Airlines

Most of the airlines have town offices somewhere around the Sanlam Centre, near the Kalahari Sands Hotel. Air Namibia (PO Box 731, Windhoek; web: www.airnamibia.com.na) is at the front, on Independence Avenue. Although this is convenient for personal visits, it is better to contact them at the airports if you wish to reconfirm tickets or book flight seats:

General reservations Tel: 061 299 6333

Eros International Airport Tel: 061 299 6500

Hosea Kutako International Airport
Tel: 061 299 6600 (note: this is the main airport for international arrivals and departures)
Town office Tel: 061 299 6444

British Airways
Sanlam Centre, 154 Independence Av; tel: 061 248528; fax: 061 245529
Comair, the South African regional carrier is now owned by British Airways and shares the same premises in the Sanlam Centre; tel: 061 226662; fax: 061 227923

Lufthansa
Sanlam Centre, 154 Independence Av; tel: 061 226662; fax: 061 227923; email: wdhgg@dlh.de

LTU 'Germany's other airline'
Kuehne & Nagel Bldg, 5 Mac Adam St; tel: 061 238205; fax: 061 222350

South African Airways
(SAA) is just north of Air Namibia's office, in Carl List House, Independence Av; tel: 061 273340; fax: 061 235200

TAAG Angolan Airlines
Near SAA, in the Sanlam Centre, Independence Av; tel: 061 226625/236266; fax: 061 227724

Banks and money

The centre of town has all the major banks in the country. These are generally very efficient and certainly quicker than the smaller branches in the suburbs, or outside the capital. If you need anything complex, like an international money transfer, go to the largest branch possible. In any event, remember to take your passport with you.

Changing money

Rates for exchanging money are the same at all banks, though expect to get considerably lower rates from a hotel. Outside of normal banking hours, the bureau de change at the Commercial Bank of Namibia on Independence Avenue, opposite the Grab-a-phone kiosk, is open Saturday and Sunday, 08.00–19.00 (and also accepts American Express cards), while the bureau de change at the airport is opened for incoming flights.

Banks

The city's main branches of Namibia's largest four banks are all very near the centre:

First National Bank
PO Box 195, 209 Independence Av; tel: 061 299 2101; fax: 061 225994; email: info@fnbnamibia.com.na; web: www.fnbnamibia.com.na. This is in the centre of Independence Av, opposite the post office. It has close links to Barclays in the UK, and is best for Visa transactions.

Standard Bank
PO Box 3327, Mutual Platz, Post Street Mall, tel: 061 294 2283; fax: 061 294 2583; email: info@standardbank.com.na; web: www.standardbank.com.na. If you're using MasterCard rather than Visa, then Standard is probably the best bank to deal with.

Bank of Windhoek
PO Box 15, 262 Independence Av; tel: 061 291267; fax: 061 299 1287; email: info@bankwindhoek.com.na; web: www.bankwindhoek.com.na

Commercial Bank of Namibia
PO Box 1, 12 Bülow St; tel: 061 295 2121; fax: 061 295 2120; email: EsmarieB@nedcor.com; web: www.c-bank.com.na

American Express
The American Express agents in Namibia are located in the Bank Windhoek Building on Kaiserkrone, just off Post Street Mall (tel: 061 249517; fax 061 229654). There is also an American Express office at Hosea Kutako International Airport.

If you have either an American Express card or AMEX travellers' cheques, you can have your mail sent here. Mail addresses should be formated: McINTYRE, Chris, c/o American Express Client Mail, at the above address.

Thomas Cook
The local office is at Namibia Bureau de Change in the Levison Arcade just off Independence Avenue (tel: 061 229667).

Hospitals

In an emergency, phone 211111 in Windhoek, which will put you through to an operator who can reach the ambulance or fire services. In case of difficulty getting through, phone 1199. If you have a cellphone, then call 112. For an ambulance from the private MediRescue, call 061 230505, radiopage: 252222, or cell: 081 124 0012. The police can be reached on 10111.

The city's main public hospital is Windhoek Central Hospital, on Florence Nightingale St; tel: 061 222886. This is good, but with huge demands from the local population, it can become very busy. However, if you've a serious medical condition then it's better to use your medical travel insurance, and contact one of the private hospitals (each of which is open 24 hours and has an accident and emergency department):

Medi Clinic
Heliodoor St, Eros Park; tel: 061 222687. Windhoek's most expensive clinic, reached via Nelson Mandela Drive and then Omuramba Road.

Catholic Mission Hospital
92 Stübel St (between Bülow St and John Meinert St); tel: 061 237237. Much more central, but not quite so plush.

Rhino Park Private Hospital
Hosea Kutako Drive; tel: 061 225434. This aims to provide affordable healthcare, but has no casualty department.

If you've a serious problem outside Windhoek, then contact MediRescue (MRI) (see page 70).

Post and communications

The main post office is in the centre of Independence Avenue, between Daniel Munamava and Zoo Park. It has an efficient post restante facility, and a place to make international phone calls or send faxes, plus access to the internet. It's cheap and easy to send packages overseas from here. The office is open Mon–Fri 08.00–16.30, and Sat 08.30–12.00. There's a machine for dispensing phonecards just outside the main office, though it accepts only notes, not coins.

The Independence Avenue landmark, Grab-a-phone (tel: 061 220708; fax: 061 220820), on the corner of Fidel Castro (Peter Müller) Street, has recently reopened following renovation; it's a private (more expensive) office where you can also make calls or send faxes.

The area telephone code for Windhoek is 061; don't use it when phoning within the city.

Internet facilities

The proliferation of internet facilities worldwide is not lost on Windhoek. In addition to dedicated internet cafés such as those listed below, many backpackers' hostels and hotels allow internet access to their guests.

Communication Service Centre & Internet Café
Independence Av N$15 for 1/2 hour. Open Mon–Sat 08.00–20.00, Sun 09.00–21.00.

Fabulous Telecom Services
Opposite Le Bistro in Post Street Mall. N$10 for 15 minutes, or N$15 for half an hour. Open Mon–Fri 08.30–19.00, Sat 09.00–16.00.

Post office
Internet facilities in the main post office on Independence Av cost N$11 for half an hour. Opening hours are as for the post office itself.

Tourist Junction
40 Fidel Castro (Peter Müller) St; tel: 061 231246; fax: 061 231703; email: info.ritztours@galileosa.co.za. N$15 for 1/2 hour, or N$25 for an hour. Open Mon–Sat 08.00–17.00.

Cell phones

Cell phones may be rented for your trip from a number of locations, including Windhoek International Airport, and Walvis Bay Airport. In Windhoek, contact Mutual Platz Shop 13; tel: 061 245225/6/7; fax: 061 245288; email: gsmrent@iafrica.com.na, or drop in to Tourist Junction (see above).