About Namibia

Namibia’s currency is the Namibian Dollar (NAD), and this has been interchangeable with South Africa’s Rand for many years. Note that South African Rand notes can be used in Namibia at face value; whereas in South Africa Namibian Dollar notes are worth fractionally less than Rand notes.

Foreign currency may be exchanged at banks; most shops, hotels and restaurants take credit cards, Visa & MasterCard, although petrol stations require cash. Credit and debit cards can also be used to withdraw cash at bank ATMs.

Namibia is generally a healthy country to visit. Several vaccines are sensible (typhoid, polio and tetanus), though none is required. Malaria is not widespread, but if you are traveling to the north of the country, or from December to March, then take a course of anti-malarial tablets. Always check the latest recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic before you travel.

AIDS is prevalent in Namibia; HIV infection rates are high. For travelers, this is usually not an issue, but they should always be aware of the situation, and take similar precautions to avoid infection which are wise in most countries. Hospitals have been screening their blood supplies carefully for many years.

Partially covered by the Namib Desert, one of the world’s driest deserts, Namibia’s climate is generally very dry and pleasant – it’s fine to visit all year round. Namibia only receives a fraction of the rain experienced by countries further east. Between about December to March some days will be humid and rain may follow, often in localised, afternoon thunderstorms. These are more common in the centre and east of the country, and more unusual in the desert.

April and especially May are often lovely months in Namibia. Increasingly dry, with a real freshness in the air, and much greenery in the landscape; at this time the air is clear and largely free from dust.

From June to August Namibia cools down and dries out more; nights can become cold, dropping below freezing in some desert areas. As the landscape dries so the game in the north of the country gravitates more to waterholes, and is more easily seen by visitors. By September and October it warms up again; game-viewing in most areas is at its best, although there’s often a lot of dust around and the vegetation has lost its vibrancy.

November is a highly variable month. Sometimes the hot, dry weather will continue, at other times the sky will fill with clouds and threaten to rain – but if you’re lucky enough to witness the first rains of the season, you’ll never forget the drama.

Visit The Namibia Visa HQ for up to date information on who requires a Visa and how to apply.

Namibia is a perfect starting point for anyone who wants to tour independently in Africa. It has everything for a perfect self drive holiday, from good roads to epic wildlife and landscape viewing. The destination is best travelled by vehicle, as it allows you to make your way through the regions, seeing every view as it comes. You wouldn’t get half the experience if you were to do it any other way.

Namibia has therefore embraced this and has done a huge amount to make itself home to the perfect self drive adventure, which it has achieved. The country has a fantastic road network in place, a stunning collection of lodges and campsites, and is a very safe place to travel. The people here are very friendly too. So whether it’s your first time self driving and you’re nervous, Namibia will welcome you warmly, or whether you’re an adventurer wanting to go into the unknown, Namibia will deliver.

Due to the nature of small/light aircraft that are utilized for charter flights to the remote areas, luggage size and weight are strictly controlled – if the case is too big  it just won’t fit in the hold !

Small aircraft allow a maximum of 20kg’s per person for luggage (inclusive of hand luggage) Bags to please be soft and easy to handle – Please note that large, hard suitcases and heavy luggage will not be accepted on light aircraft. Suitcases, oyster cases, and soft sided bags with trolley handles, metal frames and wheels do NOT constitute as soft bags and cannot fit in the luggage pods of the aircraft.

Luggage dimensions should not exceed 25cm (10 inches) wide, 30cm (12 inches) high and 62 cm (24 inches) long. Anything larger and the luggage will unfortunately not fit in the aircraft’s baggage compartment. Please ensure that all luggage is soft-sided – Hard covered, rigid bags make it exceptionally difficult to load and unload in the aircraft luggage compartments.

Recommended luggage requirements for mobile camping safaris are as per the above 18 – 20kg’s per person in soft bags

For small internal flights and flights to remote, small airstrips we use several reliable air charter companies.

Unless otherwise stipulated – All flights are booked on a ‘seat rate basis” – this means that the plane is shared with other clients and it is not a “private charter” To utilise the plane cost effectively, it could have up to 2 stopovers prior to your client reaching their final destination.

Flight times are scheduled no more than 48hours prior to travel, clients will be advised on their departure times by the camps and should be ready at least 30 minutes prior to these departure times.

• Electricity supply in Botswana is 220/240v.
• Most common wall sockets require 3 pin round or 3 square pin plugs.
• It is recommended that should guests require the use of electricity whilst in areas where electricity is supplied, that one carries International travel adaptors suitable with the above requirements.
• It is highly recommended that all guests carry additional and spare batteries whilst on safari.

• Cellular phone coverage and internet connection is readily available in towns and cities.
• The majority of wilderness locations and lodges do not have cellular phone coverage or internet connection readily available to guests.
• It is preferred that guests do not use Satellite phones/ cellular phones and or skype connection whilst in the bush lodges and camps in the vicinity of other guests to avoid any disturbances.
• Namibia has a pretty reliable 3G system and was one of the first countries in the world to roll out 4G (although this is still only available in major centers). Local sim cards can be purchased at both data and voice bundles can be purchased. In many places connections are unreliable and very slow so don’t expect much and you may be pleasantly surprised.

The most important piece of clothing you can pack is a hat! Forget those peak caps that only cover your face. Bring along a floppy hat that helps cover your face, neck and collar area – an added bonus is that they can be squashed into bags and hold-alls and packed anywhere.

Depending upon the time of year you are travelling, lightweight clothing in neutral colours such as cotton and cotton blends are most suitable. During winter and rainy season months, warm/windproof jackets are strongly recommended. The winter months May – August can get very cold in early mornings and late afternoons especially on game drives! During these months we recommend you travel “in layers” so you can put on, or take off clothing as the temperature changes.

Walking shoes and Sandals are recommended whilst in the bush areas, so to are swimming trunks/costumes as most lodges and hotels have pools. For evenings we suggest light weight neutral long sleeved shirts and trousers as this assists in the protection against mosquitos.

Regarding Camera equipment, we strongly recommend that you ensure you carry sufficient camera film or memory cards for your cameras. Once on safari there are very few places to purchase these.

We do recommend that you carry sufficient battery chargers and extra batteries, as although in many places these can be charged, there may be times when this is not possible. Equipment needs to be kept in soft sided cases and we recommend you carry this with you on planes.

It is a requirement that all guests travelling to Botswana be adequately covered by comprehensive travel insurance to cover all aspects of their holiday.

International flights/ loss & theft/medical requirements/damage and cancellation etc. We would recommend guests organise travel insurance in home country

Travel Wild is covered by comprehensive liability insurance.