Essentially a desert country, Namibia offers contrasting
landscapes: wide horizons and vast swathes of high dunes, with an
awe-inspiring sense of space, and the rugged mountains of the
central plateau.
When it comes to food, their national
specialities of antelope, ostrich or zebra cooked on a braai
(barbecue) are pretty incredible too!
Flying time: 10 hours
15 minutes to Windhoek on a direct flight or 11 hours to
Johannesburg with onward flights to Windhoek of 2 hours.
Time difference: GMT +1 hr.
Getting there: Daily flights via
Johannesburg Airport to Windhoek with British Airways, South
African Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Direct flights to
Windhoek with Air Namibia.
Currency: Namibian Dollar, or South
African Rand, which is widely accepted.
Visas: British passport holders do not
require Visas. All other nationals please check
visa requirements with the embassy.
Best time to visit: The cold Benguela
current keeps the coast of the Namib Desert cool, damp and free of
rain for most of the year, with a thick coastal fog. Inland,
all the rain falls in summer from November to April, whereas
January and February are the hottest months, when daytime
temperatures in the interior can exceed 40ºC (104ºF).
Winter nights can be cold, but days are generally still warm and
pleasant.
Vaccinations: Precautions for tetanus, typhoid,
diphtheria, hepatitis A and malaria are recommended, with some
regions under risk from rabies - please contact your doctor
for up-to-date information.