Namibia

It's always great to know a lot about a country before you visit it and Namibia is obviously no exception to this rule. Here we present to you some facts and figures about Namibia before you travel there that may be of interest to you.

• Did you know that you can see elephants if you drive for an hour outside the capital of Windhoek? That's right, just head to Okambara Ranch near Witvlei to see some of these majestic creatures up close
• Did you know that in the Namibian desert there is a plant called the Welwitschia Mirabilis that has a lifespan of 2000 years? Yes that's right, one of the longest living species of any kind in the entire world and it lives in a desert. Pretty amazing right?!
• Did you know Namibia was the first country in the world to have its environment protected as part of its countries constitution? Amazing to think that with all the environmental movements in today's modern world that Namibia can stand tall and lay claim to that fact.

• Did you know that Namibia has 13.6 percent of its land covered by protected areas? These areas include national parks, game parks and nature reserves.
• Did you know Namibia is home to the largest ever reported meteor shower and was discovered by Sir J Alexander in 1838? Very impressive indeed!
• Did you know that Namibia has a hunting season and it generally takes place between the 1st of January to the 30th of November? This hunting can come in many different forms, from game hunting to safari hunts right through to trophy hunting.
• Did you know that the largest population group that currently lives in Namibia is called the Owambo and they live in the northern part of the country?
• Did you know that Namibia has the largest population of Cheetahs in the world that are able to run free? The last estimate of these numbers of the majestic Cheetah came in at 2500
• Did you know that the largest open-cast uranium mine in the world is in Namibia? It is called the Rossing Mine.

DO bring your own camera and film when travelling to Namibia. If you are using a camera that isn't a digital camera then it will be the cheapest option to bring your own as film is very expensive in the country as well as getting film developed. The best way to avoid all this cost is of course to bring your own film with you or just invest in getting a digital camera to save the hassle of having to buy film.

DON'T ever take a phot of somebody without their prior consent as this can be of great offence to somebody in the country. If you would like your photo taken with somebody interesting just politely approach them and ask them if it would be possible to have a photo taken with them, and if they accept then take the photo. However if they refuse you should politely thank them and move on and not kick up a fuss about their refusal.

DO tip whenever you go out to restaurants and other serviced areas. The general rule of thumb is around 12.5 percent on what you initially payed, so for example you would tip 12.5 percent of your total restaurant bill. It is also pretty customary to tip service staff such as waiters, bartenders and hotel assistants who helps carry bags to your room or provide you with other services.

DON'T show off your money or that you may be wealthy as this can cause more trouble than you think and leave you open to all sorts of trouble and potentially make you a victim of crime.

DO check with certain facilities on what to wear before going out. You will find for the most part that Namibia is very casual when it comes to what clothes you can and can't wear but some facilities will have certain dress codes just like they do back at home.

DON'T break the law! Pretty common sense really as you wouldn't do it back home either, but you must always obey the laws of Namibia even if they don't seem right to you. Remember you are in their country so you must follow exactly what they set out for you, not the other way around.