Namibia travel guides

This changed in April 2025 and catches many travellers out. Namibia introduced a paid visa on arrival for 33 nationalities that previously entered visa-free, including the UK, US, Germany, France, Canada and Australia. The fee is payable on arrival in Namibian dollars or rand, and pre-application online is possible and recommended to avoid airport delays. Passports need six months of validity and blank pages. Check the current position before travelling, as the list has been revised more than once.

May to October is the dry season and the best period overall, with clear skies, cool nights and excellent game viewing at Etosha's waterholes as animals concentrate around scarce water. July and August are peak months and book out early. November to April is hotter with occasional dramatic thunderstorms, but the desert greens up, birdlife improves and rates drop. Note that desert nights in winter can fall below freezing, which surprises people packing only for heat.

Yes, and self-driving is how most visitors experience Namibia. Roads are well signposted, traffic is minimal and the main routes are good gravel, though a 4x4 with two spare tyres is strongly advised. Punctures are the single most common problem: keep speeds down on gravel, around 80 km/h, and never brake hard or oversteer on loose surfaces. Distances are long and fuel stations sparse, so fill up whenever you can and carry water. Avoid driving after dark because of wildlife.

Twelve to fourteen days suits the classic loop, because driving days are long. A typical route runs Windhoek to Sossusvlei for two nights, on to Swakopmund for two, then Damaraland for two and Etosha for three, before returning to Windhoek. Ten days is possible but rushed. Three weeks lets you add the Caprivi Strip, Fish River Canyon in the far south or the remote Kaokoveld. Book Sossusvlei and Etosha accommodation months ahead for peak season.

The Namibian Dollar (NAD) is the currency, pegged one-to-one with the South African Rand, and rand is accepted everywhere in Namibia as legal tender. Namibian dollars are not accepted in South Africa, so spend or change them before you leave. Cards work in towns, lodges and supermarkets, but carry cash for fuel stations in remote areas, park entry, tips and craft markets, where card facilities are unreliable or absent.

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