WDH - Windhoek Airport and Town - information
Dec 11, 2018, 9:29 am
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Join Date: May 2003
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WDH - Windhoek Airport and Town - information
Hi - Some background information about Windhoek Airport, town and surrounding area. Feel free to merge if there's already a write up.
Airport Information:
Tips:
Airport Information:
- Windhoek HKIA airport is located about 50 Miles (30Km) East of Windhoek, offers a number of international flights from airlines including Qatar, Ethiopian, EuroWings, Air Namibia, SAA.
- Eros airport is closer to the city, the principal (though not exclusive) airport for domestic flights
- Single terminal for all flights; planes park on the pavement and passengers walk to/from the terminal
- Immigration immediately upon walking into the terminal. From left lane to right: tourists, SADC residents, Namibian Passport holders, Diplomats
- Baggage carousel after immigration; more often than not all bags are screened by customs as you depart the secure area
- Upon departing you enter the (non-secure) area of the airport; where taxi services and small shops are available (food, drink, airtime/data, etc). Note: There's a cute coffee shop OUTSIDE and to the right; a nice place to relax and enjoy the Namibian sunshine and people watch.
Tips:
- Taxi to/from the airport is between 300-350 Namibian Dollars (~20-25 USD) each way.
- There's no Uber as of this writer, but a new service called LEFA started in 2018
- NAD and South African Rand can be used interchangeably in Namibia; credit cards are often accepted at retail outlets and shops
- US State Department recommends 6 blank pages in your passport; read more HERE.
- Be sure you can substantiate the purpose of your travel (ie: proof of accommodation, return ticket, etc.) as immigration officers are periodically quite moody =)
- Aweh vouchers are an inexpensive, quite useful airtime/data plan; for example; AWEH GIG= 1GB data, 100 minutes, 700 SMS + social media time for 40 NAD (~$3 USD) with 1 week validity
- Hilton is the "go to" for people seeking a Western style accommodation. See Flyertalk thread HERE
- A Hilton Garden Inn is under construction as of this writing and will be located next to the Hilton
- Other hotels to consider (pros and cons to each): AVANI, The Village, Safari Court, Country Club, Roof of Africa. There are a number of self-catering options as well. Protea, now part of Marriott has a few properties in town as well, though definitely read the reviews before booking...
- There are mosquitos throughout the country, but the Malaria risk is seasonal and generally concentrated in the Caprivi region of the country. See here for a discussion on other health concerns.
- Tap water; jury is still out on this and i've had mixed reports back. To be certain, bottled drinking water is readily available almost everywhere
- National HIV prevalence is at 12.9% among the general population; higher among certain key groups. As with any country/partner, use HIV prevention measures to prevent HIV infection or transmission.
- Roadway collisions are a leading cause of fatalities in Namibia. This is especially the case on single-lane roads where cars attempt to overtake/pass
- Alcohol has historically been problematic in the country; as a result alcohol purchases have restricted hours; prohibited late Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday
- There are crimes, occasionally violent. Use common sense when traveling anywhere; don't brandish expensive items, limit walking alone, especially on local/nearby hiking trails.
Last edited by DBCme; Dec 11, 2018 at 9:33 am Reason: Added a link
