Driving in Namibia Information Regulations Border Entry Fees Etc.

OK. You are on this page, because you want to do it your way. That's fine, but unless you've been to Namibia before and know the country I strongly recommend you take a bit of friendly…

Self Drive Touring in Namibia. all the info your need is here.

Self Drive Touring in Namibia - All you need to know!

• Foreign registered vehicles: You Must be in possession of Proof of Ownership of The Vehicle Owner / License / Plus Police Clearance Certificate. The Chassis, Engine Number, Trailer Number, and License Details will be checked by the Police from the country you are leaving and also by the Namibian Police on Entry into Namibia and Departure. If your vehicle / Trailer documents are not in order they will not be allowed to enter Namibia.
• A Cross Border Entry Fee: Is payable when entering Namibia

• Insurance: You should consult with your insurers before commencing your journey and ensure that you have adequate insurance cover for your vehicle, loss or theft of belongings and medical health including medi-vac.

Namibia - Rules of the Road:

• In Namibia driving is on the Left Hand side of the road.
• The maximum speed limit on open roads is 120 km/hr (75 mile/hr)
• The maximum speed limit in towns is 60-80 km/hr ( 37-50 mile/hr)
• Documentary proof of ownership of the vehicle along with a police clearance certificate are required if your are driving to or from Angola or Zambia.
• Car hire companies will provide the necessary documentation if the vehicle is rented on the basis for cross border use.
• All passengers are required to wear seat belts *
• Drivers must be in possession of a valid driving license at all times *
• The use of cellular phones when driving is illegal)) *

(* N$300 fine for not complying with the law.)

Touring By Car or 4x4 Vehicle: Namibia is a big country with its major tourist attractions positioned far from each other, so your self drive tour of Namibia will entail a lot of time behind the wheel, much of which will be spent on gravel roads. You must choose the places and sites that you want to visit and also decide on the most suitable vehicle for your purposes and budget. Namibia's tarred roads are amongst the best in Africa. The Namibia gravel road system is extensive and usually of a good surface. Many self-drivers rent sedan cars which are less expensive on charges than pick-up trucks and 4 x 4s. It should be understood here that a 4x4 vehicle is only as good as the driver's experience and even the best of off road drivers can get stuck in sand or meet some other obstacle that requires an amount of hard labour to get the truck back on track. Driving in soft sand requires a good amount of experience plus the truck must be equipped with the necessary recovery tackle. Most of your driving time will be spent on roads, and the larger diameter wheels of a 4x4 or pick-up truck will help to 'smooth out' road corrugations and the many 'bumps' that you will encounter in the roads. Your ride will be more comfortable than in small car and you will have plenty of luggage space. You will be driving on commercial tyres which less susceptible to blow-outs than the average small car tyre. Several of the 4x4 rental companies do offer vehicles along with the camping equipment that you would need for a holiday 'in the bush'. These advantages and extras all come at a cost, so it's up to you to decide how much you want to spend on vehicle rental.

Types of vehicle for rental:

• Sedan Car
• 2 x 4 Single Cab Bakkie (Pick-up truck with canopy)
• 4 x 4 Single Cab Bakkie (Pick-up truck with canopy)
• 4 x 4 Double Cab Bakkie(Pick-up truck with canopy)
• 4 x 4 Station Wagon (Land-Rover - Land-Cruiser)

• You cannot just drive off road anywhere in Namibia. Many of the areas that you will be passing through while driving on gravel roads will be in National Parks and you may not leave the road for eco reasons.
• The coastal gravel desert is home to delicate lichens which are protected by law. Should you drive off road in these areas you will damage the gravel surface and will leave ugly vehicle tracks that will remain visible for hundreds of years. It is an offence to drive in these areas.

• Should you plan to drive into off-road areas you should make arrangements to make a contact person or authority aware of your planned route along with stop over places and time table. The have been cases where tourists have become disorientated or ran low on fuel and or water and have died as a result before the alarm that they were considered to be lost had been raised.
• Whatever vehicle you choose, if you are planning to drive on gravel roads you should ask the rental company to provide you with 2 spare wheels. Plus you should carry an amount of emergency supplies.
• During the rainy season (November to April) you will find that certain gravel roads may have suffered from wash-away caused by flash flooding.

The Costs Involved When Renting A Vehicle In Namibia:

Below is an indication of the costs you will have to make when renting a vehicle in Namibia. The insurance excesses can be quite high owing to the amount of tourists who crash or damage their vehicles. Your chosen rental company will explain exactly what is involved and the detailed costs involved.

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)
• Theft Loss Waiver (TLW)
• Additional Collision Damage Waiver ACDW)
• Excess - The Deposit Required For (CDW)
• Reduced Excess - The Deposit Required for CDW+TLW+ACDW
• Rental Charge -Rates vary depending on duration of rental

Road signs in Namibia are good. Below is a selection you may not be familiar with.

Animals on the roads present a major danger to drivers. The areas in which the particular species of wild animals are liable to be are well signed with warnings. When driving in the South of the country you are likely to find Wild Desert Horses crossing the main B2 road to Luderitz, just west of Aus. Throughout the south you may also find Oryx on the roads, especially during hours of darkness. In the central and northern areas of the country you may find Kudu and Warthogs grazing alongside the road. You can also find domestic Livestock grazing alongside the roads where there are small villages and settlements. Driving at night in areas where animals are to be found on the road is dangerous. Avoid driving after dark. Certain species are confused by oncoming headlamps and will run head on into the vehicle.

"What does this mean?" Answer: "Do not stop the vehicle on a roadway or shoulder of a road where this sign is displayed."

If you intend to drive on gravel roads in Namibia during the rainy season you would be wise to consult with locals or the Automobile Association Office for a road report.

Driving on gravel roads during rains, or following a downpour of rain can be tricky. The road surface can, in areas, become extremely slippery owing to a soap like mud. When encountering this condition please drive accordingly. When encountering normally dry rivers that are in flood and cross the road be extremely cautious. Fast flowing water across a gravel road carries small stones along the river bed which act like small ball bearings. Your vehicle could lose traction with the road surface and could be swept along with the river, usually with fatal results. When crossing mountain passes you may find that heavy rains have washed the road binding away and that the surface is just a gravel or boulder bed. You should drive carefully in order to avoid damage to your vehicle. Rental companies will charge you for any damage to the vehicle.

You will see plenty of cars being driven on gravel roads in Namibia. However, 4 x 4 vehicles or 2 x 4 pick-up trucks are more suitable for this type of road surface. Their tire size is greater thus giving a more comfortable ride.

Following a heavy mist the salt road becomes extremely slippery. Please drive accordingly.

In the rare event of it raining you are advised not to make use of the road. (1) There is little traction on the surface making driving , even for a 4 x 4 difficult. (2) The salt- mud accumulates on the vehicle and is costly to remove. (3) Your usage of the road when it has been softened by rains will damage the existing structure of the road making it a longer and more costly for the Roads Authority to repair the road for service-able use.

Dry Season - Serious Fire Hazard Warning Bush Fires are a major cause of loss of wildlife, livestock and even people

Please take care when driving off-road where there is GRASS during the dry season. Your vehicle exhaust system can become hot. Dangers that can happen:

(1). Grass can accumulate around the exhaust systems of certain vehicles. It then ignites and sets the vehicle on fire.

(2). The hot exhaust systems can cause the grass that you drive over to catch on fire which then causes a bush fire.

Leave a record of your planned journey with somebody reliable so that if you don't arrive at you planned destination on time they will know you have run into trouble.

The famous explorer Sir Francis Galton (Fellow of the Royal Society) trekked around the northern area of South West Africa in 1851-52. Galton first arrived by ship at Walvis Bay and, being an Englishman - from England, his choice of transport was a horse. However within a couple of days, he noted in his journal that his experienced Africa travelling companion named Stewardson preferred a trained riding-ox, "He showed me all the points of an ox; explaining how immeasurably superior that beast was in every respect to a horse..." At that time the most reliable and popular transport animal for African 'self-drive' explorers was not the horse, but the trained African-Riding-Ox. The sturdy ox could carry a heavier load than a horse, could go for longer periods without food or water and did not suffer from the seasonal sicknesses that horses succumbed to in the tropics. Galton was soon converted and later wrote affectionately of his trusty riding ox.

The rifles of those days were flint-lock operated and the picture shows the gun nestled stock-down in the gun bag. In this way the lead ball along with wadding and black-powder charge stayed firmly packed in the firing chamber section of the gun-barrel. The charged weapon could be quickly drawn from its holster, cocked and was ready to fire. To avoid injury that may be caused by accidental discharge the rider safely tucked the gun barrel under his arm.

Before you rely on this

This subject changes over time. Verify it with current official sources before relying on it.

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