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Arriving in Namibia:
Before landing in Namibia you should be given an
arrivals form. You must complete this and hand it over with your
passport to the Namibia Immigration Official on arrival. The planes
park up about 150 meters from the airport buildings. From here you
will have to walk to the immigration hall. There are arrivals desks
for Foreign Passport Holders, Residents of the SADC (Southern
African Development Region), Namibian Residents, and Diplomatic
Personnel. Make sure you go to the correct queue. Processing can
take some time. The Namibian Immigration Authorities are quite
efficient. Your travel documents must be valid, otherwise you will
be detained.
Namibia Customs:
The service varies from there apparently being no-one on duty (this
is not the case) to being very picky about 'nothings'. On the whole,
if stopped you'll find the Namibia Customs officers courteous and
quite diligent, but be warned, should you be found to be in
possession of contraband you will witness an almost eagerness that
will see the law is exacted to its utmost. If you have anything to
declare, do so and pay the duty. It will prove to be less of an
inconvenience and much cheaper than the alternative.
There is a separate counter off from the
arrivals hall where outgoing tourists can make their VAT reclaims.
Airport Facilities: Bureau de Change,
Curio Shops, Light refreshments cafe, Car Rental Offices. Namibia
Police.
Getting into town (Windhoek): Most
visitors make their car rental arrangements in advance. Most of the
major rental firms have offices at the airport, and if not they
should have your car waiting for you along with a driver. There are
shuttle bus services that run into the centre of Windhoek.
Shuttle Transport:
Operators must be registered with the Namibia
Tourism Board. Be careful to establish the price of the ride before
employing the service. The present going rate is about XXXX
Shuttle Bus
Operators ( Windhoek Airport)
Taxis: Not recommended.
There is little control as to the reliability of the vehicle and, or the
capabilities of the drivers. There have even
been cases in Namibia where tourists have
been assaulted and mugged while in taxis. If you
are going to make use of taxis please ensure
that you employ the services of a reliable and
reputable operator.
Exporting of Goods from Namibia:
A caution noted here, even before your
arrival.
Your Home Country Requirements: Should you
intend to purchase any animal products while visiting Namibia,
please check with your home country's authorities regarding the
importation of such goods. It may be that you can purchase the goods
in Namibia only to discover when landing back in your home country
that you are not allowed to import such items.
Namibian Requirements: For animal products
such as cured game skins, carved ivory, game trophies etc, you must
be in possession of the relevant Namibia export documentation.
For the exportation of Gem-stones cut or uncut,
including collector mineral samples, you must be in possession of
the relevant Namibian export documentation. It is a criminal offence
in Namibia to attempt to export classified minerals without a
permit. |
