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Currency
Health Pack Time
Safety Traffic Rules
Car Hire Hunting
Entry Requirements:
A valid passport is required to enter
Namibia. Visas are needed except for nationals from Angola, Austria, Belgium, Botswana,
Canada, Germany, Luxembourg,
France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Lichtenstein, Mozambique, the Netherlands, the Nordic
Countries, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, South
Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Visas are
obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Private Bag 13200, Windhoek, at the Namibian
Embassies and at Namibian Tourist Offices in Johannesburg or Cape Town in South Africa.
Currency:
The unit of currency is the Namibian Dollar (N$) which has the same value as the SA Rand
and is divided into 100 cents. The South African Rand is still accepted as legal tender in
Namibia. Travellers cheques are accepted almost everywhere. Those in foreign currencies
must be cashed at banks. In general credit cards are accepted by most hotels as well as
restcamps of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, where Master, Visa, Diner Club cards, Namibia Dollar, Rand, travellers
cheques and bank guaranteed cheques are also accepted.
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Health:
All water from taps is purified and visitors need have no hesitation in
drinking it. Travellers to the northern parts are advised to take anti-malaria
precautions, especially in summer.
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What to
pack:
Winter days are mild to warm, so you should bring light summer
clothes. Nights can be quite chilly - even in summer at the coast. Warm clothes are thus
also necessary. A good pair of sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, a sun hat , swimming
costume, camera and flash or video camera are all standard equipment and can be bought in
all large centres. All international-standard videotapes are available in Windhoek, as
well as one hour film processing services.
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Standard
Time:
Summer period is: UTC +2 hrs from the first Sunday in
September to the first Sunday of April.
Winter period is: UTC +1 hrs from the first Sunday in April
to the first Sunday of September.
UTC = Universal Time Co-ordinated (Greenwich time)
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Personal Safety:
Remember that tourists in any country can became targets. In order to make
your visit a happy and memorable one, the following precautions should be taken:
Always
keep your vehicle locked.
Do not
leave visible articles in the car and try to keep your car in a secure area.
Any
valuables should be locked away in a safe place.
Be on
alert for handbag snatchers and pickpockets.
Make
sure your travel insurance covers your valuables.
Make
sure that the numbers of your travellers cheques are on your receipt and that it is kept
in a safe place.
It is
always advisable to take out travellers' medical insurance.
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Traffic Rules &
Regulations:
Remember to drive on the left hand side of the road in Namibia.
There is a general speed limit of 120 km/h on open roads (although it is recommended you
reduce speed on gravel roads). Safety belts must be worn.
Overseas visitors (not residents of neighbouring countries) must be in
possession of a valid international drivers licence if they plan to hire or drive a
vehicle in this country.
Road signs are international recognised symbols, roads and turnoffs are
clearly signposted. Road signs warning against animals, particularly kudu and warthog,
should be taken seriously, especially at night when they are blinded by headlights.
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Car
Hire:
Cars and four wheel drive vehicles can be hired in Windhoek,
Tsumeb, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Otjiwarongo, as well as the Hosea Katako International
Airport.
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Hunting and Hunting
Safaris:
While Namibia is a popular area
for overseas hunters, hunting laws are very strict, in order to enforce the sustainable
utilisation of this valuable resource. No one may hunt or kill an animal without
permission.
The hunting season is in June and July, and written permission must be obtained from the
farm owner, who has the right to decide what may be hunted and what to charge the hunter.
Trophy hunters may hunt outside season, except during January and December, and must have
a permit from the Directorate of Nature Conservation. Residents of Namibia and South
Africa are restricted to normal hunting seasons. Trophy hunters must be accompanied by a
professional hunter or a registered guide, and no handgun or bowhunting is allowed. Custom
regulations allow hunters to bring their own rifles, but no handguns, subject to certain
limitations, into the country. These of course must be declared at the airport. Rifles can
also be hired in Windhoek.
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