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Getting to Namibia: Air Namibia passenger jet on the runway

Getting To Namibia

Getting to Namibia by Air and by Road

Getting to Namibia is straightforward, with more ways in than many travellers expect. You can fly direct from Europe, take a connection from Johannesburg or Cape Town, or arrive on a regional flight from Victoria Falls, Botswana, Zambia or Angola. Most visitors land at Hosea Kutako International Airport outside Windhoek. Some fly straight to the coast at Walvis Bay, and the adventurous drive in from a neighbouring country.

Arriving in Namibia by Air

Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) is 45 km east of Windhoek and handles most international arrivals. Scheduled routes include:

  • Europe: Discover Airlines (Lufthansa Group) daily from Frankfurt, with seasonal flights from Munich; Edelweiss Air seasonally from Zurich
  • Johannesburg: South African Airways and Airlink
  • Cape Town: Airlink, FlySafair and FlyNamibia
  • Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines
  • Regional: FlyNamibia from Victoria Falls; Air Botswana from Gaborone and Kasane; Proflight Zambia from Livingstone, with Lusaka flights routed via Livingstone; TAAG Angola Airlines and Fly Angola from Luanda

Routes and seasons change, so we confirm the best connection when we build your itinerary.

Connecting via Johannesburg or Cape Town

From the UK, North America and Australia, the simplest route is often a long-haul flight into Johannesburg or Cape Town, then a connection to Windhoek. That also lets you break a long journey, whether with a night near the airport or a few days in Cape Town and the Winelands before the desert.

Flying into Walvis Bay

Airlink flies to Walvis Bay Airport from Johannesburg and Cape Town. FlyNamibia has also announced flights linking Walvis Bay with Windhoek and Cape Town, so check its current schedule. Arriving on the coast suits a safari that starts or ends around Swakopmund and saves the drive back to Windhoek.

Arriving in Namibia by Road

Self-drive travellers can cross into Namibia at these border posts:

  • From South Africa: Noordoewer (Vioolsdrif on the South African side) or Ariamsvlei (Nakop)
  • From Botswana: Trans-Kalahari (Buitepos, with Mamuno on the Botswana side), Mohembo or Ngoma
  • From Zambia: Katima Mulilo
  • From Angola: Oshikango

The drives from Johannesburg and Cape Town are long, so plan overnight stops. Entry rules differ between border posts; see our Namibia visa guide. For travel once you're in the country, see getting around Namibia.

Luggage on Fly-in Safaris

Normal airline allowances apply on international flights. The light aircraft used on a Namibia fly-in safari have much stricter limits on bag weight and bag type, so check the allowance for your operator before you pack.

Hosea Kutako International Airport

The terminal is compact, with a business lounge and tax-refund facilities. Shuttle services run into Windhoek. Many domestic flights use the smaller Eros Airport, close to the city centre.

Airlines Flying to Namibia

Lufthansa

Lufthansa

KLM

KLM

SAA

South African Airways logo

British Airways

British Airways

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines logo

Eurowings

Eurowings

Getting to Namibia: Frequently Asked Questions

Which airport do international flights to Namibia use?

Most international flights land at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH), 45 km east of Windhoek. It opened in 1964 as J.G. Strijdom Airport and was renamed in 1990 after the Namibian national hero Hosea Kutako. The airport sits at about 1,720 m above sea level, and shuttle services run into Windhoek.

Are there direct flights to Namibia from Europe?

Discover Airlines, part of the Lufthansa Group, flies direct to Windhoek daily from Frankfurt and seasonally from Munich. Edelweiss Air runs a seasonal service from Zurich, and Condor plans to return on the Frankfurt route from late June 2027. From elsewhere in Europe, Ethiopian Airlines offers one-stop connections through Addis Ababa.

Can I fly to Namibia via Johannesburg or Cape Town?

Connecting through South Africa is often the easiest option, because both cities have far more long-haul flights than Windhoek. South African Airways and Airlink fly from Johannesburg, and Airlink, FlySafair and FlyNamibia fly from Cape Town. Many travellers break the journey with a night or two in Cape Town.

Can I fly into Walvis Bay instead of Windhoek?

You can. Airlink flies to Walvis Bay Airport from Johannesburg and Cape Town, landing on the coast near Swakopmund. FlyNamibia has also announced flights linking Walvis Bay with Windhoek and Cape Town, so check its current schedule. Arriving on the coast suits a safari that starts or ends around Swakopmund.

Can I fly to Windhoek from Victoria Falls, Botswana or Zambia?

Several regional airlines fly these routes. FlyNamibia flies between Victoria Falls and Windhoek, Air Botswana connects Windhoek with Gaborone and Kasane, and Proflight Zambia flies from Livingstone, with Lusaka flights routed via Livingstone. These links let you pair Namibia with Victoria Falls or Chobe without going back through Johannesburg.

Can I drive to Namibia from South Africa?

You can, but it is a long way. The main border posts are Noordoewer (Vioolsdrif on the South African side), on the road north from Cape Town, and Ariamsvlei (Nakop), further east. Plan overnight stops on the way to Windhoek, and check that your hire-car agreement allows cross-border travel.

Which border posts link Namibia with Botswana and Zambia?

From Botswana, the main crossings are Trans-Kalahari (Buitepos on the Namibian side, Mamuno in Botswana), Mohembo and Ngoma. Katima Mulilo is the crossing into Zambia. Entry arrangements are not the same at every post, and some smaller crossings handle e-visas only, so check our Namibia visa guide before choosing your route.

Map of Lodges in and around Namibia

 

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