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Since Namibia has one of the most uninviting and desolate coastlines in the world, it was neglected by European explorers like the Portuguese, who limited their activities to setting up navigational crosses along the desert shoreline. Today visitors have discovered the vast potential of a country rich in natural resources, with desert landscapes, sunshine, wildlife and a rugged, barren beauty.

It was only later, during the last half of the 19th century that the race for colonies among the world powers began, and so ensued the German control that became Namibia’s colonial reign of terror. The indigenous tribes tried vigorously to retain their independence, and in 1904 a major uprising by the Herero and Nama people resulted in massive genocide retaliation by the colonialists, with an estimated 60 percent of the native population in the south being wiped out. Today the population consists of 11 main ethnic groups, and the towns still reflect the influence of German colonisation evident in the architecture, food and language, particularly in the capital city of Windhoek.

It has a diversity of natural habitats: the rugged coastline and haunting beauty of the Skeleton Coast, the endless stretch of undulating ochre-coloured sand dunes at Sossusvlei, the impressive gorge of the Fish River Canyon winding through the arid landscape of the great plateau, and the vast salt pan of Etosha National Park, one of the world’s greatest wildlife viewing venues. These are the attractions that draw travellers to one of Africa’s more intriguing destinations, the unspoilt wilderness of Namibia.

Time:
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the first Sunday in April and the first Sunday in September).
Electricity:
Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round three-pin plugs are standard.
Language:
English is the official language, but many people also speak Afrikaans and German. There are also several indigenous languages spoken, mainly in the rural areas.
Health:
A yellow fever certificate is required for all travellers arriving from infected areas. Vaccinations for Hepatitis A, typhoid fever and polio are also recommended. There is a malaria risk in the northern region during the rainy season, from January to April. HIV/AIDS is prevalent and cautions are essential. There has been an increase in the incidence of rabies among dogs in Windhoek. Drinking water outside the main towns and cities may be contaminated. There are good medical facilities in Windhoek, but medical insurance is essential as treatment is expensive. Travellers to Namibia should take medical advice at least four weeks prior to departure. covered.
Safety:
namibia is an extremely safe country to visit, the only threats being a low level of petty crime and rapidly changing weather conditions, which necessitate keeping a check if you are on the road.
Communications:
The international access code for Namibia is +264. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). Most towns are covered by a GSM 900/1800 mobile network. Internet access is available from some hotels and Internet cafes are available in Windhoek and Walvis Bay.

Money:
The official currency is the Namibia Dollar (NAD) divided into 100 cents. Its value is linked to the South African Rand, which is also accepted as legal currency in Namibia. Major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques and foreign currency can be exchanged at any bank or bureau de change office. ATMs are available in larger towns only.

Climate:
Rainfall occurs exclusively in the summer months, between November and February, when heavy thunderstorms can be expected. Summer is very hot and the Namib Desert should be avoided at this time as temperatures are often above 104ºF (40ºC). The coast is cooler and often foggy. The best time to visit is during the winter months from March to October (April and June are preferable) as days are warm and dry, and wildlife easier to spot as they tend to congregate at waterholes. Nights can be very cold with frost.

Namibia Passport & Visa Requirements
Entry requirements for Americans: United States citizens must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australians must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand citizens must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals must have a valid passport (must be valid at least six months beyond period of intended stay). A visa is not required for tourism or business purposes for a stay of up to 3 months.
Passport/Visa Note: All visitors require a passport valid for at least six months after the period of their intended stay, and documents for return or onward travel. Passports should have at least two pages free for endorsements.
Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.

WINDHOEK

The small, Germanic capital of the country, Windhoek is an attractive city situated in the Central Highlands and surrounded by hills and mountains, occupying the geographical and economic heart of Namibia.

The city centre is characterised by historic German colonial architecture and imposing modern structures. Dominating the skyline is the striking German Lutheran church, Christuskirche, a mixture of Art Nouveau and neo-Gothic design, and the Titenpalast, or ‘Ink Palace’, the parliament building from where the sparsely populated country is governed. The railway station is a Cape Dutch edifice dating back to 1912 and Independence Avenue is a pleasant tree-lined place with fountains and walkways providing a relaxing ambience among the modern buildings of the central business district. The women of the Herero tribe, cattle herders of the region, are very distinctive with their voluminous Victorian-style dresses and colourful headgear.

The German influence is not only apparent in the architecture and colonial style buildings, but is evident in the food and locally brewed beer. Polony and sauerkraut are available on the menu among local dishes, including seafood from the west coast and venison or game steaks from the hinterland.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Etosha National Park, 'great white place of dry water', is a vast area of shimmering mirages and saline desert, savannah and scrubby woodlands situated 270 miles (435km) north of Windhoek. Its unique landscape is characterised by an immense flat white salt pan, a shallow depression that is dry for the greater part of the year, but fed by moisture from perennial springs on the fringes. The pan covers about 25 percent of the park.

Once a vast lake, the pan was fed by the Kunene River, which changed its course thousands of years ago, leaving a dry hollow of salt and cracked clay, which only fills up for a short while after heavy rain. The temporary water supply attracts thousands of water birds, including flocks of pink flamingos, during the rainy season, but the best time for viewing animals in Etosha is the cool, dry season, between May and September.

The salinity and rich mineral content of the pan attracts a huge diversity of animal and bird life to the park making it an excellent place for game viewing, with the expanse of the white desert an extraordinary backdrop. Etosha has a network of roads linking its three rest camps - Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo - all of which have floodlit waterholes allowing for superb night game viewing. Visitors can expect to see many species of antelope, wildebeest, zebra, lion, giraffe, and Africa's tallest elephants. Several of the animal species are endangered, including the black rhino. There are also opportunities to see leopard and cheetah around the many waterholes scattered throughout the park

FISH RIVER CANYON

Widely regarded as the second largest canyon in the world after the USA's Grand Canyon, the Fish River Canyon is located in southern Namibia in the eastern Namib Desert. The 100-mile (161km) long canyon was caused by a fracture in the earth's crust and then further carved by the erosion of the Fish River over millions of years. The river can still become a torrent of fast-flowing water after heavy rainfall in summer, but dries up into occasional semi-permanent pools during the winter months. The main attraction of the area is hiking, but hiking the Fish River Canyon can only be undertaken during the winter months, requires a high level of fitness and good health and offers no facilities whatsoever. The five-day trail covers 53 miles (86km) and is the best way to take in the canyon's magnificent immensity, passing beneath the sheer cliffs with their visible rock strata patterns towering 1,640ft (500m) above the harsh, rock-strewn plain. The canyon comes to an end at Ais-Ais (meaning 'burning water' in Nama) where one of the most famous hot spring resorts in the country is located, and hikers can look forward to a relaxing soak in the therapeutic hot water after completing the trail.

THE NAMIB DESERT

The Namib Desert is the oldest and most arid desert region in the world, having been around for more than 80 million years. In the Nama language, ‘Namib’ means 'vast', a description perfectly suited to the miles of barren landscape stretching endlessly along Namibia’s Atlantic coastline.

The northern Namib is called the Skeleton Coast, an intensely mysterious, inhospitable area of treacherous rocks and sand banks, dry gravel plains and isolated, flat-topped mountains. The bleak wilderness is especially eerie when blanketed in the thick coastal fog that is brought about by the collision of cold sea air with the searing heat of the harsh interior. Sailors washed ashore from shipwrecks over the centuries soon became the skeletons that the coastline was named after, having no chance of survival in the pitiless wastes of the Namib Desert. Its appeal lies in the untouched quality, the colours and changing moods of the vast landscape, and the incredible adaptations to the desert habitat of its flora and fauna.

The southern Namib forms part of the Namib-Naukluft Park, one of Africa’s most interesting and diverse nature reserves, including Sandwich Lagoon, an important wetland area for migratory birds, as well as canyons, rivers, and the Naukluft mountain massif, home to many species of animal, particularly the Hartmann’s mountain zebra. This section of the Namib Desert is characterised by an endless sea of orange sand dunes, and the famous Sossusvlei dunes, the highest in the world.

Emerging from the desert stretch, and situated along the coast, is the charming little seaside resort of Swakopmund with its distinctly German character and old world

Namibia Contacts
Namibian Tourist Office, Windhoek: +264 (0)61 290 6000 or www.namibiatourism.com.na
Embassy of Namibia, Washington DC, United States (also responsible for Canada): +1 202 986 0540
High Commission for the Republic of Namibia, London, United Kingdom (also responsible for Ireland): +44 (0)20 7636 6244
Namibia High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 481 9100
United States Embassy, Windhoek: +264 (0)61 221 601
British High Commission, Windhoek: +264 (0)61 274 800
Canadian High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa (also responsible for Namibia): +27 (0)12 422 3000
Australian High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa (also responsible for Namibia): +27 (0)12 342 3740
South African High Commission, Windhoek: +264 (0)61 205 7111
Irish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa (also responsible for Namibia): +27 (0)12 342 5062
New Zealand Consulate, Windhoek: +264 (0)61 225 228
Emergencies:1011 (Police); 2032276 (Ambulance)

AIRPORTS

Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH)
Location: The airport is situated 26 miles (42km) east of Windhoek. Time: Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the first Sunday in April to the first Sunday in September). Contacts: Tel: + 264 (0)62 702 402. Transfer to the city: A bus into the city is available after each flight arrival. A private shuttle service operates sedans, mini-buses or coaches to transfer individuals and groups to destinations in Windhoek and elsewhere in the country. Car rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Imperial. Facilities: The airport has two bureaux de change, an ATM, public telephones, a post office, VIP lounge and information desk. There are also restaurants and a cafe. Parking: Short- and long-term parking is available. Website: www.airports.com.na

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