Travel to Namibia to backpack, study, intern, volunteer, work, or live as a digital nomad, expat or emigrant?

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 Namibia

Intro

Backpacking or traveling in Namibia?

  • Namibia is beautiful! The landscapes are breathtaking, the nature is diverse, you can go off the beaten path and the people are incredibly warm-hearted. It is a very sparsely populated country set up for tourism. A good first entry point to the African continent! 
  • The country lends itself to both short and long vacations. For both backpackers and travelers, although it is a bit more difficult for the former to find cheap accommodation and activities. 
  • Activity spotting: climb the sand dunes of Sossusvlei, wander the Namib Desert, spot the big five in Etosha National Park, visit Fish River Canyon and the lurid skeleton coast, discover the history of Windhoek and Swakopmund, get to know the Himba and Herero peoples in the north, see the stars (yes really, one of the best places), go on self-organized safari.

Study in Namibia?

  • The quality of education in Namibia is okay and the choice of studies is relatively limited. It is an interesting country if you want to learn more about local development, African politics and colonial history. Further popular fields of study are business administration, engineering, social sciences and medicine. 
  • Language: Afrikaans & English.
  • Study city: Windhoek.

Internship in Namibia?

  • It is not easy to find an internship in Namibia, but if you look carefully there are opportunities, for example in the field of nature and animal protection or research, at social NGOs, in ecotourism and at universities as a researcher.
  • Competencies: do you succeed in finding an internship? Then you can develop the following competencies, among others - ecological skills, intercultural communication, adaptability and working in remote areas, independence, sustainability and environmental ethics. 

Volunteer in Namibia?

  • As a volunteer in Namibia, you can work well in conservation and wildlife protection. In fact, the country is a forerunner in Africa in this field. You can also volunteer on horse ranches, in education and health care. 

Working in Namibia?

  • Most expats were sent to Namibia by a company where they were already working. Namibia's economy has been stable for a long time and there are many jobs for expats with specific skills. Do keep in mind that the policy is to give preference to a local worker over an expat, which makes finding work a little more difficult. 
  • Work culture: learn about the Namibian handshake, a firm handshake, the crossing of thumbs before returning to a normal handshake. This happens particularly between male colleagues. Women greet each other with words, unless a woman is of higher seniority. Men and women greet each other with a simple Western handshake. Greetings are important in Namibia, as is smalltalk. 

Working as a digital nomad in Namibia?

  • Namibia is a great country for digital nomads! There is an awful lot to experience, the people are tremendously hospitable and the combination of expats and locals means that there is a lot of variety in food and goods on offer. Facilities are good, with availability of coworking cafes and relatively good wifi in the larger cities. Also, the main language is English, which makes it easier to integrate into society and make new friends. 
  • Favorite locations: Windhoek, Swakopmund. 
  • Visa: a digital nomad visa is also available in Namibia these days. 

Living in Namibia?

  • Namibia is one of the most popular countries for expats in Africa. This is mainly because of the high quality of life. The supermarkets have a lot, including Western offerings, the health centers are good, there are international schools and it is quite safe. 
  • In addition, people are tremendously open and friendly toward expats. So it is easy to get to know people and make new friends. 
  • Namibians love to chat, sometimes to the point of nonsense. Keep in mind that this “poop talk” (yes really!) and “braai” are also an important part of socializing! 
  • It does come in handy to have a car when living in Namibia. This gives you more freedom to explore the country and the roads are very good. You can also easily travel by bus and train between major cities. 
  • Make sure you arrange your health insurance well.

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Namibia Country Bundle: suggestions, stories and tips

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Let’s Go Africa is a small scale, personal and innovative mediation agency with a unique placement programme for everyone that wants to experience a meaningful internship, minor or volunteer work in Africa. Noor and Roel van Hout have extensive work and life experience in Africa since 2006 and...

The University Centre for Studies in Namibia (TUCSIN)

Onderwijsinstelling in met enkele vrij kleinschalige locaties verspreid over Namibie. Naast bachelor onderwijs wordt er ook voorgezetonderwijs aangeboden met focus op Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Cheetah Conservation Fund

Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is een organisatie die zich inzet voor onderzoek naar en het redden van het jachtluipaar in het wild. De organisatie is gevestigd in Namibië en heeft een tweede vestiging in Somaliland

The Naankuse Foundation

Deze wildlife organisatie zet zich in voor wilde dieren in Namibie, zowel door bescherming in het wild als het verzorgen van dieren in nood. Ook educatie en sociale projecten om de lokale bevolking te versterken en te informeren maakt onderdeel uit van de vele activiteiten.

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Een weekje Kanaan; Mooi en levensgevaarlijk

Oké, ik heb het waarschijnlijk over mezelf afgeroepen toen ik in mijn vorige blog schreef dat ik niet begreep waarom iedereen gillend weg rent wanneer ik een machete oppak. Maar de huidige status is: een pink die dik en geel is, door een of andere contra beweging; een geel, groen, blauw en pa...

FAVORITES
Cheetah Conservation Fund

Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is een organisatie die zich inzet voor onderzoek naar en het redden van het jachtluipaar in het wild. De organisatie is gevestigd in Namibië en heeft een tweede vestiging in Somaliland

The Naankuse Foundation

Deze wildlife organisatie zet zich in voor wilde dieren in Namibie, zowel door bescherming in het wild als het verzorgen van dieren in nood. Ook educatie en sociale projecten om de lokale bevolking te versterken en te informeren maakt onderdeel uit van de vele activiteiten.

Safety, insurances and packing list for Namibia

Packing list for Namibia, travel insurance for Namibia, and taking your belongings

Packing list for Namibia, travel insurance for Namibia, and taking your belongings

Packing list for Namibia, travel insurance for Namibia, and taking your belongings

To take or not to take to Namibia, leave at home or arrange locally?
Sufficiently insured or not for your activities in Namibia?
Sufficiently insured or not for your trip to Namibia?

 

What to take with you to Namibia: spotlighted

Featured items:
  • Documents: a passport with at least 6 months left until it expires.
  • Money: credit cards are accepted in many tourist areas, but for the smaller places it is best to bring some Namibian dollars.
  • Care: sunscreen with a high SPF.
  • Outdoor and practical: travel cap or safari hat and good sunglasses. Buff, scarf or bandana for more sun protection.
  • Clothing: airy, light-coloured (and neutral-coloured), loose clothing (more about clothing for when it is warm). Long sleeves and trousers are nice for protection against the sun and mosquitoes (more about insect and mosquito-repellent clothing). Warm layers (fleece or jacket) for cooler evenings. Especially from May to September.
  • Shoes: nice walking shoes for the rough landscape and sandals or slippers for your relaxing moments.
  • Medicines and travel kit: a small first aid kit with plasters, painkillers, anti-diarrhea medication and ORS (dehydration is a thing). Mosquito repellent (see also DEET mosquito repellent).
  • Technique and equipment: world plug with type D/M (see also world plug or travel plug), a power bank for camping adventures and a headlamp or flashlight for camping adventures and lodges.
  • Extra: a good sense of adventure!
What are some other options for packing as well?
  • Reusable water bottle with filter, because tap water is technically drinkable, but often tastes strange.
  • Quick-drying travel towel.
  • Mini binoculars or monocular for your safari.
  • International driving license, if you want to rent a car.
  • A raincoat if you go between December and March.

What should you keep in mind when traveling to Namibia with your belongings?

  • The activities (maybe you should take camping gear with you?).
  • The temperatures and rainfall in the season you are visiting Namibia.

Are there mosquitoes in Namibia?

  • Tropical Namibia is a paradise for mosquitoes. The “problem mosquitoes” are mainly found in the north. Malaria is common here, especially during the rainy season.
  • High-risk areas are Etosha, the Zambezi region, parts of the Kavango and the Caprivi Strip.
  • It is therefore important to protect yourself, especially in these areas.

Are there sandflies in Namibia?

  • Sand flies – the tiny stinging insects that can transmit leishmaniasis, among other things – are found in parts of southern Africa, but are quite rare in Namibia and are almost never reported as a risk to travellers.
  • Your set of mosquito repellents with DEET can provide a solution in combination with covering clothing, good spray, and not sleeping on the beach without protection.

Can you buy DEET, or other mosquito repellents, in Namibia?

  • There are mosquito repellents for sale in Namibia, although the choice will be smaller than at home.
  • Popular products are “Peaceful sleep” and “Tabard”. You can get these in pharmacies and supermarkets.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Namibia, or take it with you to Namibia?

  • In Namibia, things are going backwards rather than forwards when it comes to Cannabis. Cannabis is illegal and the penalties have increased in recent years.
  • The use of cannabis, or possession of cannabis, carries a prison sentence of around 20-40 years. So that will be a very long (or expensive, if you talk your way out of it) holiday.
  • So you better not take it with you either.

What to take to Namibia: detailed

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