Overview
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How are the roads in Namibia
Namibia has 64.799 km of road, of which only 7841km is paved. Most of the roads, both paved and gravel, are well maintained, but note that there are often flooding areas and occasional bumps and holes. The gravel roads are frequently flattened and you will regularly encounter a truck maintaining the road. Generally, they are quite pleasant to drive, but you will still have to accept a lot of vibrations and especially a lot of dust.
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Do I need a 4x4 Vehicle
Because so few roads in Namibia are paved, it is highly recommended to rent a 4×4 vehicle and even better one with off-road tires. A 4×4 is much better equipped to drive on these roads, as they have more grip on the track, but also because you sit higher, which is a lot more pleasant. It is easier to drive up steep roads and the car is also more resistant to stones and potholes. We rented our 4×4 from Zambezi Car Rental and made it through all the roads with great comfort and without any problems.
If you are traveling to Namibia during rainy season (from October to March), it’s impossible to drive without a 4×4, as parts of the road will be flooded.
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With or Withour Roof top tent
If you ask us, Namibia is the ideal country to explore with a roof top tent. We have never seen so many people traveling with a roof tent in any other country. Such a pop up tent can be set up in just a few minutes and you can pitch it at the most beautiful campsites in Namibia. And believe us, this country has some camping gems! Namibia also does not have such an extensive range of accommodations and those that are available are often on the luxurious and therefore expensive side. We can also highly recommend Zambezi Car Rental for this. The tents that they have on their vehicles are very easy to set up and sleep comfortably too. They also provide all the camping equipment you need, such as chairs, a table, cooking utensils, a fridge that runs on its own battery… you name it!
To answer the question: Yes, with roof tent!
Flat tires happen
No matter how good your car and tires are, it can always happen that you have a flat tire. Yes, we also had it once.
Make sure you ask your rental company what tire pressure they recommend for which roads and check this regularly. Also make sure you know how to change a flat tire. You can watch tutorials for this on YouTube. And rest assured, it’s less difficult than you think.
If it is a flat tire, you can have the tire repaired for a small fee. If the tire is completely broken, you will most likely have to pay for a new tire, but this rarely happens.
If you do have a flat tire repaired, be sure to ask the rental company first where it is best to have this done. Not every repair service is equally good.
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Refuel when you can
We have said it several times already, but the distances in Namibia are sometimes long and you can sometimes come across nothing or no one for hours. Therefore, do not postpone refueling. As soon as you come across a gas station, it is best to fill your fuel tank completely again. This way you have peace of mind for the coming kilometers. You definitely don’t want to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. We were very happy that our car from Zambezi Car Rental had a double tank, which gave us peace of mind at all times! Double tank? Highly recommended!
Tip: At petrol stations in Namibia, a pump attendant will refuel for you. Sometimes it also happens that they clean your windshield and, if necessary, they can also check your tire pressure. It is customary to tip them around 5-10 NAD. So make sure you always have some small change in the car.
Traffic Rules
Since there is not much traffic in Namibia, there are no complicated traffic rules. Driving in Namibia is very safe, as you will hardly pass any other car. However, there are a number of things you should be aware of.
Driving side: It is important to note that in Namibia, they drive on the left side of the road. We got quickly used to it and we really enjoyed driving the ever changing roads.
Wildlife: You hardly come across anyone along the way, but that doesn’t mean you should pay less attention to the road. There is a lot of free roaming wildlife in Namibia, such as ostriches and oryxes, and they cross when they want to.
Speedlimit: The speedlimit on gravel roads is 100km/hr, but we highly recommend that you stick to a speed limit of 60-80km/hr, because of the unpredictable wildlife and occasional bad parts of the roads. Some rental companies also ask not to drive anything faster than 80 km/hr and often have a tracker in the car to monitor your speed if necessary.
On paved roads, the speedlimit is 120km/hr. In national parks and on public roads within an urban area, speedlimit is 60 km/hr.
Headlights: In Namibia, your headlights must be turned on day and night. If you forget this, you run the risk of a fine, although you can sometimes get away with a warning.
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Distances can be long
Because the country is so big, some places are quite far apart. So, you may sometimes have to cover quite some distance in one day, but due to the beautiful and unique landscapes, this is not as bad as it sounds. Nevertheless, we recommend that you consider registering a second driver when renting your car, so that one does not have to drive for too long at a time.
You also have to plan carefully for these distances. It is best to travel a little slower in Namibia and try not to cram too much into one day. It is strongly discouraged to drive after dark because of the animals on the road. Good planning is therefore essential.
International Driving License
English is the only official language in Namibia. If your driver’s license is in another language, it is advisable to provide an international driver’s license. Depending on which officer checks you, he may not accept a driver’s license that he cannot read, which means he could give you a fine. Be on the safe side and bring an international driver’s license, together with your original driver’s license!
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Download Maps and Playlists
You will soon notice that few places in Namibia have good mobile phone coverage. That is why it is best to download a map of Namibia in advance on your phone. The chance is very small, but if you do drive the wrong way, your navigation can adjust at any time.
And what is a road trip without really good, sing-along road trip music? Be sure to download your favorite playlists in advance so you can keep playing your favorite road trip songs loudly while you cruise through the endless landscapes of Namibia.
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