Namibia Travel Risk Overview
Is Namibia safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Namibia scores 46/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Namibia Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 15 May 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Namibia has a Travel Risk Calculator score of 46 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); city-level files are available for 23 cities. The score combines five layers (security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards, current alerts) built from government advisories and open data. This page also covers nine safety categories (crime, disease & health, government advisory, political & civil unrest, natural disaster & weather, transport & route, environmental, digital security, money safety), the current US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices for Namibia, recent news headlines, plus links to every city we have an editorial file for.
Run a personalized Namibia assessmentAI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Namibia maintains a moderate risk profile with a baseline composite score of 46 out of 100 and a US State Department advisory level 2. Additionally, travelers should note the CDC level 1 global dengue health notice currently in effect.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 07:54 UTC
How safe is Namibia to visit in 2026?
Namibia currently sits at 46/100 on Travel Risk Calculator's five-layer score, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine in Namibia with normal preparation, but a few risk categories warrant attention. The full live US State Department advisory text for Namibia, current GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines are shown in the Live conditions section below. For city-specific files (Windhoek, Usakos, Walvisbaai), see the City Risk Files section below — they include neighborhood-level scam patterns, transport notes, and medical-access details where available.
Country score
Driven by: crime and scams (61/100) and security (43/100).
Namibia's score of 46 is higher than the scores of 60% of the 241 countries we cover.
Data file
| Source | Editorial regional baseline 2026-05-15 (GPI + State Dept advisory + WHO health/transport + INFORM disaster) |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 2026-05-18 02:25:55 |
| City files | 23 |
Assessment memory
Anonymous assessments help Travel Risk Calculator identify which country and city files deserve deeper review.
| Saved assessments | 0 |
|---|---|
| Average composite | No saved signal yet |
Score layers
Safety categories
Official Government Travel Advisories
Cross-referenced official travel advice from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, normalized to a unified 1–4 risk scale.
Department of State
Exercise increased cautionin Namibia due to crime and health. Crime Non-violent crimes of opportunity are common. Most crimes against foreigners are crimes of o…
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
FCDO travel advice for Namibia. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.
Global Affairs Canada
Natural disasters and climate section – added information on El Niño
UK content contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canadian advice provided by Global Affairs Canada under open government terms. US advice provided by the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Entry Requirements & Local Laws
Official travel advice summary from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
🛂 Entry Requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Namibia’s current rules for the most common types of travel. The authorities in Namibia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Namibian High Commission in the UK. Passport validity requirements To enter Namibia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It must also have at least 3 blank pages. If you’re travelling to Namibia through South Africa read the South Africa travel advice. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. You will be denied entry if you do
Summary of UK FCDO advice, updated Dec 10, 2025 · Full requirements →
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Travel Advisory Level History
Historical official advisory level changes over time.
What Changed This Month in Namibia
Chronological record of verified security, advisory, health, and hazard updates over the past 30 days.
- Oct 2, 2026 CDC Notice Level 1 - Global Dengue (Watch).
- Sep 23, 2026 CDC Notice Level 2 - Global Polio (Alert).
- Oct 15, 2026 Score Change Otjiwarongo risk score moved from 47 to 46 (Daily recalculation (scoring v2)).
- Oct 11, 2026 Score Change Otavi risk score moved from 48 to 47 (Daily recalculation (scoring v2)).
- Oct 10, 2026 Score Change Nkurenkuru risk score moved from 51 to 50 (Daily recalculation (scoring v2)).
City Risk Files in Namibia
Showing 23 destination files with city-specific safety data in Namibia, ranked by demand and population.
Windhoek
Tier BKhomas
Usakos
Tier BErongo
Walvisbaai
Tier BErongo
Oshakati
Tier BOshana
Tsumeb
Tier BOshikoto
Ondangwa
Tier BOshana
Lüderitz
Tier BǁKaras
Ongwediva
Tier BOshana
Rundu
Tier BKavango East
Rehoboth
Tier BHardap
Katima Mulilo
Tier BZambezi
Gobabis
Tier BOmaheke
Oshikango
Tier BOhangwena
Omatjete
Tier BErongo
Karasburg
Tier BǁKaras
Maltahöhe
Tier BHardap
Mariental
Tier BHardap
Opuwo
Tier BKunene
Nkurenkuru
Tier BKavango West
Omaruru
Tier BErongo
Outjo
Tier BKunene
Grootfontein
Tier BOtjozondjupa
Otavi
Tier BOtjozondjupa
All towns in Namibia (10 additional local facts pages)
These localities carry verified regional geography, nearest hospitals, airports, and natural hazard records with the country baseline risk score.
Live conditions in Namibia
Country-scoped real-time data — official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For city-specific weather and air quality, open any city page below.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Namibia - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Track Namibia’s advisory
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Traveller notes from government advice
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are not illegal in Namibia. Certain same-sex sexual acts are illegal, but generally not prosecuted. There are no laws against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Conservative attitudes towards LGBT+ individuals remain, especially in rural regions. Showing affection in public may result in unwanted attention.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 10 Dec 2025. Full advice
Local laws and customs
Personal ID
Always carry UK photo ID. You may need to show ID at police checkpoints in Windhoek and other major towns and cities. Keep copies of the photo page of your passport and important documents separately in a safe place.
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are not illegal in Namibia. Certain same-sex sexual acts are illegal, but generally not prosecuted. There are no laws against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Conservative attitudes towards LGBT+ individuals remain, especially in rural regions. Showing affection in public may result in unwanted attention.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Illegal drugs and prison sentences
Penalties for using or smuggling illegal drugs can be severe. Penalties include large fines and imprisonment.
Wildlife, animal products and souvenirs
It’s illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a licence. You will be prosecuted and could get a fine or…
Read the full UK government advice
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 10 Dec 2025. Full advice
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Namibia’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Namibia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Namibian High Commission in the UK.
Passport validity requirements
To enter Namibia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It must also have at least 3 blank pages. If you’re travelling to Namibia through South Africa read the South Africa travel advice.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew…
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 10 Dec 2025. Official entry requirements
Disaster alerts
No active GDACS disaster alerts matched Namibia as of the last successful refresh.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-16 07:26:45 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent national headlines were returned for Namibia. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Namibia
The most weather-stable two-month window for Namibia is April–May, when typical daily temperatures run from about 10°C to 26°C and monthly rain averages 14 mm.
No threshold-level heat, cold, wind, or cyclone flag appears in the stored normals; January is the wettest typical month at about 123 mm.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 7, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Emergency Numbers
| Police | 10111 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | — |
| Fire | — |
| General emergency | 112 |
Backfilled from the public international emergency-number registry. The GSM standard 112 (and 911 in the Americas) is redirected to local emergency services on mobile networks in most countries. Verify locally on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
Is Namibia safe to visit right now?
Mostly safe with normal precautions. Namibia has a few categories that warrant planning — read the breakdown below and check the live US State Department advisory. Composite baseline: 46/100 (Moderate risk). Always cross-check with your home country's foreign-ministry advisory within 7 days of departure; the live US State Department advisory is shown above. Last refreshed October 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for Namibia?
The current US State Department advisory level for Namibia is shown in the Live conditions section above and is re-fetched every 6 hours from the official RSS feed. UK FCDO, Canada GAC, and Australia DFAT also publish advisories — for high-stakes trips, cross-check at least one foreign-ministry advisory in addition to your home country's. See our travel advisory guide for how to read each tier system.
Is it safe to visit Namibia in October 2026?
For October 2026, the baseline composite for Namibia is 46/100 (Moderate risk). Live data — advisories every 6 hours, disaster alerts every 30 minutes, health notices every 12 hours, news every hour — is shown in the Live conditions section above. For a personalized risk briefing for your specific trip and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked above.
How are these country-level travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 from government advisories (US State Dept), crime indices, Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional editorial knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum across nine categories — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (advisories, news, disaster alerts, health notices) is layered on top of the baseline at request time.
Where can I find city-specific safety information for Namibia?
City-specific files for Namibia are listed in the City Risk Files section above. Each city page covers the same nine categories at city scope, plus city-specific scam patterns, transport-hub safety notes, medical-access detail, and (where available) neighborhood-level guidance. Use the header search to find a specific city directly.
When was this page last reviewed?
The baseline scores for Namibia were last reviewed on May 18, 2026. Live intelligence (advisory, disaster alerts, health notices, news) refreshes automatically on the cadences described above.
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
When is the best time to visit Namibia?
April–May is the most weather-stable two-month window in the stored 1991-2020 normals. The most weather-stable two-month window for Namibia is April–May, when typical daily temperatures run from about 10°C to 26°C and monthly rain averages 14 mm.
What is the rainy, hurricane, or severe-weather season in Namibia?
The stored 1991-2020 normals do not cross this site's seasonal hazard thresholds; check a short-range forecast before departure.
Community Safety Sentiment
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.