When to go: Namibia
High season (June-October) coincides with the dry season and is a popular time to visit. We advise booking well in advance, especially for in-demand destinations like Etosha. At the start of the season, nights can be chilly and tend to stay so throughout in the mountainous regions of Damaraland. Around Etosha, lack of rain means animals congregate at watering holes which makes good viewing, and no clouds generally mean incredible starry nights.
Rainy season starts in November, and can become heavy by December. With this comes high temperatures of (up to 40 degrees) and humidity. Apart from Christmas and New Year this is considered low season. Vegetation grows with the rain, so can become more difficult to spot game, although the scenery does become more verdant and picturesque and birdlife is more prolific.
The Zambezi region, including the Bwabwata National Park, has an almost sub-tropical climate where humidity is much hotter in summer and rainfall more heavy and prolonged. By contrast the coastal areas around the Skeleton Coast barely receive any rainfall at all, relying on the Atlantic fogs for hydration.
British Airways offer direct flights from London to Johannesburg (duration 11.5 hours), located in the East of South Africa. SAA and Virgin Atlantic also fly this route. On arrival in Johannesburg, there are connecting flights (duration 2 hours, 15 minutes) on either South African Airlink or Comair (British Airways operated) which fly direct to Windhoek situated in central Namibia. From Windhoek, charter companies operate flights to the popular destinations of Sossusvlei, Damaraland or Kaokoland. For those on a self-drive holiday, there are a good selection of car hire companies based in Windhoek.
Please contact your GP or travel health specialist to check which vaccinations you require. A yellow fever certificate is required if arriving (or in transit for more than 12 hours) from an endemic area
For more advice, please visit the following link: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/namibia
A visa is not required for UK passport holders.
However, this is an important reminder that the Immigration rules for Minors are still in effect in South Africa which will apply if you are transiting through a South African Airport en-route to Windhoek. As such, travelling with kids to South Africa currently has strict rules and requirements which need to be adhered to in order to enter the country.
Please check the following websites for more details
Approximately 11 hours 30 minutes’ direct flight from London to Johannesburg connecting to another scheduled 2 hour flight from Johannesburg to Windhoek.