Namibia
Travel Destination – Namibia
Stretching along Africa's southwest coast, Namibia is known for its wide-open spaces, dramatic landscapes, and excellent wildlife viewing.
The Namib Desert, one of the world's oldest deserts, stretches along much of the Atlantic coast and is home to the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei and the striking white clay pan of Deadvlei. In the north, Etosha National Park is renowned for wildlife viewing, with elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, and zebras gathering around waterholes during the dry season.
The coastal town of Swakopmund offers German colonial charm and adventure activities, while the remote Skeleton Coast is known for shipwrecks and seal colonies. Damaraland features ancient rock art at Twyfelfontein and desert-adapted wildlife, while Fish River Canyon showcases some of the country's most dramatic scenery. Windhoek, the capital, is a modern and convenient base for travellers.
Hospital care in Windhoek and Swakopmund is available, but medical facilities are limited in remote areas. Given the long distances between towns, travellers should prepare carefully before departure.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Booking a travel medicine appointment before visiting Namibia provides a foundation for good preparation. Scheduling this six to eight weeks before departure gives your doctor enough time to complete any necessary vaccinations and provide advice tailored to your specific plans. Whether your itinerary is focused on a Windhoek city stay, a self-drive through the desert, a wildlife safari in Etosha, or a hiking expedition in the far south, the relevant health recommendations will differ, and a travel doctor will take all of this into account. Those booking closer to their departure date can still receive vaccines on a compressed schedule as well as advice on antimalarial medications.
Outside Windhoek and the larger coastal towns, pharmacies are rare and medical care is limited or unavailable across many regions. All prescription medications should be brought from Australia in quantities sufficient for the entire trip, and a well-stocked personal medical kit is advisable for anyone planning extended self-drive travel. Travel insurance covering emergency medical evacuation is important, particularly for travellers heading into remote regions of the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, or the Fish River Canyon.
Insect avoidance
Malaria risk due to Plasmodium falciparum exists from November through June in the northern regions of Namibia, with some other regions in Namibia reporting no transmission. Discuss your itinerary with your doctor to ascertain whether malarial prophylactic medications are recommended.
Aedes mosquitoes transmitting dengue are present, and protection from daytime bites is worthwhile even in southern and central areas. Insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin should be applied to exposed skin throughout the day and reapplied after swimming or sweating. Wearing long sleeves and trousers, particularly around dusk in the north, reduces the area available to biting insects.
Ticks are present in grassy and bushed environments and can transmit African tick bite fever, a rickettsial illness that causes fever, headache, and a characteristic skin lesion at the bite site. After spending time outdoors in grassy or bush terrain, a thorough check of the skin for attached ticks is worthwhile. A permethrin-treated bed net should be used in any accommodation in malaria-risk areas that lacks adequate screening.
Food and water hygiene
Namibian cooking draws on a blend of German settler influence and indigenous traditions, In Windhoek, Swakopmund, and established tourist lodges, food safety standards are generally good. In smaller towns, rural communities, and more informal settings, additional care is warranted.
Careful food and water precautions help reduce the risk of gastroenteritis, as well as cholera and hepatitis A.
When unsure of water quality, drinking bottled or filtered water is the safest option. Avoid ice unless you know it's been made from a safe water source.
Thorough handwashing before eating and after using the toilet, or using alcohol-based sanitiser where soap and water are unavailable, meaningfully reduces the risk of gastrointestinal illness. Food that is freshly cooked and served hot is the safer choice compared with pre-prepared cold dishes or food left out at ambient temperature. Fresh fruit should be peeled immediately before eating.
Rabies prevention
Rabies is present in Namibia and is carried by dogs, jackals, bat-eared foxes, bats and seals.
Travellers planning to surf or engage in water sports in seal-inhabited coastal areas should discuss the need for pre-exposure rabies vaccination with a travel doctor, and should seek immediate medical attention if bitten by a seal regardless of vaccination status.
Beyond the coastal seal risk, stray dogs and wildlife throughout the country can carry the rabies virus. All unfamiliar animals should be avoided and not fed or handled. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is recommended for travellers spending extended time in rural areas, those engaging in outdoor activities such as cycling, camping, or caving, and those whose planned activities increase the likelihood of animal contact.
Any bite, scratch, or contact of broken skin with the saliva of any animal demands immediate thorough washing with soap and running water, followed by prompt medical assessment, regardless of prior vaccination status.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Namibia?
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral liver infection acquired through food or water contaminated with the virus, causing fatigue, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and jaundice. Vaccination is recommended for almost all previously unvaccinated travellers.
Even in a country with generally reasonable food safety standards in tourist areas, the risk of exposure increases considerably for travellers eating outside of established lodges and restaurants, and the protection offered by two vaccine doses lasting many years makes this a sensible precaution for most visitors.
Typhoid
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Typhoid fever is a bacterial illness caused by Salmonella Typhi in contaminated food or water, producing sustained fever, headache, fatigue, and abdominal pain that can become serious without prompt treatment.
Vaccination for typhoid fever is recommended for most travellers. It's particularly important for those visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas, and for those eating outside typical tourist settings. Food and water hygiene complements but does not replace the protection offered by vaccination.
Rabies
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Rabies is present in Namibia and is carried by dogs, jackals, bat-eared foxes, bats and seals.
Travellers planning to surf or engage in water sports in seal-inhabited coastal areas should discuss the need for pre-exposure rabies vaccination with a travel doctor, and should seek immediate medical attention if bitten by a seal regardless of vaccination status.
Beyond the coastal seal risk, stray dogs and wildlife throughout the country can carry the rabies virus. All unfamiliar animals should be avoided and not fed or handled. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is recommended for travellers spending extended time in rural areas, those engaging in outdoor activities such as cycling, camping, or caving, and those whose planned activities increase the likelihood of animal contact.
Any bite, scratch, or contact of broken skin with the saliva of any animal demands immediate thorough washing with soap and running water, followed by prompt medical assessment, regardless of prior vaccination status.
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that spreads through the air and can remain viable in an enclosed space for extended periods after an infected person has left. Outbreks of measles continue to occur in many countries globally, and all travellers heading overseas should ensure they are covered. Those born in 1966 or later are recommended to have two documented doses of measles immunisation.
Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for many unvaccinated travellers heading to Namibia. The hepatitis B virus is transmitted through contact with blood and other bodily fluids, including through unprotected sexual contact, tattooing or piercing with non-sterile equipment, and medical or dental procedures using contaminated instruments. Many Australians received this vaccine through childhood immunisation programs, but a proportion of adults remain unprotected, and confirmation of vaccination status with a travel doctor is worthwhile.
Cholera
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Cholera is a bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water. The risk for most travellers to Namibia is low, particularly those staying in established tourist accommodation and following good food and water precautions. However, sporadic outbreaks can occur in parts of southern Africa, and risk is higher in areas with poor sanitation or limited access to safe drinking water.
Vaccination for cholera is not routinely recommended for most travellers to Namibia. It may be considered for humanitarian workers, those visiting areas experiencing an outbreak, or travellers who will have prolonged stays in settings with limited sanitation and hygiene facilities. Careful food and water hygiene remains the most important preventive measure regardless of vaccination status.
Routine vaccinations
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Travel to Namibia provides a good opportunity to ensure all routine vaccinations are up to date. Being fully vaccinated reduces the risk of potentially serious illnesses during travel, where access to medical care may be limited, particularly in remote regions.
Immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) should be confirmed before departure, as measles outbreaks continue to occur globally. Protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, as well as hepatitis B, and polio is also important. A tetanus booster is recommended if the last dose was more than ten years ago, particularly for travellers planning activities such as hiking, camping, dune climbing, or self-drive travel where cuts and puncture wounds may occur.
Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and over. Influenza can disrupt travel plans and may be more severe in older adults, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions. COVID-19 vaccination should also be current in accordance with Australian recommendations, including any recommended booster doses.
Namibia
Other health risks in Namibia
Malaria
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Malaria risk due to Plasmodium falciparum is present in the northern regions of Namibia during the wetter months from November through June, with resistance to the antimalarial medication chloroquine established throughout the affected areas.
Travellers whose itinerary includes these northern regions, particularly Etosha, the Kavango, or the Zambezi strip, require prescription antimalarial medication, which must be started before arrival in the risk area. Discuss with your travel doctor about which medication is most appropriate. Malaria medication should be obtained and filled before departure, with enough taken for the full length of the trip.
Any fever arising during travel in a malaria-risk area, or within four weeks of returning home, should prompt immediate medical assessment, with travel history clearly provided to the treating clinician.
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis and other gastrointestinal illnesses are a lcommon concern in Namibia.
Travellers eating in informal settings, smaller towns, or rural communities are at greater risk. Contaminated food or water introduces bacteria, viruses, or parasites that cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps, typically within one to three days of exposure.
Oral rehydration with water or electrolyte replacement solutions serves as the primary treatment, and most episodes resolve within a few days. Medical attention should be sought if symptoms are severe, contain blood, or persist without improvement, noting that healthcare access outside Windhoek and the main coastal towns can be significantly limited.
Dengue
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Dengue is a viral infection spread by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite primarily during the daytime. Dengue risk in Namibia is considered low but present, with sporadic transmission reported and the potential for outbreaks following periods of increased rainfall. Risk is generally higher in the warmer, wetter months and in northern regions where mosquito populations are greater.
Symptoms usually develop 4 to 10 days after infection and may include fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint aches, nausea, and rash. Most people recover fully, but a small proportion develop severe dengue requiring urgent medical care.
There is no dengue vaccine routinely recommended for Australian travellers to Namibia. Protection involves avoiding mosquito bites, especially during the day, as dengue-transmitting mosquitoes are most active during daylight hours. Travellers should use insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin, wear long sleeves and trousers when practical, and stay in accommodation with screens or air conditioning.
Any traveller who develops fever during or after travel to Namibia should seek medical assessment and mention their travel history.
Schistosomiasis
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Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia), is a parasitic infection spread through some freshwater locations in Namibia. The parasite is released from infected freshwater snails and penetrates intact skin during contact with contaminated rivers, ponds, and lakes.
Swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water including lakes, ponds, and rivers should be avoided throughout the country. This is particularly relevant for travellers visiting the Kavango River region and the Caprivi Strip. Seawater and properly chlorinated pools are safe alternatives.
There is no vaccine or preventive medication available, and any traveller who may have had freshwater exposure should seek testing after returning to Australia, where effective treatment can be provided.
Tuberculosis
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Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial lung infection that can be transmitted through the air when a person with active disease coughs or talks nearby, affecting the lungs and causing a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss over weeks.
The risk to short-stay tourists in Namibia is generally low, though travellers on extended stays, those working in healthcare or community environments, or those spending time in close contact with local populations carry a higher level of exposure.
TB screening before departure and following return is advisable for people in these higher-risk categories. Any cough that does not resolve after returning from Namibia should be assessed by a general practitioner with travel history disclosed.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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When planning travel to Namibia, refer to Smartraveller for up-to-date safety information. Situational awareness in urban environments can help reduce the risk of petty crime such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, and car break-ins. Violent crime against foreigners, including muggings and robberies, has been reported in Windhoek, Swakopmund, and Walvis Bay.
Unmarked taxis should not be hailed on the street, as some taxi drivers may pose a risk to travellers. Use taxis with the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association logo, or book through your hotel or a reputable company. Maintain vigilance with credit card usage and never leave food or drink unattended in social settings. Demonstrations and protests occur periodically and should be avoided.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Road accidents can pose a risk for travellers in Namibia, particularly on self-drive itineraries. While major roads are generally sealed, many rural roads are gravel or sand, where speeding, sudden braking, and overcorrecting can lead to accidents. Animals on the road are a major hazard, and driving after dark is not recommended.
When travelling in remote areas, carry plenty of fuel, water, and emergency supplies, as distances between towns can be considerable. A four-wheel drive may be required on some routes. In national parks, stay inside your vehicle except in designated areas. Namibia's desert climate can be extremely hot, so maintain good hydration, use sun protection, and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Flights from Australia to Namibia typically route through Johannesburg or another southern African hub, with total travel time generally ranging from fifteen to eighteen hours or more depending on connections. Sitting still for extended periods during these journeys slows blood flow in the leg veins and can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Beyond the flight, Namibia's vast distances mean self-drive travellers often spend many hours seated in vehicles between destinations, compounding cumulative immobility.
Moving about the cabin during flights, performing seated exercises such as ankle circles and calf raises, and drinking water regularly throughout the journey all help reduce this risk. Travellers with predisposing factors including a prior clotting event, recent surgery, pregnancy, hormonal contraceptive use, or significant overweight should seek individual advice from a travel doctor before departure, as below-knee compression stockings may be worth considering.