Namibia Travel: Money

The unit of currency in use in Namibia is the Namibia Dollar (N$), which is divided into 100 cents. This is fixed to the South African Rand. Notes are issued in denominations of N$200, N$100, N$50, N$20 and N$10. Coins are issued as N$5, N$1, 50 cents, 10 cents and 5 cents.

The Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand are the only legal tender in Namibia and both can be used freely to purchase goods and services.

Banks in Namibia's major urban centres open at 9:00 from Monday to Friday and close at 3:30. Branches in smaller towns may close over the lunch period but reopen at 2:00 and close at 3:30. On Saturday banks generally open at 8:30 and close at 11:00.

International Visa and Mastercard credit cards are generally accepted throughout Namibia. Holders of other credit cards are advised to clarify with a commercial bank whether their card is acceptable in Namibia. Credit cards are not accepted at petrol filling stations.

Tipping is only expected in upmarket tourist establishments where a service charge is not included. In this case, a general rule would be a 10% tip. Tipping is officially prohibited in national parks and reserves. Note however that negotiating over the price for local handicrafts at roadside stalls is quite acceptable.

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