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Namibia
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Central
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South
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North
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Roads and Traffic
Namibia
For travelling Namibia comfortably, it is best to drive in a rental car. Public transport is practically non-existent. The roads - about 5.000 kilometres of tarred road and almost 40.000 kilometres of gravel or sand roads - are usually well maintained, but every now and then one comes across "corrugated" tracks. The unpleasant grooves - mostly 5 to 10 centimetres deep - come from speedy driving. The vehicle and the passengers can get extremely shaken up. The best method is just to "fly" over these tracks, which means to drive fast enough so that the wheels don't dip into each single groove. The ideal speed is approx 80 km/h. However, the road traction is reduced on gravel roads and one must slow down before curves.
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Generally, a 4x4 is not required for travelling Namibia although it is nice to have one. It is only necessary for the Sossusvlei, in the Kaudom National Park, for Kaokoland and for drives through dune sand at the beach or in riverbeds. Some farm roads might also be difficult to negotiate. And after heavy rainfalls, which can occur between December and March, driving on untarred roads can become extremely difficult in some areas.
In Namibia you drive on the left side of the road. Otherwise, the traffic rules are the same as those in Europe.
Detailed tips about driving in Namibia, car rental, busses, trains and flight connections to be found on the INFO page.
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Every year the car rental companies in Namibia report numerous accidents, most of them roll-overs. On the slightly arched gravel roads, inexperienced drivers get too far to the edge and then turn the steering wheel abruptly. Especially lighter vehicles with a high centre of gravity (like the Toyota Hilux) react to this driving mistake by rolling and the car turns over.
Top right: Typical sand road in southern Namibia. Bottom right: Soft sand in the Kaudom National Park. Only negotiable with a 4-wheel drive. Bottom left: Gravel Road in Central Namibia.
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