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Namibia

 Overview Namibia country tourism information and a larger Namibia map.

Namibia the land of contrasts - from tranquil wide open desert plains to the lush riverbeds, from clear starlit skies to a cosy barbecue campfire, from a seeming lifeless desert floor to wild animals gathering at waterholes - this land will soothe your soul and spirit. The sheer beauty of this welcoming country will captivate you to return again and again. Namibia once upon a time called 'The Land God made in Anger' due to its ruggedness (although beauty is in the eye of the beholder), now it is filled with genuine hospitality and truly spectacular scenery.

Namibia geography, the country consist mostly of desert to semi-desert areas with rainfall averaging less than 200mm. The oldest desert in the world, the Namib, is covering a huge percentage of the land. The north eastern part though is more tropical with thick bushveld and a higher humidity. On the western side is 1280km (800 miles) of some of the most desolate and lonely coastline in the world. The northern part of this Namibia coastline is called the Skeleton Coast. Along its entire length, the vast shifting sand dunes of the Namib desert spread inland for 80-130km (50-80 miles). In the interior, the escarpment of a north-south plateau slopes away to the east and north into the interior sand basin of the Kalahari desert, once the home of the Bushmen. Tugged in the north-western corner of the country is the Kaokoland, covering 66,000 km2 (25,780 square miles) of the land. Still further inland and centred in the northern section of the country is the famous Etosha Pan (a massive shallow dried-out saline lake), surrounded by grasslands and bush which support a large and prolific wildlife. The main rivers are the Orange river forming the southern border between Namibia and South Africa, the Kunene river forming the northern border with Angola and the Kavango river running through the north eastern part of the country to flow into the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

Namibia climate, if you want to come to country where you can be sure of seeing lots of that yellow thing up against the blue sky, which we call the sun, then Namibia is awaiting you. Nearly 300 sunny days per year and cool nights due to a relatively high altitude (sometimes lower than 0° C) as well as nice warm days (between 22°C and 26°C) in the winter season with a very low humidity. The southern, eastern and central areas have a winter temperature of between 18 and 25 C and up to 35 C in summer. The rainy season is October / November (not a lot though) and January / April (if not even less). Night-time during winter is very cold though, even below freezing point. The coastal temperatures vary from 15 to 25 C, but be warned of the chances of thick fog during the morning hours. The north is subtropical with temperatures from 26 C in to 43 C in summer with sometimes high humidity.

Summary

Area Size: 824 290 km² (317 880 sq miles)
Capital: Windhoek
Currency: Namibian dollar
Official language: English
Other languages: Afrikaans, German, Herero and Owambo
Time: GMT +1 (Apr-Aug), GMT +2 (Sept-Mar)
Telephone country code: +264
Electricity: 220/240V uses 3-pin plug

Required clothing, the best advice regarding clothes - wear sunblock as you would normal clothes (always) and bring both hot and cold clothes during summer and winter months - cotton is well recommended. Shoes are essential against the warm ground temperatures.

Health and safety, Namibia has a very peaceful attitude and the crime rate is low. It has been noted that petty crime in Windhoek is increasing dramatically and extra care should be taken in this city especially in deserted areas and at night. The motto here is - be vigilant. The government does react very swiftly against criminality aimed against tourists and police are generally very helpful and friendly. Always keep the vehicle locked with no visible articles in unattended vehicles. Be careful of bag snatchers, pickpockets and con-artists with all kinds of sad stories or too-good-to-be-true stories. In addition to health insurance, normal travel insurance is advisable.

Money matters, 1 Namibian dollar is equal to 100 cents.

The Namibian dollar (N$) is the official currency with denominations of 10, 50, 100 and 200 Namibian Dollar bills. It is strongly linked to the South African Rand (R) and is exchanged on a 1 to 1 basis. The Rand is acceptable as payment throughout the country, but Namibian Dollars are not accepted outside the Namibian borders, therefore one should try to exchange it in South African Rand or a foreign currency of the country one plans to enter next. The import and export of local currency is limited to N$20,000. Declaration of money is not always required at the ports of entry. Visa and MasterCard are excepted throughout the country and Diners Club and American Express to a lesser extent. It is not possible to buy fuel with credit cards. Travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars, although all major foreign exchange is accepted.

Accommodation and food, throughout the easy accessible parts of the country the quality is high and sometimes on par with European standard. Local delicacies include biltong (dried strips of meat), droëwors (dried sausage), rauchfleisch (smoked meat) and venison (game meat) prepared in various ways. Accommodation range from numerous luxurious hotels and lodges (with exceptionally good facilities and service) to basic camping sites.

Social behaviour, western customs prevail in Namibia and normal courtesies should be shown when visiting Namibia and local homesteads. 10% is customary for tipping.

Useful addresses, there are some diplomatic representation in certain countries of the world including

France, embassy of the Republic of Namibia
80 Avenue Foch - 17
Square de l'avenue Foch
Paris
Tel: +33 1 44173265
Fax: +33 1 44173273

USA, Embassy of the republic of Namibia
1605 New Hampshire avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. 20009
Tel: +1 202 9860540
Fax: +1 202 9860443

England, Embassy of the republic of Namibia
Avenue de Tavuren 454,
B1150 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 2 7711410
Fax: +32 2 7719689

Entry requirements, all foreign visitors must be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended period of stay. Most nationalities don't need a visa.

Namibia attractions & activities, one has to search very far to find a country that has such a spectacular variety of scenery, cultures, good weather, wildlife and above all a hospitality that is intoxicating. The western part consists mainly of desert, but a desert that constantly changes - from rocky moon landscapes to red sand dunes that towers many hundreds of metres above sea-level. The north-east is thick bushveld where the biggest part of the population lives. The south is grassy savannah which can become barren in times of draughts.

Cities and Towns

Windhoek is the capital, it still maintains a town-feeling. Not to be missed, the Christuskirche, an Evangelical Lutheran Church completed in 1910 appears on most of the postcards of Namibia. This design is a mixture of Romanesque, Art Nouveau and neo-Gothic styles and was built with local sandstone. Also close to the Christuskirche, is the Tintenpalast (Ink Palace) dating back to the German Colonial era. Today it is the seat of the Namibian government and it is surrounded with beautiful gardens.

Swakopmund lies in a true desert, the cold Benguela current, which flows from south to north along the coast, acts as a moderating influence. The climate is moderate with temperatures ranging 15°C to 25°C. The town receives virtually no rain (less than 15mm per year). However, the cold ocean does provide moisture for the area in the form of mist that sometimes travels as far as 100 km inland. Swakopmund is widely known and loved for its Old World charm of beautiful, well-kept buildings from the founding days in a setting of parks, lawns and palm trees. 11 of these buildings have been declared national monuments. Swakopmund is an ideal base for the tourist who wants to explore both the desert and the coast. This can be done on own steam or with one of the local tour operators. It is also a perfect base for exploring the Skeleton Coast and Namib Desert. A number of these routes need to be tackled in 4x4 vehicles and, while these can be hired locally, there are also a number of experienced tour and safari operators who cater for every requirement - from half-day and full-day local trips to extensive all-in safaris. On warmer days, Namibians and visitors alike, flock down to the beaches, especially Palm Beach in front of the Lighthouse.

Luderitz, one is awe-struck with the view entering the little town with its small harbour and a finger of land stretching out into the sea connecting the mainland with Shark Island. There are also numerous beautiful old colonial buildings, often lining whole streets. These include the Geohrke Haus, with its unusual colours, a sundial on the roof, ball-topped spires, balconies and protruding windows, is set high up against the hill guarding the bay. Just a few kilometres before entering the town, one passes the ghost town of Kolmanskop. In the early years of the 20th century diamonds were discovered in this area and this town risen amongst the sand dunes. Today, the desert is slowly but surely claming its property back. This excursion is highly recommended.

National parks, Namibia boasts with numerous game reserves and parks and the one is as fascinating as the other and it is a shame to only mention a few.

Naukluft and Sossusvlei, South east of Swakopmund lies an ocean of desert that dominates the largest game reserve in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. Close your eyes and imagine sitting on a very high red sand dune, with only silence as your companion and in front of you an expanse of more sand dunes rolling from the one into the other and basking in each other's shadow. Imagine there is a place on earth where your soul can roam free without any obstacles and life stands still for as long as you want it to. Now, open your eyes and welcome to the world of Sossusvlei in the heart of the Namib Desert. Many people have tried to captivate the spirit of Sossusvlei but no one has been successful. You have to come and experience it for yourself to treasure this spirit that will linger within you for as long as you live.

Fishriver Canyon info

Etosha National park info

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