Namibia

Windhoek

Summer: From October to April, temperatures in the shade range between 20 and 34 °C during the day. During the austral summer in Namibia, you will get peaks of over 40°. The coast is tempered by the cold Benguela current; the temperature is fairly stable between 15 and 25 °C. Mist and fog at night are a recurrent phenomena while, in general, humidity is very low in most of the country with peaks of 80% in the extreme north in the summer.Winter: May to September temperatures range from 18 to 25° C during the day. Subzero temperatures and night frosts are recurrent in this season. There are two rainy seasons: the rain showers from October to December, and the heavy rainfall, which lasts from January to April. The latter is characterized by brief but intense rain and occasional thunderstorms that clean the air. January is still defined the rainy season. The sporadic rains do not pose a danger to drivers although they must be careful when crossing over the shores of the river or when camping. For updated news on climate, we suggest you consult the official website www.worldweather.org.

Nambia is officially a Christian country where German Lutheranism is the dominant religion, although many traditional African beliefs still hold a strong position.

The official language is English and most of the white population speaks Afrikaans and German.

Nambia is officially a Christian country where German Lutheranism is the dominant religion, although many traditional African beliefs still hold a strong position.

The official currency in Namibia is the Namibian Dollar (Namibian Dollar – NAD). However, South African currency and the Rand are also accepted and are convertible with the Namibian Dollar. Banks will change all major foreign currencies. Normally, more favorable commissions are applied on Traveler’s Cheques than on cash. The typical schedule observed by banks is: Monday / Friday from 9:00-15:30, Saturday 9: 00-11:00.

International credit cards (Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard and American Express are generally accepted by almost all banks in the country (and are also linked to the ATM network), at hotels, shops, restaurants and tourist campsites that are managed by the state. Difficulties may be encountered in rural areas, where traders still prefer to be paid in cash.Caution: In Namibia credit cards are not accepted at service stations and petrol filling station

Namibia is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +1). Despite being on the same Italian time zone, the application of daylight saving time is reversed compared to Italy as it is in the southern hemisphere.• Standard Time: Sun before April / first Sun of September (or -1 hour compared to Italy)• Daylight savings: first Sun of September / first Sun in April (i.e. same time as Italian)

Tourists must have a passport that is valid for not less than six months from the date of commencement of travel. Those tourists coming from EU countries do not require a visa. Check requirements with their local Embassy or Consulate prior to travelling. If you travel with minors under 18 years remember to bring with you the documents indicated in the following link: http://www.dha.gov.za/files/Brochures/Immigrationleaflet.pdf

To call Namibia you must use the country code 00264, followed by the area code and the phone number. While telephone connection is direct with 221 countries and the mobile telephone system uses GSM technology, coverage currently does not reach all the most remote areas of the country. Internet is offered by an increasing number of hostels, cafes and hotels in the major cities, but also at tourist offices and also at the more isolated lodges.

the electric voltage in Namibia is 220/230 volts at 50-second cycles. The plugs are three-pole and therefore we suggest purchasing a universal adapter

Generally, health care is very good in Windhoek. There are good hospitals in the capital and medicine is easily accessible. In case of special needs,you may make use of the health facilities in the neighboring South Africa. For emergency returns home, there are no problems as long as you have a suitable insurance policy. Vaccinations are not required but a malaria prophylaxis is always recommended for travelers coming to Namibia during the period ranging from November to June in the regions of Okavango, Oshivambo and in some northern areas of the province of Kunene. We recommend the use of insect repellents normally found on the market.

The classification of accommodations is based on local standards which do not always correspond to European standards. In order to ensure that the traveling conditions are safe and healthy, the chosen accommodations are comfortable and dignified as possible, while they remain compliant with the ethic choice of travel, which is simple and basic. A good adaptability is therefore required. With the exception of Luxury Hotels or Lodges, outside of the capital we cannot always guarantee private bathrooms, hot water and electricity throughout the day.

Most restaurants will offer Teutonic or international fare, although thanks to Namibia’s desert environment which makes fruit and vegetables especially expensive, menus tend to be heavy on the meat. More German influence can be seen in Namibia’s konditoreien (cake shops), where you can tuck into classics like apple strudel, sachertorte (chocolate cake) and kirschtorte (Black Forest gateau). Afrikaaners also know their way around the dessert trolley, with koeksesters (mini doughnuts dripping with honey) and melktart (milk tart) among the nicest. Breakfasts tend to be a spin on eggs andboerewors (sausage) although don’t be surprised to find a strange meaty extra such as curried kidneys thrown in with your scrambled eggs.
Specialities:
• Biltong (an air-dried meat, which is a bar snack staple, usually made from beef or kudu).
• Rauchfleisch (smoked meat).
• Game such as antelope, ostrich or zebra cooked on a braai (barbecue).
• Potjiekos (one-pot bush stew, usually cooked over a camp fire, and made with just about anything although chicken and vegetable is common).
• Seafood, especially oysters, on the coast.
• Kalahari truffles (a distant cousin of the European black and white truffle varieties found on Swakopmund restaurant menus, served up thinly sliced and drizzled with olive oil alongside a thick ostrich steak)

In a brilliant triumph of progressive logic Zimbabwe & Zambia have launched the Uni Visa for the 40 Category B visa countries which include most of the main source market countries. This means any nationals in the listed country’s (see below) can purchase a single $50 visa and travel freely between the two countries and visit Botswana for a day trip without paying re-entry fees for an unlimited 30 day period.
The KAZA UNIVISA is a common tourist visa for SADC region that will be released by Zambia and Zimbabwe in six (6) months.
Validity – the KAZA UNIVISA will be valid for 30 days as long as you remain in Zimbabwe and Zambia and customers can cross in Zimbabwe / Zambia frequently as they like within the 30 day period. It also covers those who visit Botswana for day trips through the Kazangula Borders. It will not be valid if staying in Botswana during the night, and in this case you need to buy a new visa.
The UNIVISA can not be extended but you can buy a new UNIVISA (up to 3 per year).
Citizens of the following countries are eligible for the KAZA UNIVISA obtainable to eight ports of entry, like, for example, at Livingstone and Lusaka airports and the border posts at Victoria Falls and Kazangula.
Citizen/Countries list: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Great Britain (UK), Brunei, Burundi, Canada, Cook Islands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy. Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Rwanda, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, United States of America .