Overview
Namibia is a country in Africa according to hyperrestaurant. Namibia is a country in southern Africa whose face is defined by vast rocky gorges, vast, scorching deserts and the wrecks of half-sunken ships. Wildlife in Namibia is impressive, from the legendary wild horses of the Namib Desert to the rare desert elephants that roam the plains of the north. Essentially a desert country, Namibia’s name means ‘land of the great expanses’. In the south of the country there is an epic emptiness and stillness that is found nowhere else in the world. From the huge red sand dunes and petrified trees of Sossusvlei to the gigantic Fish River Canyon and the desolation of the Namib Desert, Namibia has a quality of miniaturizing everything. The north of Namibia is like a refreshing sip of water after a visit to the desert. Here there is dense bush and lush vegetation. The Etosha Pan in the heart of Etosha National Park is a crater-like depression with waterholes where one can watch sable antelope, impala, elephant and rhino drinking.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Lufthansa (LH) flies from Frankfurt/M. and South African Airways (SA) from Munich via Johannesburg to Windhoek. Condor (DE) connects Frankfurt/M. non-stop with Windhoek. Swiss (LX) flies in cooperation with British Airways (BA) from Zurich to Windhoek via Johannesburg. From Zurich and Geneva there are also feeder flights with Lufthansa (LH) to the non-stop Condor (DE) flight from Frankfurt/M. to Windhoek possible. Austrian Airlines (OS) offers feeder flights from Vienna to Frankfurt/M. to the non-stop flight from Condor (DE) to Windhoek. Eurowings (EW) connects Frankfurt with Windhoek.
Flight times
Frankfurt/M. – Windhoek: 10 hrs 15 mins (non-stop); Zurich – Windhoek: 12 hours 10 minutes (with stopover); Vienna – Windhoek: 13 hours 5 minutes (with stopover).
airpasses
STA Travel’s Assorted Africa Airpass offers young people under 26 and students with ISIC credentials discounted flights on South African Airways (SA) between Windhoek, Cape Town (South Africa), Johannesburg (South Africa) and Nairobi (Kenya).
Departure fee
None.
Arrival by car
The neighboring countries of Angola, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia can be reached by land from Namibia. Bus: Intercape night buses run regularly between Windhoek and Cape Town as well as Johannesburg. There are further bus connections to Botswana and Zambia. Toll: There are no toll roads in Namibia. Documents: The national driver’s license is recognized. However, it is advisable to also carry the international driver’s license or an officially certified copy of the national driver’s license.
Arrival by train
There is currently no direct rail connection to South Africa. Train passengers must use buses on the Windhoek-Johannesburg and Windhoek-Cape Town routes between Keetmanshoop (Namibia) and Kimberley (South Africa). With the tourist train Shongololo Express from Rovos Rail, travelers have the opportunity to cross South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe several times a year, combined with numerous excursions. Rovos Rail also offers trips from Pretoria to Walvis Bay near Swakopmund.
Arrival by ship
A modern deep sea port is located in Walvis Bay. Lüderitz has a small port.
Cruise ships
AIDA and Phoenix also call at Namibia on their world cruises that start in Hamburg and Bremerhaven. Cunard starts in Southampton and also makes a stopover in Namibia.
Transportation
Traveling by plane
The two airports in Windhoek are hubs for national flights; Hosea Kutako International Airport and Eros Domestic Airport.
Traveling by car/bus
The generally well-developed road network in Namibia has a length of approx. 42,000 km and connects all towns. Toll: There are no toll roads in Namibia. Gas stations are plentiful in larger towns and on the main connecting roads. Nevertheless, any opportunities to refuel should be used. Often only cash payment is possible at petrol stations.
Right-hand traffic/left-hand traffic
Left
Condition of the roads
Approximately 5,400 km of the entire road network is paved. The surface of the main slopes consists of gravel, salt or hardened sand; Ruts are regularly removed so that these slopes are also easily accessible by car or mobile home. Away from the main roads you should definitely opt for all-wheel drive. Furthermore, potholes, sand drifts, larger stones and grooves are always to be expected. Driving at night should therefore generally be avoided due to the limited visibility. There are often animals on the road that are recognized too late at night.
Road classification
The roads are divided into categories B and C. Category B includes paved trunk roads, such as the Trans-Kalahari Highway; Category C includes secondary roads.
Car rental
Rental cars are available at the airport and in larger towns. Drivers must be at least 18 years old (often varies by vehicle category) and have held a driver’s license for at least one year. Additional young driver fees are often charged locally for drivers under the age of 24.
Taxi
Taxis are available everywhere in the cities. For safety reasons, travelers should never board a taxi with passengers other than the driver; you should also not let anyone board on the route.
Bicycle
Bicycle tours with rental bikes are offered.
Coach
Intercape buses run between major towns in the country; they are fast, cheap and comfortable. Bus tours through the country are also organized by local organizers.
Regulations
Traffic regulations: – Seatbelts are compulsory. – Alcohol limit: 0.5 ‰. – Telephoning at the wheel is only permitted with a hands-free device. – Children between the ages of 3 and 14 and up to a height of 1.50 m must either be transported in a suitable child seat or be buckled up. Speed limits: – in built-up areas: 60 km/h; – on trunk roads: 120 km/h; – on gravel roads: 80 km/h; – in national and wildlife parks: 60 km/h.
Roadside Assistance
The ADAC foreign emergency call offers ADAC members and holders of ADAC foreign health and accident insurance comprehensive assistance in the event of vehicle breakdowns, traffic accidents, loss of documents and money, and medical emergencies. The emergency number is available around the clock; for vehicle damage: Tel. +49 (0)89 22 22 22, for illnesses: +49 (0)89 76 76 76. The ADAC partner club in Namibia is the Automobile Association of Namibia (AAN) in Windhoek, Tel. +264 ( 0)61 22 42 01. In the event of accidents and breakdowns with the rental car, the rental company is always the first point of contact.
Documentation
The International Driver’s License is only valid in conjunction with the National Driver’s License, for which a certified translation into English should be provided.
Traveling in the city
Windhoek can easily be explored on foot as all the sights are close together. Another option is taxis.
Locally on the way by train
Trains from TransNamib, Namibia’s national railway company, connect Windhoek with Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Gobabis, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Keetmanshoop, among others, on their StarLine routes. Travelers also have the option of using night trains. The Desert Express, a luxury tourist train, regularly takes tourists from Windhoek to places such as Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Etosha National Park. TransNamib offers further connections with comfortable rail buses, often also with board programs, which are attached to freight trains.
Traveling by ship
Walvis Bay has a deep sea port; Lüderitz a small port.
