short-term changes to the provisions or divergent interpretations by individual services cannot be ruled out. Detailed and binding information can be obtained from the Namibian diplomatic mission responsible for your place of residence. (As of this information: November 2017) In all other cases, a visa is required, which must be applied for at the Embassy of Namibia: Embassy of the Republic of Namibia, Reichsstraße 17, 14052 Berlin, Tel.: 030/25 40 95 0, Fax: 030/25 40 95 55, www.namibia-botschaft.de. If your purpose of travel is other than a pure tourist visit, please contact the consulate in advance. If you have a nationality other than the German one, please let us know your nationality when making your enquiry or booking so that we can inform you about the relevant entry requirements. Thank you so much!

The medical care It is excellent in large and small cities, especially in the capital Windhoek. There are several private clinics that have an international standard. Most remote towns have a small hospital or a first aid clinic. They are all on the first page of the local telephone directory under 'Emergency Services. ' Doctors are listed in the Orange Pages under 'Classified Medical Listings (divided by medical specialty). Alternatively, you can ask your property manager what he/she recommends. Since Namibia is sparsely populated and the distances between towns and villages are large, remember that it sometimes takes a whole day to get to a doctor or hospital.

There are no mandatory vaccinations by travelers from Europe. If you are travelling from a country where yellow fever vaccinations are mandatory, proof of immunization is required. Please ask your doctor if you need to freshen up your polio, diphtheria, and tetanus vaccinations. It is also recommended to take precautionary measures against hepatitis A and B. Since Namibia does not have many stagnant bodies of water, the risk of malaria transmission in most parts of the country is minimal or limited to a specific time of year. Risky areas are the river meadows in the north, northwest and northeast. If you want to travel there, you should take precautionary measures throughout the year. Kaokoveld, Etosha National Park, the Otavi Mountains and the East, including Bushmanland, are medium-risk areas. During the rainy season, it is highly recommended to take precautionary measures (November to April). The risk in the area between Otjiwarongo and Windhoek is low. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't use mosquito repellent. The coast, the Namib Desert and the south are considered almost risk-free.

In almost all places, this is water Excellent from the rooster, although the taste can be very different. Sometimes you certainly want to use bottled water to make coffee or tea. The water from the boreholes of farms and lodges usually has a wonderfully pure taste. However, water from stagnant water should always be boiled or treated with cleaning tablets.

The climate in the different regions of the country is just as varied as Namibia's geography. Namibia is located in the subtropics, there is a long dry season (during our summers) and a short rainy season between November and April. In general, Namibia is very dry and the temperatures are pleasant.

An der Atlantic coast The Benguela current strongly cools the air, which leads to regular thick fog near the ground. The sun usually fights its way through the morning hours and dissolves the fog, but there can also be cloudy days. A few kilometers inland, the sky is usually blue again. The temperatures on the Atlantic coast are pleasantly cool in summer and winter.

Im west And the midst Namibia's climate is determined by the Namib Desert. Rainfall is really rare here and there is a strong but warm wind all year round. In summer, this region has an extreme climate: Temperatures often rise to 40°C and it can rain more frequently. But even in the winter months, temperatures of around 25°C can easily be reached here. However, it can get very cold at night (especially when camping).

Tropical climate with very high humidity prevails in Caprivi stripes, in the extreme northeast of the country, the only region in Namibia that is exposed to regular rainfall. As a result, there is an extensive river system and a densely vegetated jungle here.

With an average of 300 sunny days a year, Namibia is a year-round destination. The months are a good time to travel April to June. Now the daytime temperatures are not too hot and at night the temperatures drop so that it is pleasantly cool.

Even during the dry winter months of July to early October is Namibia a recommended travel destination. With an average temperature of 20°C, it is still pleasantly warm. At night, however, temperatures can drop significantly, sometimes even to freezing point. However, this time of year is particularly favourable for wildlife viewing: The land has dried up and the animals gather around the few existing waterholes.

In the summer months of December to March There are extremely hot temperatures. In the Namib Desert in particular, temperatures rise more frequently to 40°C during this period. Severe thunderstorms and rainfall can also occur and make roads impassable. During this time, it is more pleasant in cooler coastal towns such as Swakopmund or in the center of the country, which has a more pleasant climate due to the altitude.

It is strongly recommended to take out foreign health insurance, which also covers repatriation to your home country. We offer you appropriate insurance through our partner Travelsecure.de.

As in other African countries, Namibia also has problems with crime. But here too, if you follow a few rules, the risk is drastically reduced. The Federal Foreign Office provides information on the current situation on its website (www.auswaertiges-amt.de) and we strongly recommend that you check here before departure. In principle, you should be particularly careful in the centre of Windhoek after business hours, on Sundays and public holidays and after sunset. Townships should only be visited as part of an organized tour. If you are traveling with your rental car, pay particular attention to closed windows and locked doors at intersections. Of course, you must never leave valuables uncovered (not even while driving). In addition, avoid driving over land after dark.

Despite the sometimes quite harsh conditions in Namibia's unique landscape, there is an unbelievable variety of animals and plants. All have adapted and are enchanted by the abundance and biodiversity of the animal world: from large wild animals such as lions, leopards and cheetahs, to elephants, rhinos and giraffes, and to a number of smaller wild animals such as a variety of antelopes such as oryx, the national animal of Namibia. Visitors should be able to experience these animals up close. Thanks to the state's conservation efforts and the extensive network of national parks and nature reserves, this is impressively made possible. Namibia's history has to do with its wildlife from start to finish. It is best told in the country's many national parks and nature reserves. Hundreds of mammal species roam freely here, so there are countless opportunities to discover wild animals in the various landscapes. In Etosha National Park, herds of zebras, striped wildebeest, springboks, oryx antelopes, as well as cow antelopes, mountain zebras, lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and rhinos are concentrated around the waterholes. Her silhouettes stand out majestically against the bright white background of the huge salt pan. These served as a breeding ground for countless flamingos and is also home to 35 different bird of prey species, such as the eared vulture and caped vulture. Endangered animal species such as various antelope and buffalo species as well as the white rhinoceros are protected on the Waterberg Plateau. Cape Cross on the Skeleton Coast is one of the largest seal sanctuaries in the world. The lush Kavango & Zambezi region is home to exotic forks, pygmy geese and bluefoot chickens. In the desert regions, you can find huge nests in trees and on telephone poles — these are the homes of the settler weaver. Due to regional climate differences within the country, Namibia has a wide variety of plant species — from desert and semi-desert vegetation to subtropical flora. Particularly noteworthy are the coker boom or quiver tree and the Welwitschia plant, one of the oldest known plants of all. It is adapted to the desert and absorbs moisture from the fog via its special leaf structure. It grows flat on the ground and only has two leaves on its thick trunk. These leaves continue to grow steadily over the long life of the plant. Her age is difficult to determine, but it is assumed that she can live up to 1500 years or more.