Geography
The Republic of Namibia is a vast, sparsely populated country situated along the southern Atlantic coast of Africa, bordered by South Africa in the south, Angola and Zambia in the north and Botswana and Zimbabwe in the east. With a surface area of 824,268 square kilometres, it is more than 3 times the size of the United Kingdom and yet has a population of fewer than 2 million people. Much of the country is arid. But, there is great variety in the landscape, which can be conveniently divided into 4 separate regions. The first of these is the long strip of the Namib Desert which extends along the country’s desolate west coast. Inland of this is the Central Plateau, whilst to the east and northeast, adjacent to the borders with South Africa and Botswana is the Kalahari Desert. In the extreme north and north east, the presence of the Kavango and other rivers allows some areas of forest to flourish. The Namib is amongst the oldest desert regions on earth (80 million years old) and runs in a thin strip along Namibia’s western coast. In the north, this remote shoreline has witnessed innumerable shipwrecks and fully deserves its atmospheric name - the “Skeleton Coast.” Further south, and in the vicinity of Sossusvlei in particular, towering orange sand dunes are a striking feature of the Namib. The central regions of Hardap and Khomas are principally high plateau-land, rising to altitudes of over 2000 metres (6500ft.), dissected by dry river valleys and featuring numerous flat-topped, steep-sided, mountains called inselbergs. The capital city of Windhoek is centrally located within this highland area, at the relatively high altitude of 1728 metres (5669ft.). It is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with excellent hotels, restaurants and shops. In spite of the general aridity of the country, Namibia has an incredible diversity of natural habitats. Elephants, giraffes and zebras can be found in the desert regions and the coastal strip (visited by lions until recently) has flamingo and seal colonies. Perhaps the most dramatic of Namibia’s wildlife assemblages is to be found in the north, in the world-famous Etosha National Park. The key to life here is the occurrence of underground springs which form waterholes on the edge of the pan. Together with the savannah grassland that they nourish, these springs enable more than 110 species of mammals to exist in an otherwise forbidding environment. The rainy season at Etosha extends from November into March and April. This is a season of plenty, when grazing animals and their predators are widespread across the park. Within a few months, with the coming of the southern hemisphere winter, the waters evaporate and, once again, the animals become concentrated around the waterholes. Another of the attractions of Namibia is its cultural variety, ranging from ancient Bushman rock-art to the rather more recent Germanic influence on the country.

Time Zone
The time in Namibia GMT + 1 hour and GMT + 2 hours in summer time (1st Sunday April – 1st Sunday September).

Climate
Namibia has a climate which varies from subtropical to arid. The central, southern and coastal areas of the country include some of the driest territory south of the Sahara. Rainfall throughout the country is largely restricted to the summer months of October through to February. The best time for a visit is during the southern hemisphere winter months of June to September, when the weather tends to be clear, cloudless and sunny. Midday temperatures will average around 20 degrees centigrade (68º F), whilst at night temperatures may fall as low as a few degrees below freezing. The cold Benguela current keeps the coast of the Namib Desert cool, damp and free of rain for most of the year. It is also responsible for regular coastal fog which reduces maximum daytime temperatures to 10 degrees centigrade or so.

Rough guide to temperatures June to September

Currency
The unit of currency in Namibia is the Namibian dollar. Its value is tied to that of the South African rand. As of October 2003, the exchange rates are:

£ 1 = ND 11.7
$ 1 = ND 6.9
€ 1 = ND 8.0

Your travel money should be carried in the form of cash or travellers cheques (American Express). Sterling, euros and dollars are readily exchanged. Credit cards can be used to purchase goods and services and it is a good idea to carry one in case of emergency.

Visas
A valid passport (with at least 6 months remaining validity), is required. British and most European and Commonweath passport holders do not need a visa for Namibia.

Vaccinations
You should attend your own GP and dentist for a check-up. A ROUGH GUIDE for an immunisation programme is as follows: (We must stress that this is only a basic guide - and you must abide by the advice of your local GP).

(a) Polio. Normally you will just need a booster.
(b) Tetanus.
(c) Typhoid. A full course requires 2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks.
(d) Hepatitis (A).
(e) Anti-malarial prophylaxis: Please refer to your GP (or to one of the agencies listed below) for the most up to date information about anti-malarial medication for the areas that you will be visiting.
(f) Meningitis.
(g) Rabies pre-exposure vaccination. Please refer to your GP (or to one of the agencies listed below) for advice on whether you need rabies pre-exposure vaccination. This vaccination does not eliminate the need for urgent evacuation to a suitable medical facility for additional treatment, in the unlikely case of your being bitten. However, it does simplify that additional treatment and also prolongs the period that you can safely delay before receiving post-exposure treatment.

Given enough notice, your GP will be able to administer all the above.

Additional Sources of Information

Books
Insight Guide Namibia.
Lonely Planet Namibia.
Footprint – Namibia Handbook.
Travel Guide Namibia. Revilio and Revilio.
Sands of Silence – On Safari in Namibia. Capstick.
Mammals of Southern Africa. Charles and Tilde Stuart.

Maps
Namibia Map. GeoCenter World Maps. 1:2,400,000

Our trip dossiers/itineraries give details of books and maps that are specific to a particular trip. Click here for details of book and map retailers.

Web
Lonely PLanet - www.lonelyplanet.com
Rough Guides - www.roughguides.com