My wife and I will be conducting a 4 week self-drive tour of Namibia and northern Botswana. Which currency would be best for purchasing meals, gas, souvenirs, etc. in Namibia, the Namibian dollar or the Rand?

Bobby B.

Within Namibia either should work equally well. The N$ is pegged to the Rand and is largely interchangable. I'm not sure if that is also true in Botswana. I would think that the much more common Rand would be more redily accepted there but I haven't traveled in that country and have no personal experience.

I did find that neither Euros nor USD were taken and smaller, out-of-the-way locations in Namibia.

Three trips to Namibia have taught me the following:

Go with the Rand. The Rand is accepted throughout Namibia and you can also exchange it for other currencies in various airports throughout the world. Nambian currrency is not accepted anywhere outside of Namibia. If you exchange for Namibian currency you will be stuck with whatever you have left following your trip.

This comes from both experience and advice from Namibian friends. Things may have changed since my last visit in 2009.

quote:

Originally posted by TWL:
Three trips to Namibia have taught me the following:

Go with the Rand. The Rand is accepted throughout Namibia and you can also exchange it for other currencies in various airports throughout the world. Nambian currrency is not accepted anywhere outside of Namibia. If you exchange for Namibian currency you will be stuck with whatever you have left following your trip.

This comes from both experience and advice from Namibian friends. Things may have changed since my last visit in 2009.

+1

I've been to Namibia 4 times and my wife and I did a self-drive tour as well in 2009. That being said, I would recommend going with the Rand. You will still end up with a bunch of Namibian notes as change but don't sweat it. Just make sure you have some Rand, Euro or US dollars when you get to Botswana or if you go to Vic Falls. I couldn't even give Namibian currancy as tips in Vic Falls. They wanted either US dollars or SA Rand but would also take Euros or Bots Pula.

I did a self drive in sept 2010 in Namibia for 14 days this was my fourth time as well.Stick with the rand and there should be no problems.It is very hard for the average namibian to exchange us $ to namibian $ as it requires a passport. I have been approached at the windhoek airport by locals trying to exchange euros or us $ to namibian $ too.I always paid cash in my travels as there are few places that accept credit cards and the foreign transaction rate is applied.

Have to admit, the unspent Namibian currency and coins I brought home are valued mementos of my "excellent adventure."

Rand and Euros.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Have to admit, the unspent Namibian currency and coins I brought home are valued mementos of my "excellent adventure."

Namibian bills are quite colorful and all feature beautiful portraits of Namibian wildlife.

Believe it or not, I found some Nambian bills for sale on eBay where the eBay listing had full color, detailed illustrations of the currency. Being a thrifty type, I simply copied the photos and printed them with a high-resolution color printer then framed the result. I suppose that would be tantamount to counterfeiting if I were in Namibia or attempted to pass the images off as currency, but I think that the uncut images inside the glassed photo frame sitting on a desk in my home probably won't bring Interpol down on me. Looking on the bright side, if it does, they'll have to go after eBay, also.

Thanks, guys.

Bobby B.

Bobby B,

I do conduct lots of photographic tours to Namibia and Botswana and i will go with Rand to Namibia and Botswana with Pula especially if buying stuff from the locals. Lodges do take Dollar and Rand