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Electricity 220 volts AC, 50hz. Outlets are of the round three-pin type.
Time Zone Summer time: GMT + 2 hours from the 1st Sunday in September to the 1st Sunday in April
Winter time: GMT + 1 hour from the 1st Sunday in April to the 1st Sunday in September
Physical Infrastructure - 5,450km – tarred roads
- 37,000km – gravel roads
- Main harbours: Walvis Bay and Lüderitz
- Rail Network: 2,382 narrow gauge
- 6.2 telephone lines per 100 inhabitants
- Direct dialing facilities to 221 countries
- Mobile communication system: GSM
- Roaming agreements with 40 countries/80 networks
Shopping Windhoek offers a selection of fashionable shops. Local crafts can be bought in some specialised shops, as well as at the Windhoek Street Market, held every second Saturday. Good buys include diamonds and semi-precious stones, Herero dolls, hand-carved wooden objects, jewellery, karosse rugs, liqueur and chocolates made in Windhoek and Swakara garments. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1300. Some bigger supermarkets are also open Sun 1100-1300 and 1600-1900. Craft vendors sell their goods every day of the week.
Etiquette Suits should be worn in winter, safari suits in summer. Prior appointments are necessary. English is widely spoken in business circles. The best times for business are February to May and September to November. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700
Communication Mobile telephone roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone operators. Coverage is limited to urban areas.
Internet There are Internet cafes situated throughout the country.
Media Freedom of the press is provided for by the constitution and largely respected by the government. Newspapers are printed Monday to Friday. English-language dailies include The Namibian, The Namibian Economist and New Era; weeklies include the Windhoek Observer. Die Republikein is a daily Afrikaans-language newspaper. Allgemeine Zeitung is published daily in German. The state-owned Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) broadcasts nationwide. One Africa Television is a Windhoek-based private TV station. State-run radio is operated by NBC. Private music stations include Radio Kudu, Radio Wave, Radio Energy and Radio Kosmos, amongst others.
Post Good postal service. Airmail to Europe takes approximately four days to two weeks. Postal service affiliated with Universal Postal Union.
Travelling by Air The national airline is Air Namibia (website: www.airnamibia.com.na). British Airways, South African Airways, LTU and TAAG also fly to Namibia.
Airports - Hosea Kutako International Airport - 40km (25 miles) from Windhoek
- Eros airport
- Katima Mulilo
- Rundu
- Ondangwa
- Walvis Bay
- Lüderitz
- Keetmanshoop
There are over 300 known airfields, of which only 16 are licensed. Travelers are cautioned not to land at unlicensed fields. Aircraft fuel is not usually available at landing strips and landing must be arranged in advance. Approximate flight times From London to Windhoek, flying time is 11 hours 15 minutes. From Frankfurt to Windhoek, flying time is 11 hours. Flying time between Windhoek and Johannesburg/Cape Town is approximately 2 hours.
What to pack
As Namibia has a typical semi-dessert climate with hot days and cool nights, it is recommended that you pack both summer clothing as well something warm for the evenings. It is advisable to pack a sweater and/or jacket as it becomes quite cool in the evenings and early mornings. Check list - First-aid kit containing, amongst others, insect repellent, possibly a malaria prophylaxis, bandages, diarrhoea medication and painkillers; sufficient supplies of your regular medicines
- Sunglasses, sun protection and a hat (year-round sunshine)
- Moisturising lotion and lip balm
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Swimsuits
- Binoculars
- Battery-operated or conventional razors (if visiting remote areas)
- Torch
- Travel insurance policy and repatriation insurance
- Telephone list with all the emergency numbers, including the numbers of family and friends back home
- Rehydrate solutions or concentrates.
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