Flight +
nights stay in a
star hotel / double room, is
Note
These values represent only an estimate of costs for travels from London, bought in
2015-01-16 with departure date in
2015-05-05 and return date in 2015-05-17 . These values refer the best quality and price according to parameters of selection set by Bananatrips. Prices may have changed since date of publication and will also depend on the specific date of reservation. The success in obtaining good prices is to make reservations in advance. For specific values in other dates please REQUEST A SEARCH BEFORE MAKING YOUR RESERVATION.
Windhoek is Namibia's capital and largest city (population ~250,000). It is in the geographic centre of the country at an elevation of 1,600m. This is the city where most safaris travelling through Namibia begin, and also the first point of entry in Namibia should you arrive by airplane. English is spoken throughout Namibia (it is the country's official language and is also the medium of instruction in most schools), although in many urban areas Afrikaans (similar to Dutch) is used as a lingua franca, as 50% of the Namibian population speaks Afrikaans. German is widely used in tourism and business. Oshiwambo is spoken by 50% of Namibians as a mother tongue. Radio and television is also predominantly in English.
Other langauges include Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, Damara/Nama, Setswana, SiLozi, and Rukwangali.
Get in
By car
The B1, which runs from the north to the south and the B2 (Trans-Kalahari) which runs from the east to the west through Namibia are the primary land routes into Windhoek. Northern towns served by the B1 include Oshakati, Otjiwarongo, and Okahanja. Southern towns include Rehoboth, Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz. From the west the B2 connects Swakopmund and from the east it connects Gobabis.
By combie
This is the easiest way to get to Windhoek for people without a car. Combies run from everywhere in Namibia, and through some combination of different routes, one can always find their way to Windhoek. The Engen petrol station north of downtown (Rhino Park) is the rank for southern and western destinations such as Mariental, Swakopmund, Keetmanshoop. For northern destinations such as Otjiwarongo, Oshakati and Rundu go to Hakahana Service Station, Katutura. However, it is easier to arrange for a minibus to take you (check opposite SAA in Independence Avenue).
Combies/Shared Taxis run directly from Cape Town, the long distance taxi terminal on top of Cape Town station on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11am. Cost: 650 rand 17 hours.
By plane
If you're arriving in Namibia by airplane, this is most likely to be via Hosea Kutako International Airport. The airport is approximately 40km out of town, so give yourself plenty of time to travel to the city centre. A taxi to the city center will run you about $350N per person.
Windhoek also has a municipal airport called Eros. This is the main airport for all domestic flights - so travellers making a connection between international and domestic aircraft should also allow at least one hour for the travel time between the two airports
By train
Windhoek's train station is in the city centre, just off Bahnhof Street.
TransNamib, via their StarLine passenger service, operates trains from Windhoek to destinations all over Namibia.
Some routes are:
Windhoek-Otjiwarongo-Tsumeb
Windhoek-Gobabis
Windhoek-Swakopmund-Walvis Bay
Windhoek-Keetmanshoop ; this train used to continue on to Upington in South Africa but no longer does so.
There are no dedicated passenger trains in Namibia, apart from the luxury Desert Express tourist train. The StarLine scheduled service described above conveys passengers via special coaches hooked on the back of freight trains. These passenger coaches offer comfortable airline-style seating with air-conditioning and (sometimes) video entertainment. Vending machines provide refreshments on long journeys. Note, however, that Namibian trains are considered a relatively slow method of transport.
The Desert Express is a luxury tourist train that traverses Namibia regularly, taking tourists to such destinations as Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Etosha National Park. Buses are used to transport visitors from train stations to the various sights.
By bus
Intercape runs a bus service to and from Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa and Livingstone in Zambia. It's about 24 hours to either city. Book a few days in advance at least to be sure that you have a seat. As at February 2009 the cost was about R700 for either ticket.
Get around
By car
There are a number of car rental agencies operating in Windhoek:
There is no public transit in Windhoek but there is a system of shared taxis which are similar to combies in South African cities. Taxis primarily run between the townships and the main industrial/commercial areas of the city. Routes are not fixed like a bus route or the combie routes in South Africa. This gives some added flexibility, but also means that fares between given destinations may not always be the same. You can get in or get out wherever you want along the "route".
To catch a taxi just flag it down by holding your arm out and waving your hand down towards the ground. It's a casual gesture, so don't stick your arm straight out like a sign post, and don't wave your arm around like you're calling for help. The fare for destinations that are on the "route" or close to the route is N$8, destinations more "out of the way" are charged at N$16. Non standard destinations cost around N$30. Tell the driver where you want to go when you get in or before you get in. If the destination is too far off their route, they will tell you they're not going there so you'll just have to wait for another taxi. This can be common during rush hour. It will take some time to figure out what these informal routes are.
Most taxis cruise along Independence Avenue south of the intersection with Fidel Castro Street. The easiest place to catch them is in front of the Gustav Voigts Centre/Kalahari Sands Hotel.
If you feel uncomfortable taking shared taxis, there are on-demand taxis which allow you to hire the entire car to yourself. Most of these taxis have to be pre-booked via telephone; they'll come and get you wherever you are. In the city, they can be found behind the Tourist Information Office at the intersection of Independence Avenue and Fidel Castro Street (opposite Gustav Voigts Centre/Kalahari Sands Hotel) and on the northern-side of Wernhill Park shopping mall. They also tend to gather at popular restaurants and nightspots. Make sure you agree on the price before taking them; most will ask for at least N$50 to go anywhere around Windhoek. These taxis also can take you out of Windhoek, and especially to the airport; it's just a question of how much they are going to charge.
Here are some taxi company numbers:
Lima Transfers: +264-(0)81-127-3232 (Eduard)
Dial-a-Cab: +264-(0)61-223-531
On foot
Most hotels and hostels are centrally located close to the city centre, so you can easily walk to most shops, restaurants, clubs and sights.
