Traveling to Namibia through Botswana

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labratza

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HI

Start of July we are planning on take a trip into Bots and then to namibia.

What we need to find out is what do we need to get before we go to allow us into the country

What fee's are involved and what we need to prepare for on the trip.

we want to start planning now so that we do not have issues along the way

your advise would be greatly appreciated
 
Visas are not required if I recall correctly for Botswana and Namibia. Namibia, they do ask you what your purpose is in Namibia, my colleagues and I said pleasure, and our female colleague said work. They nearly sent her back to SA.
 
No visas, but a strange questionnaire to be filled in

How much do you intend to spend in Namibia?
Where are you staying?
When will you be leaving the country?
How are you travelling, and the flight number?

You can pay with Rands in Namibia but cannot spend Namibia currency in South Africa
 
Collogue did the drive a while ago. he went to Swakopmund

To Nam he went though SA stopping to see some family.

back he went though Bots.

what I remember from advice he was given from the Nam national (company has a Nam office as well)
when driving back though Bots, make sure to not get a speeding ticket. you have to pay the fine on the spot, and in many places there is no cell reception that forces you to drive a long way to either get signal or draw cash.

Be careful with Petrol tank management, large long sections without a place to get petrol. so always be prepared to travel at least 200km more than you think. dont say I can make the next station that is 200km away with my tank because you might get there and they dont have petrol and you need to travel an extra 200km.

if you get a fine in Bots you cannot enter SA util you pay the fine and you have to pay it in the province where you got the fine. so it could happen that you need to drive back 800km to pay a fine before you can leave Bots. This happened to the one guy who works at my company in July last year.

those are the big talking points when people discuss going to Nam in my office, and all of them are about Botswana....
 
I think you may have to pay a levy at the border of Botswana of P160 or 180.
IIRC, we had to pay some sort of tax on entry and they don't accept ZAR or cards.
We crossed at Tlokweng coming via Madikwe.

The most scenic and adventurous, to cross back into SWA may be at Ngoma bridge, upto Katima, through the Caprivi, onto Rundu, then head back down to Grootfontein and back up toward Oshivelo.

Whats your travel plan for interest sake?
 
labratza said:
HI

Start of July we are planning on take a trip into Bots and then to namibia.

What we need to find out is what do we need to get before we go to allow us into the country

What fee's are involved and what we need to prepare for on the trip.

we want to start planning now so that we do not have issues along the way

your advise would be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...

There is quiet a lot you need to fill in if you really want to be prepared:

1. Where are you going in those countries?
2. What type of vehicle are you taking?
3. How long would you be there?
4. Does your insurer (incl.health) cover those countries?

It can be as easy as getting your password stamped, but then you might have a terrible experience simply because you were unprepared after the border.
 
Jet-Fighter7700 said:
empty barren desert isnt my idea of fun,
flying is much better when there isnt much to see other than flat desert and sand dunes.
Click to expand...
Just pack lekker padkos like ham sandwiches, bacon, pork chops, pork salami. Road trips are the best.
 
Jet-Fighter7700 said:
empty barren desert isnt my idea of fun,
flying is much better when there isnt much to see other than flat desert and sand dunes.
Click to expand...
TBH, Nam has some interesting wildlife and things to see, but yeah, there are places where you drive from F#kalfontein to K3kindiebos where its flat and you see nothing other than the odd Ovambo.

I couldnt live there ... its not my cup of tea, but my brother in law lives in Hentiesbaai and is quite happy.
Other brother lives in Kenya, and is happy. He lives on a plaas, has all sorts of vermin for pets .....
Sissy lives in Australia .... I couldnt .... the Aussies have that come moer me accent. Not too fond of the suckers.

Me, I like to be close to the ocean. Durban boy living in Florida .... same, except the migrants in Durban are from Zim and Moz, migrants in Florida from Mexico and Cuba.
My Spanish is way better than my Ndebele or Shona. :p

Crazy thing is that in almost ANY country, you will find an SA expat community.
 
labratza said:
HI

Start of July we are planning on take a trip into Bots and then to namibia.

What we need to find out is what do we need to get before we go to allow us into the country

What fee's are involved and what we need to prepare for on the trip.

we want to start planning now so that we do not have issues along the way

your advise would be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
If you are South African passport holders you wont need Visas. Just remember it needs a 6 months prior to passport expiry validity and normally 2 blank pages.

Just remember to take your passport. Hope youre visiting Sossusvlei, and if you can try to pop in at Tshwalu, but it can be a bit pricey.

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As for Namibia? The Fish River Canyon hike needs to be booked long before almost a year. But if you're not hiking, you can goto Hobas to see the top. They also now have a Fish River Canyon lodge which is at the top of the canyon. Very nice there. Then obviously Ai-Ais which is at the end. Just be prepared for dusty roads.

Just try to fill up prior to leaving SA. They dont always carry all the grades of fuel, or they do, it may be out of stock now and then.

We could pay with rands in Namibia as their currency is pegged to the rand. However they may give you namibian currency as change.

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Namibia and Botswana and Northern Cape is my preferred scenery.

I would love to slowly navigate and explore these areas.
 
I strongly suggest you don't drive in Botswana at night... There are flipping donkeys everywhere all over the road. And I'm not talking about the local drivers... I mean literal real donkeys. They are a hazard during the day time, but at night it's just suicide.
 
Certified copy of your car's registration papers. Also, a letter from the financial institution permitting you to leave South Africa with the car if the car is financed and still being paid off.
ZA sticker on the back of the car.
 
Do NOT travel at night , we made that mistake , there are dead black cows on the roads at night ,especially about an hour before the Botswana/ Nam border.

you wont see them until its too late , 5 series bmw front end was gone ,
not sure what those cows are made of but im pretty sure they feed them concrete.

donkeys, cows ...its basically a zoo highway
LazyLion said:
I strongly suggest you don't drive in Botswana at night... There are flipping donkeys everywhere all over the road. And I'm not talking about the local drivers... I mean literal real donkeys. They are a hazard during the day time, but at night it's just suicide.
Click to expand...
 
geezer said:
Certified copy of your car's registration papers. Also, a letter from the financial institution permitting you to leave South Africa with the car if the car is financed and still being paid off.
ZA sticker on the back of the car.
Click to expand...
We didn't put a sticker on our car, and they never asked us about it anywhere. Maybe it's just a requirement if you are towing.
 
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