Practical Information

Passport

Remember to check the expiration date of your passport if travelling internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return.

Visa

Namibia

Travellers from the UK, US and some EU states normally do not need a visa to enter Namibia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/namibia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/namibia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/namibia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Namibia.html

If you are transiting through South Africa and are a non-UK passport holder you may require a transit visa. Please check before travelling. Please note that if flying via South Africa you will probably have to pass immigration there.

Passports: To enter Namibia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It must also have at least one blank page. If you’re travelling to South Africa, you will need an additional 2 blank pages.

Travelling with children: In addition to valid passports, parents travelling with children (under 18) should at all times carry the original or certified copy of the unabridged birth certificate (listing the child’s and both parents’ details). Adults travelling with children where they are not the biological or legal guardians of those children, should be in possession of an affidavit statement from the child’s parents giving consent for their travel. If a child is travelling with only one parent, the other parent should give consent for travel in the form of an affidavit.

Vaccinations and Health

Namibia

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, rabies and tuberculosis. Malaria prophylaxis is essential, seek advice from your doctor about which malaria tablets to take. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

 

Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.

Local Time

Namibia's time zone: Africa/Windhoek (UTC +02:00)

Electricity

Nearly all the campsites/lodges provide a power point, normally in a communal area such as the kitchen or bar. Most of the vehicles are fitted with an inverter to allow you to charge your batteries while on the move (using European-style plugs), but space is limited so you should not rely on this being available.

Money

Namibia's currency: Namibian dollar (NAD)

ATM Availability

Credit cards are widely accepted, and there are ATMs in the main towns and the airport, but you should not rely on this for all your money. Most hotels and restaurants accept credit cards.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Optional excursions (approximate costs, depending on group sizes)

There are several optional activities in Swakopmund, such as ocean fishing, quad biking and sandboarding but there’s plenty to occupy you if you don’t participate. These prices are approximate.

• Deadvlei transfer (if not walking on Day 3, one way): 180 Namibian dollars (US$12)
• Quad biking: N$850 (US$58) for two hours or N$600 (US$40) for one hour
• Fat biking: N$500 (US$33) for two hours
• Flight over Sossusvlei: N$5,300 (US$360)
• Ocean fishing: N$1,200-1,500 (US$81-US$101)
• Desert night drive (Day 3): 200 dollars (US$13.50)
• Sandboarding:
  • Lay down: N$600 (US$41)
  • Stand up: N$700 (US$48)
• Etosha late-afternoon safari: 750 dollars (US$51)
• Elephant game drive: 690 Namibian dollars (£30/US$37)

Tipping

Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work. Tipping is entirely optional but we recommend approximately 25-45 Namibian dollars (US$1.70-US$3) per person per day. For other staff such as porters, we recommend that you budget for a further USD5-8.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• Read more about our other initiatives here

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves generates income which is used to upkeep and develop these important sites.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We rewild 1,075sqft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Important Information

Optional activities and excursions

If you would like to join an optional activity or excursion outside those listed in the itinerary, your leader may be able to assist with selecting a provider. However, Exodus has not assessed the safety standards of activities or excursions that are not listed in the Trip Notes. All optional activities or excursions are undertaken at your own risk.

Family trips

Our staff and leaders are there to ensure the trip runs as smoothly as possible. However, company policy states they cannot take care of children; it is your responsibility to look after your young ones throughout the trip. During free time or if you decide to opt out of part of the itinerary, you are responsible for your family and any arrangements that need to be made, though your leader will be happy to make recommendations.

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.