Namibia Safari Guide: Park Fees, Visas, Best Time

Parks and what they charge

Conservation fee for a foreign adult, mostly per day; vehicles pay extra. Namibian citizens and SADC nationals pay less. Work out a whole trip with the fee calculator.

Before you go to Namibia

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When to goBest Time to Visit Etosha: Month by MonthFor game viewing, go in the dry season, June to October, when the rain has stopped and animals crowd the waterholes. For birds, green plains and a chance of a flooded pan with flamingos, go January to April and accept heat, storms and muddy roads.
Gate timesEtosha Gate Times by Month, Gates and CampsEtosha's gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, so the times move every week. Expect about 06:10 to 19:30 in December and about 07:30 to 18:30 in late June and July. Camp gates keep the same hours and nobody may drive after dark.
Entry rulesNamibia Entry Requirements 2026: Visas and RulesSince 1 April 2025 US, UK, German and all other EU tourists need a visa for Namibia. Get it online as an e-visa before you fly, or on arrival at the main airports and borders. It costs N$1,600 for anyone 12 or older. Your passport needs six months' validity and three blank pages.
EssentialsNamibia Travel Essentials for First VisitorsNamibia uses the Namibian dollar (N$), tied one to one to the rand, and rand notes are legal tender too. Carry cash for fuel. You drive on the left, the gravel limit is 100 km/h but 80 is wiser. Plugs are Type M and C at 230 V. Dial 10111 or 112 in an emergency. The north is a malaria area.
Self-driveSelf-Drive Namibia: Gravel Roads, Fuel and BordersNamibia drives on the left. The limit is 120 km/h on tar and 100 km/h on gravel, but keep to about 80 km/h on gravel, carry two spare tyres and don't drive after dark. A foreign-registered car pays a N$534 Cross Border Charge on entry (from 1 August 2026).
Getting thereDirect Flights to South Africa from the US: Routes and FaresOnly Atlanta (Delta), Newark (United) and Washington Dulles (United, Cape Town only) have nonstops to South Africa, about 15 hours south. Namibia and Botswana need a change, usually in Johannesburg. February is the cheapest month, July and December the dearest.
DrivingDriving in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana: UK LicenceA UK photocard licence is accepted in all four countries (12 months in South Africa and Zimbabwe, 90 days in Botswana). GOV.UK says an IDP is needed to hire a car in Namibia and Botswana, and a loop needs two: 1949 for those two, 1968 for South Africa and Zimbabwe, £5.50 each at a PayPoint shop.
DrivingDriving in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana With a US LicenseAn English-language US driver's license with your photo on it works in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. An IDP ($20 at AAA) is not strictly required, but Namibia's own list of papers to carry includes one. Taking a rental across a border costs about $145 to $155 plus border charges.
GuideFirst Safari: South Africa, Namibia or Botswana?For most Americans on a first safari, South Africa: nonstop flights from Atlanta, Newark and Washington Dulles, all of the Big Five in Kruger, no visa and every budget. Pick Namibia for a self-drive road trip with Etosha as the wildlife stop, and Botswana when you can pay for a fly-in camp.
Getting thereFlights from the UK to South Africa, Namibia and BotswanaOnly Heathrow (British Airways, Virgin Atlantic) and Gatwick (Norse Atlantic) have nonstops to South Africa, 11 to 12 hours overnight. Windhoek, Maun, Kasane and Victoria Falls need a change, usually in Johannesburg. February is cheapest for Johannesburg, May for Cape Town, December dearest.
CostsHow Much Does a Safari Cost from the UK? Prices in PoundsA couple self-driving Kruger for a fortnight pays about £4,280 all in from London, Namibia camping for 12 days about £3,860, and a fly-in week in the Okavango about £15,550. Park fees are £9 to £31 a person a day. Figures from October 2026 rate sheets, converted at about R22.20 to £1.
CostsHow Much Does a Safari Cost? South Africa, Namibia, BotswanaA self-drive week in the parks costs a couple about US$1,800 to US$2,400 in car, fuel, beds and park fees, or US$155 to US$295 a person a night. Lodges run from about US$200 a person a night by Etosha to over US$5,000 in Botswana's top camps in high season.
HealthMalaria on Safari: Kruger, Etosha, Okavango, Malaria-Free ParksKruger, the Okavango, Chobe and Namibia's Zambezi Region are malaria areas where the CDC advises tablets. Madikwe, Pilanesberg and the Eastern Cape are on no risk map. The UK rates Etosha high risk December to April, low May to November. Flying direct from the US, no yellow fever certificate.
GuidePlugs, SIM Cards and eSIMs: South Africa, Namibia, BotswanaAll three countries run on 230 V with the big three round pin Type M plug, so US chargers marked 100-240V need only an adapter. Roaming costs $12 a day on Verizon and AT&T. Local SIM bundles cost about $7 to $40, need your passport, and lose signal in most parks.
GuideSafari in the UK School Holidays: Which Break, Which ParkTake the summer holiday: late July and August are southern Africa's dry winter, with the best game and lowest malaria risk, and English schools break up after South Africa's winter holiday ends. Easter and Christmas fall in the rains and on South African breaks. October half term is underrated.
MoneySafari Tipping in South Africa, Botswana and NamibiaOn safari, plan on roughly US$10 to US$20 a guest a day for your guide, US$5 to US$10 for a tracker or mokoro poler, and US$5 to US$18 for the staff box, given once at the end of each stay. Tip in rand in South Africa, N$ or rand in Namibia, and US dollars or pula in Botswana camps.
MoneyUS Dollars, Cards and Cash in South Africa, Namibia, BotswanaBring a no foreign transaction fee Visa or Mastercard and a debit card for ATMs. Cards and tap to pay work almost everywhere in South Africa. Namibia needs cash for fuel and rand works there too. Botswana's camps take US dollars, but towns and fuel stations want pula. Always pay in local currency.

Namibia

Parks and what they charge

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Before you go to Namibia

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All 23 parks and reserves