Namibia has an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, making it one of the sunniest countries in the world.

Namibia is located south of the Equator in the subtropical climate belt. This means that the climate is generally hot and dry, and even after it has rained, the humidity is not too high. However, there are relatively large climate differences from area to area.

In the central highlands, where you will, for example, find the capital Windhoek, which is located about 1,700 metres above sea level, the temperatures are moderate, and there is more rain than in the surrounding desert areas.

In desert areas, the Kalahari Desert in the east and the Namib Desert in the west, it rains very rarely, and temperatures can fluctuate greatly between day and night.

Along the Atlantic Ocean, where you will, for example, find the coastal city of Swakopmund, the climate is quite different from the rest of the country. Here, special current and wind conditions create an inland blanket of sea mist and fog, which can sometimes feel cold.

Namibia has two seasons, although it is a very sunny and dry country. The seasons are defined as summer and winter, but because Namibia is located south of the Equator, the seasons are opposite to the Danish ones:

Winter (dry season) is approximately from May to September.

It hardly rains during this period, which is generally characterised by pleasant temperatures, lots of sunshine and blue skies.

The winter period is one of the best times to go on safari in Etosha National Park, as water is scarce, which means that the wildlife gather around the existing waterholes.

During September, temperatures slowly rise, and the heat of summer approaches.

Summer (rainy season) is approximately from October to April.

At the beginning of the period, it hardly rains, and temperatures are high. During November and December, there is increasing precipitation, with the heaviest rainfall being between January and March. However, the rain rarely falls as heavy showers that persist all day, but more often takes the form of mild showers.

A common feature of the whole period is that both air humidity and temperatures are higher than in the winter period. There is also a risk of thunderstorms. In turn, the rain also makes the otherwise dry landscape green and more lush.

UK citizens can travel to Namibia without a visa on tours of a maximum duration of 90 days. You need to bring a valid passport, and it must be valid for six months after your return journey from Namibia.

You can check the visa rules on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.

Namibia – when travelling with children aged under 18
Children aged under 18 must bring their birth certificate translated into English. This applies even if the child is travelling with both parents.

If the child is travelling with only one parent, written consent is required from the parent who is not travelling with them in the form of an authenticated power of attorney and a copy of the passport with a signature. This also applies despite joint custody. The child must still bring a birth certificate translated into English.

If one parent has died, a death certificate translated into English must be brought.

If the child travels without any parents, the same rules apply as those described above.

Please note that a letter of attorney is only valid when legalised by a public authority. In the UK, this can be done by the Legalisation Office. You can contact Citizen Services in your district or the local church office to get a birth certificate.

We recommend that you contact Namibia’s embassy, if you are travelling with children under the age of 18 and have questions about the process.

Prior to your departure, you can download our App here to find your travel documents and the contact details for TourCompass and our local partners.

We recommend that you download the WhatsApp app to your smartphone and add the phone numbers of our business partners. You can send messages and call them for free using the app when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

We recommend that you contact a medical specialist, your GP or an authorised vaccination clinic for information about vaccinations. You can also read more about the rules regarding travel vaccinations here.

Please be aware of the rules about yellow fever – especially if you are entering via another country where yellow fever is present. Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry. Your vaccination certificate should therefore always be carried with you in your hand luggage when you travel.

Please read our general travel terms and conditions carefully, as these are part of the agreement terms for tours purchased at TourCompass. Tours purchased from us are covered under the “Package Travel Act”.

Click here to read our travel terms and conditions.

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate click here.

We always advise you to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when heading off on your dream holiday. It is also highly recommended to acquire cancellation insurance for extra protection. 

Click here to proceed to our page on insurance, where you can read more about our recommendations.

The currency in Namibia is called Namibian dollar (NAD), click here.

Common credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are generally accepted, and there are cash point machines (ATMs) in the cities. Credit cards are used in hotels, restaurants, and shops, but not in small local markets.

Tipping is both welcome and commonly used.  In general, of course, you tip in accordance with the service you have received. The following is an indicative level:

• Guide: NAD 30 to 50 per person per day
• Local guide: NAD 10 to 20 per person for half-day excursions, and 30 to 50 per person for a full-day excursion.
• Hotels/lodges: there is a box for tipping at the reception. Money that is put into this box will be distributed equally among all service staff excluding safari and activity guides
• Restaurants: Tips are not included unless clearly stated on the bill. If you are satisfied with the service, and a gratuity has not already been added to the bill, you should add a tip of 10% to the bill.

At the vast majority of our destinations, we are able to take allergies, as well as allergens or preferences into account when it comes to food, however it is important that you inform us of this when you book the tour.

Some lodges in Namibia get electricity from solar or wind energy. There is 220V, and the plugs are with three round pins – one thick and two thinner.

Be aware that there is not always enough power to use a hair dryer, for example.

In the hotel descriptions on our website, you can see whether there is Wi-Fi in the hotels. Be aware that the connection may be unstable.

Make sure you pack all your important and indispensable things in your hand luggage. This applies to items such as passports, visas, vaccination cards, travel documents, insurance documents, credit cards, money, computers, mobile phones and cameras, as well as information about your health and vital medicines.

We recommend that you pack your things in soft bags. It is easier to pack the safari vehicles with soft bags than with suitcases. Especially hardcase suitcases are difficult to fit into the safari vehicle. Therefore, avoid bringing suitcases with hard edges wherever possible.

We also recommend that you pack light clothes – preferably ‘layer-on-layer’. Bring long trousers and long-sleeved shirts that provide protection against mosquitoes after sunset and, if necessary, against the sun during the day. Also preferably avoid bare feet in the evening because of mosquitoes.

Remember a small flashlight and extra batteries in case of periodical power failures.

Visitors are not permitted to bring plants, seeds, fruit and other plant products into the UK from their travels outside the UK, unless they are accompanied by a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate. These rules also apply to smaller quantities of plants and plant products.

Read more about the rules here.

Please note that our tours are not generally suitable for people with impaired mobility. Please contact us for information about your options in relation to your specific needs.

Most airlines have electronic tickets (e-tickets).

It is important that you check your name for spelling errors, as the name on the reservation must be exactly as it appears on your passport. If your name needs to be corrected, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note that this may incur a fee from the airline.

The airline will assign you a seat on the plane at check-in. If you have specific wishes regarding where you sit on the plane, you can make a seat reservation yourself on the airline’s website or in their app. Please note that most airlines require payment for a seat reservation.

It varies when airlines open for seat reservations, but as a general rule, you can book seats from the time of booking and up to 48 hours before departure.

We also point out that the airline has complete control over all seats on the plane and that they are therefore entitled to make changes to the reservation at any time.
If you do not make a seat reservation before departure, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in.

Your passport and your booking reference, which appears on your itinerary, are required to check in.

We recommend that you download the airline’s app on your phone. In the app, there is an option for online check-in, which typically opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. The app also allows you to stay informed of any flight changes and other important information about your flight.

Please note that the flight times may have changed in relation to those listed on the travel itinerary you received when you booked your holiday. It is always the flight times in the airline’s app or on the airline’s website that apply.

We recommend that you arrive at the airport to check in at least two hours before departure. It is a good idea to check the airport’s website for the latest updates.

We use many different airlines for our destinations. You can check the exact rules for hand luggage and checked baggage on the airline’s website or in their app.

If you are flying via O.R. Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, please note that luggage that is checked in here must have at least one flat side and must not have long loose straps (e.g. a backpack). If you are travelling with, for example, a round sports bag or a backpack with long straps, you must use a ‘baggage wrapping service’ at the airport before you are allowed to check in your luggage.

If you are flying via Johannesburg, please note that, in Johannesburg, you sometimes have to pick up your luggage yourself on the luggage carousel, go through customs with it yourself and then drop it off again at the check-in desk. Verify at the check-in desk whether this is the case or if your luggage will be sent all the way to your final destination.

If your luggage is delayed, please contact the staff in the luggage reclaim area to report your missing luggage.

It is important that you have your luggage receipt when completing your PIR (Property Irregularity Report).

Please note that you must not leave the luggage area at the airport until you have completed the report.

In the event of delayed luggage, we ask you to contact our partner, who will ensure that your guide/driver waits for you.

Should any changes occur in connection with your flight reservation before departure, we will of course contact you to let you know.

Should your flight be delayed after check-in, the airline is responsible for rebooking your flight. They will typically book the next possible flight and arrange any meals and accommodation if necessary.

Our partner checks for any changes in arrival times and will naturally still wait for you, even if your flight is delayed.

If, due to a delay or cancellation, the airline books you on another flight number after you have arrived at the airport, please contact us on TourCompass’ emergency number.

Immigration:
When you arrive at your final destination, you will go through immigration, where your passport and any entry documents and visas are checked. In many places, you will be required to provide fingerprints, and a photo of your face will also be taken for biometric recognition. You may also be asked questions about your travel plans in the country and possibly where you are staying.

Customs:
Once you’ve cleared immigration and picked up your luggage, you will head through customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can go through “nothing to declare”. If, on the other hand, you have something to declare, it is important that you go through “declare”. It’s your own responsibility to check the customs regulations that apply in the country you are travelling to.

When you come out into the arrivals hall at the airport, you will be met by a guide/driver holding up a TourCompass sign with your name on it, who will make sure you get safely to your hotel.

In the unexpected event that you cannot find your guide/driver, please contact our partner on the emergency number which appears on the travel documents.

Normal check-in is typically from 2 pm, and you cannot therefore count on getting your room earlier. If you’d like to check in early, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

When you check in, the receptionist will generally register your credit card and may reserve an amount. This is not an additional fee, but customary at hotels to ensure payment of any consumption from the minibar and the like. When you check out, the amount will be automatically released if you have not made use of this.

It is very normal for hotels to take a copy of your passport. In some places, this is a requirement of the local authorities.

Check-out is normally by 10 am. If you’re not travelling until the afternoon or evening, you can have your luggage stored until it’s time to leave. If you would like a late check-out instead, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, blocked roads or otherwise, it may be necessary to change the order of sightseeing tours and attractions in your itinerary.

We provide a 24-hour emergency hotline, allowing you to contact us at any time if something unexpected occurs during your tour. You will also be sent the telephone numbers and emergency telephone numbers of our partners at the destination. In some cases, it may be easiest and fastest to contact our partners due to time differences, if, for example, you find yourself in a situation where your pick-up for an excursion or transfer is more than 15 minutes delayed.

Our livelihood depends on satisfied guests, and we would therefore very much like to hear from you after your return home. Send us an email at info@tourcompass.co.uk or call us on tel.: 01279 704 135.