Packing advice for Namibia :

Apart from your normal packing, be prepared to dress like an onion: in layers.

The weather in Namibia can change very quickly and especially on the coast. You can get the 4 seasons in 1 day.  Cold and misty in the morning, sunny and warm at lunchtime, windy in the afternoon and cold again in the evening.

What to pack: Clothes, skin care, shoes, bags, medication

• A fleece and a warm light jacket are useful.
• Especially when you go to the desert, your skin changes and gets really dry.    Be aware of the sun, even when it is cloudy.
• Take some high protection sun cream, heavy moisturizer, lip balm, nasal spray, eye hydrating drops, face masks, sunglasses, hat, scarf, and mosquito repellent, just in case.
• Unless you are going for serious hiking, tennis shoes, fit flops/sandals, and perhaps 1 pair of smart shoes are sufficient.
• People are pretty informal so feel free to bring mostly casual wear. In lodges, be smart casual.
• Also, bring your swimming gear, as there is often a swimming pool at the lodges.
• It is useful to bring 1 soft travelling bag or a small suitcase for 1 day or a few days’ excursions.
• Bring your camera cleaning equipment (against the dust/sand) and a zoom lens, if you have.
• For private flight charter, ensure that your travelling bag or small suitcase is 10kg max.
• If you are travelling North of Etosha, it is recommended that you get medication against malaria.

Money in Namibia? N$ Namibian Dollar 

Most shops in towns accept visa and mastercards.

• Cashpoints are readily available in towns but ensure that you take sufficient cash with you when you travel to remote areas.
• 1 Namibian Dollar = 1 South African Rand.

You can pay in Rand in Namibia but not the other way round. Check your current exchange rate.

Phone and accessories

• You can buy locally a sim card for your phone and pay as you go. It can be useful to bring an old phone for that purpose.
• Take an international adapter for a 3 big round pin.  2 European pins are sometimes available.
• You can also bring or buy a multiplug in Namibia with 2 & 3 pins.  This multiplug may be useful to recharge your various electronic devices.
• Before you come, download on your phone  maps.me or google maps for Namibia, so that you can use the GPS navigation offline.
• If all fail, get a road map of Namibia. Tracks4 Africa is a good one.

Documents to carry in Namibia Passport, driving licence, children birth certificates

It is compulsory to carry ID or passport at all times. A photocopy is sufficient if you leave your passport in a hotel safe.

Please double check that your passport is valid for six months from date of entry. Also, check that you have at least 3 blank pages in your passport.

In addition to carrying valid passports and contact details, if both parents are travelling with children under 18, please ensure that you bring the children’s unabridged birth certificate. If only one parent or none are present, in addition to the above, an affidavit from both parents confirming permission to travel is required.

Immigration can be really strict at times and it is best to be prepared.

As a tourist spending less than 3 months in Namibia, most countries do not require a visa to come to Namibia. However, it is best to double check with your government.

That is all from me for now.

Happy Travels :-).

Murielle

www.alacartetravels.com