Step SG-4   Namibia Road Travel | Self Drive Touring In Namibia

   Know The Following:  

• Namibia Border Entry Points
• Namibia Immigration Requirements
• Travelling to Namibia By Rail or Scheduled Bus

   Self Drivers:  

• 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

Passenger Cars N$110

Trailers N$70

• 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.)

Use of Headlights During Daylight Hours: 

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

Warthog	Kudu	Oryx	Hippo	Wild Horse	Elephant

Animals On Road Warning: 

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.

Tarred road surfaces   are quite well maintained and one can cruise along at 120km/hr. The distances between towns in Namibia are lengthy. The roads have a low traffic density and driving can become monotonous. Falling asleep while driving is one of  the main causes of tourist accidents on Namibian roads. You may find the main roads in Namibia narrow compared to the road system in your home country. Beware of Heavy vehicles.

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 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.

  Beware of Super-links   these are 26 wheelers,  22 meters in length and having a gross vehicle mass of up to 56 tons and are quite common on Southern African roads. They are legally limited to a maximum speed of 80km/hr. However, you might encounter one cruising along in comfort on the open roads at speeds of over 120km/hr. Be careful when overtaking or passing these long heavy vehicles. You can experience air-blast which has the effect of either sucking you into the oncoming traffic lane, or blowing you off the road. Drive defensively and hold your steering wheel firmly.

Long empty roads	Beware of Super-Links	Gravel Road in Damaraland	C34 Salt Road
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.

Supplies For The Journey:

Food and Water: You MUST carry a sufficient amount of emergency drinking water with you at all times. You may also want to carry your own food for on the road picnics. You will find picnic areas along side the main roads. However, if you intend to make use of these please keep alert. It is not common, but there have been cases of people being hi-jacked at such places.

Medical Supplies: A well equipped First Aid Kit is essential. If touring during or following the wet season you should seek advice from a chemist regarding Malaria Prophylaxes.

Fuel: You must always carry enough fuel to get there and back, plus extra, in the event of you taking the wrong path. This is important info. There have been cases in Namibia where tourists have met with fatal consequences when having failed to adhere to this rule. I always carry 2 x 20liter Jerry Cans. There are times when you will find fuel stations in remote locations in Namibia having allowed their tanks to run empty. It's not common, but does happen, so be warned.

A Few Words About 4 X 4 Driving 

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 positively 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.

The above report was an first class piece of advice for any mid-nineteenth century would be traveller to this part of the dark continent, so choose your ox carefully.

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