Tips for Driving in Namibia
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Road Conditions in Namibia
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There are key roads that cut North to South and East to West in Namibia and these major routes are paved highways that tend to carry a fair amount of traffic, particularly around the capital of Windhoek. The condition of these roads is good and traffic move can move quickly over long distances. These roads are the B roads; B1 runs North to South etc.
C roads, whilst perhaps paved in some areas, will be largely gravel roads and will carry traffic, some more than others. Some of the more well used gravel roads are well maintained and we saw a number of 2 wheel drive cars using these roads, so a 4 x 4 may not be necessary if you are sticking to major routes
The much lesser used D roads are usually either poor gravel or sand roads. Some of these are good, and some feel a little like you're really off-roading.
Whilst generally good in Namibia, we did encounter long sections of road truly sent from hell. There are some awful tyre shredders that should only be driven with a 4 x 4 on soft tyres. C27 - this particular road is known to be trouble regardless of your experience and regardless of the vehicle you are driving. We had 4 punctures on this road in one day and when we finally limped into Sesriem to get them fixed and replaced, no-one seemed surprised.
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The best advice we can give you is, once you have an idea of your route, before you set out, ask locals about your route and get up to date information from the people who have driven these roads before.
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Expect Punctures
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Don't set off without being able to change a tyre, because this is a skill you will probably need.
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Gravel road conditions can change from one stretch of road to the next. Even if you drive carefully, thr truth of the matter is that you will be lucky not to get a puncture or two.
For six days we were fine and were fairly confident, then disaster struck and after using our one spare tyre on our 1st puncture, we were unprepared for subsequent punctures that day.
You will inevitably be driving on long expanses of road a long way from any help, so it is important to have at least one spare tyre (ideally two) and know where all the tools, wheel nuts and jack is in the vehicle and how to get access to the spare tyre.
We would also recommend that you invest in at least one puncture repair kit and a tyre compressor. You should ask for this from your hire car company, or you can pick them up at fuel stations. We didn't have these things and we were almost stranded in 40'C heat 60km from civilisation. Be prepared!
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Fuel stations
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In some countries we've been amazed at how common fuel stations are - take Morocco for example, they're everywhere, and often multiple right next to each other, even in very remote parts. The same cannot be said for Namibia. Here fuel stations are few and far between, and in the more remote places, you tend to find that a fuel station and its associated shop and café are the only sign of life for a further 100km or so. The lesson here is to know where the fuel stations are on your route before you set off, and when you come across one, always take advantage and top up the tank! Namibia is a big place and you don't want to get stranded.
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Also it's worth noting that while most fuel stations took credit and debit cards, we did come across one or two that wanted cash, so keep enough on you to fill the tank.
Also, this is Africa, so expect the unexpected - we arrived at one fuel station that had no power so couldn't pump any fuel; another reason to always keep that tank topped up.
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The right car hire
Our experience of driving in Namibia was from November 2023, at which point we'd been travelling for nearly 18 months to countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. We had also driven in the majority of these at some point, so whilst we certainly aren't experts at this point, we had a good amount of experience driving in varying conditions.
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We decided to hire from a well known car hire company that we had hired from when in South Africa. Our decision was based on the premise that a big name brand would ensure the hire cars were in a good state of repair and that we would be in safe hands.
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We chose AVIS and honestly we were pretty happy with the car. It met our expectations and when we got into trouble with multiple punctures, when we spoke to AVIS, they were helpful and supportive. We can't fault them for their staff or the quality and comfort of the vehicle.
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However, after we had driven nearly 2000km across Namibia, and spoken with locals on that route, it became clear that perhaps we could have made a much better choice of hire car company. We had based our decision to use AVIS on our experience of driving in South Africa, but that was not sensible - Namibia's roads are not anything like the roads in South Africa!
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Using a large company that provides vehicle hire in many countries may initially seem like the right choice, but when you become familiar with the challenges of driving these roads, you soon understand why locals would use a local hire car company based in Namibia. Companies like AVIS tend to have generic hiring practices that they follow in all countries, and they offer a standard hire; they don't tailor their offering to the specific challenges of the geography or terrain (beyond the type of vehicle). When we were in the process of hiring our 4x4 truck, I asked about a sat phone and was told AVIS don't provide them. We were also only provided with one spare tyre rather than 2, and no puncture repair kit, the sorts of things that Namibian based firms do offer.
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But it all depends on your intended route, so I guess our main point here is, don't assume that you're getting the right product and service just because you've used the company in another country. Ask locals for local firms they would recommend and don't be afraid to have a few conversations with those companies to make sure you have the recommended equipment with you that you need to be prepared for your planned expedition. Local companies know the conditions and can give you the best advice, particularly if you know the route you intend to follow.
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Plan ahead. Be prepared.
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I am a planner. I don't like being unprepared, so I tend to research and plan until I'm at risk of taking the fun out of things. So I consciously try to stop myself from over planning most of the time, so that our travel plans are flexible and can be adapted as we go. That said, in Namibia it's good to have a rough plan.
This country is a vast place and is not densely populated, so should the worst happen, you don't want to find yourself unprepared.
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When we suffered from multiple punctures on the same day, we were miles from anywhere and had no phone. The heat of the day was intense and we were genuinely running out of luck, With our spare tyre used and no puncture repair kit and a tyre rapidly deflating, we were having conversations that we hadn't expected to be having - who would stay with the car if the other went for help; how much water did we have; what would we do if we were out here at night etc.... We would have benefitted from all the things we didn't have with us; a sat phone; a 2nd spare tyre; a puncture repair kit.
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But we wouldn't say that these things are necessary for everyone, it very much depends on your route and length of your trip.
Whatever your adventure looks like, our advice would be to
A- plan for being stranded. On some routes it's improbable, but in all cases it's entirely possible, so make sure you are carrying snacks and more water than you think you'll need and anything else you think you might need (a blanket for cold nights etc..).
B- Carry out daily vehicle checks. Check the tyres when you arrive at your accommodation, and again first thing in the morning. Whilst largely unpopulated, the small communities of Namibia are so resourceful and they will help you or know someone who can. And while you're at it, check your water and oil too.
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