Travel Smart
Honest, sourced guidance so you travel confident. Most of any country is calmer than the headlines suggest.
Safety
Countrywide advisory (Government of Canada)
Exercise increased cautionExercise a high degree of caution
Source: Government of Canada · Verified 2026-07-26
Windhoek & Central Namibia
Exercise normal precautionsSafe capital with modern infrastructure, good policing, and walkable city center. Petty crime exists but is uncommon; violent crime is rare. Standard precautions apply.
Common scams: Overpriced tour operators, car rental price gouging for tourists, inflated accommodation rates in season
Source: UK FCDO · Verified 2026-07-06
Sossusvlei & Southern Desert
Exercise normal precautionsRemote, well-managed tourism area with professional lodges, park rangers, and self-drive infrastructure. No security issues; main risk is vehicle breakdown in desert.
Source: UK FCDO · Verified 2026-07-06
Etosha National Park
Exercise normal precautionsMassive protected wildlife area with controlled access, rest camp accommodations, and self-drive safari routes. Animals keep distance; infrastructure is safe and professional.
Source: UK FCDO · Verified 2026-07-06
Skeleton Coast & Kunene Region
Exercise normal precautionsRemote northern coast accessible by permit; guided access with professional outfitters. Limited infrastructure; self-sufficiency required. No security concerns if traveling with licensed operators.
Source: UK FCDO · Verified 2026-07-06
5 zones rated separately against Government of Canada, UK FCDO. Oldest check on this page: 6 July 2026.
Emergency Contacts
Namibian Police Force
police
UK FCDO gives 10111, 999 and 112 as covering ambulance, fire and police together. The number 10177, which circulates for Namibia and is the ambulance line in South Africa, is not among them.
SourceAmbulance, via the national emergency line
ambulance
The same numbers reach ambulance, fire and police, per UK FCDO, so say which you need when the call connects. Distances in Namibia are the real constraint rather than the phone number, so on the C and D roads assume a long wait and know which town you are nearest to.
SourceFire service, via the national emergency line
fire
Fire shares the national numbers with police and ambulance, per UK FCDO.
SourceWindhoek Central Hospital
hospital · Windhoek
The main public referral hospital in the capital, from the British High Commission list of medical facilities in Namibia. Lady Pohamba Private Hospital on +264 6183 3359, Mediclinic Windhoek on +264 6143 3100 and Rhino Park Private Hospital on +264 6137 5000 are the private options in the same city on that list.
SourceCoastal and northern hospitals
hospital · Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Ongwediva
The first number is Mediclinic Swakopmund and the second Welwitchia Hospital at Walvis Bay, both from the same British High Commission list. Ongwediva Medipark in the north is on +264 6523 2911. These matter more than the Windhoek numbers if you are on the Skeleton Coast or up towards Etosha, since the capital can be most of a day away.
Source