Local Info

Namibia is located in southern Africa. Its border countries are Angola to the north, Zambia to the northeast, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. The South Atlantic Ocean borders Namibia to the west. Namibia, slightly more than half the size of Alaska, is also located in and between the Namib Desert along the coast, and the Kalahari Desert in the east. 

Windhoek 

The CGEE – Namibia semester program is based in Windhoek. Located in the geographical center of the country, Windhoek’s estimated population is 400,000. A modern city, the majority of its citizens live in the heavily populated suburbs of Katutura and Khomasdal, near the industrial outskirts of the city. Other parts of the city include Windhoek North, Ludwisgsdorf, Klein Windhoek, Pioneers Park, and the Central Business District (CBD) to name a few. As do many capital cities, Windhoek serves as the transportation hub, shopping and entertainment center, and administrative center of Namibia. Here, you will find all the goods, services and amenities of a modern city readily available. Trains, buses, and taxis connect communities within Windhoek as well as towns throughout Namibia. Malls, shopping centers, restaurants and nightclubs provide adequate services for consumers. Finally, government operations occur daily in Windhoek to maintain stability throughout the country. 

Time

Namibia is generally seven (7) hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST), eight (8) hours ahead of Central Standard Time (CST), nine (9) hours ahead of Mountain Standard Time (MST), and ten (10) hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (PST).  Namibia and South Africa are in the same time zone. 

Weather

Since the seasons are opposite in the southern hemisphere, we are providing information on the weather during each season. As in the U.S., the weather can get colder or warmer than the averages, especially during seasonal transitions, which is the majority of your semester.

Spring Semester: transition from Fall to Winter

In Johannesburg, the average high temperature is 58-70°F; the average low is 36-50°F. It is generally a dry time of the year, with the nights getting quite cool. Many buildings are not heated, so when the mornings are cool, rooms are cold, chillier than in the U.S. and cooler than what you will be accustomed to in Namibia. We suggest bringing along a couple of warm sweaters and/or a jacket for the trip to South Africa as well as something warm to sleep in.

 In Cape Town, the average high is 64-72°F; the average low is about 50°F. It is somewhat wetter in Cape Town than in Johannesburg (averaging about 3 inches of rain per month).

In February and March the average high in Windhoek is 80-88°F; the average low is 59-63° F. Namibia is a very dry country with February and March being two of only a few months in which there is rain. The average rainfall per month in February and March is 3 inches. In northern Namibia, temperatures are likely to be 5 -10° higher than in Windhoek; the western coast (Walvis Bay and Swakopmund), where you will be for a few days, will be somewhat cooler than in Windhoek at about 50-70°F year-round. 

In April and May the average high in Windhoek is 68-77°F; the average low is 43-55°F. Rain is unlikely. In northern Namibia, temperatures are likely to be 5-10° higher than in Windhoek; the western coast will be somewhat cooler than in Windhoek.

Fall Semester: transition from Spring to Summer

In Johannesburg, the average high temperature is 58-70°F; the average low is 36-50°F. It is generally a dry time of the year, with the nights getting quite cool. Many buildings are not heated, so when the mornings are cool, rooms are cold, chillier than in the U.S. and cooler than what you will be accustomed to in Namibia. We suggest bringing along a couple of warm sweaters and/or a jacket for the trip to South Africa as well as something warm to sleep in.

In Cape Town, the average high is 64-72°F; the average low is about 50°F. It is somewhat wetter in Cape Town than in Johannesburg (averaging about 3 inches of rain per month).

In September and October the average high in Windhoek is 80-88°F; the average low is 59-63° F. Namibia is a very dry country with February and March being two of only a few months in which there is rain. The average rainfall per month in February and March is 3 inches. In northern Namibia, temperatures are likely to be 5 -10° higher than in Windhoek; the western coast (Walvis Bay and Swakopmund), where you will be for a few days, will be somewhat cooler than in Windhoek at about 50-70°F year-round. 

In October and November the average high in Windhoek is 68-77°F; the average low is 43-55°F. Rain is unlikely. In northern Namibia, temperatures are likely to be 5-10° higher than in Windhoek; the western coast will be somewhat cooler than in Windhoek.

Food

All of your meals will be provided by CGEE during the program, except during personal travel. While staying at the CGEE – Namibia center, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared by the CGEE – Namibia cook staff.  

When we are away from Windhoek, we either eat as a group at a restaurant or picnic, or each person is given a food stipend to buy their own food or to eat out.

Food prepared by the staff is nutritious and great. At the Center, staff will prepare dishes for vegetarians and vegans (and please be appreciative of their efforts to meet your needs!) However, vegetarians should be aware that since most fruits and vegetables must be imported and most are only available when in season, the range of produce available here is much more limited (and more expensive) than it is in the U.S.

While the staff will take pains to make sure that there are vegetarian options available when the group travels, vegetarians should expect that those options may be very limited, and more basic than the sophisticated vegetarian cuisine available in other parts of the world.

South Africa is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighboring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho.

Johannesburg

Jo'burg is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial capital and largest city of Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. Johannesburg is the seat of the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa. 

Johannesburg began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement. Its sprawling Soweto township was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s former residence is now the Mandela House museum. Other Soweto museums that recount the struggle to end segregation include the somber Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, a former prison complex 

Cape Town

Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. Slowly rotating cable cars climb to the mountain’s flat top, from which there are sweeping views of the city, the busy harbor and boats heading for Robben Island, the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, which is now a living museum. It is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the oldest city in the country, and the second largest (after Johannesburg) 

The city has a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, which includes False Bay, and extends to the Hottentots Holland mountains in the East. The Table Mountain National Park is within the city boundaries and there are several other nature reserves and marine protected areas within and adjacent to the city, protecting the diverse terrestrial and marine natural environment. 

Weather

South Africa has a generally temperate climate because it is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, because it is located in the climatically milder Southern Hemisphere, and because its average elevation rises steadily toward the north (toward the equator) and further inland. This varied topography and oceanic influence result in a great variety of climatic zones. The climatic zones range from the extreme desert of the southern Namib in the farthest northwest to the lush subtropical climate in the east along the border with Mozambique and the Indian Ocean. 

Extra-Curricular Activities in Windhoek

There is plenty to do in Windhoek—all it takes is a little initiative. There are three athletic clubs in Windhoek which students join. Pulse and Exclusive Health and Wellness are closer, less expensive, and have most of the basic equipment one might expect from a gym.  Virgin Active is a bit further and more expensive, but is nicer and includes an indoor pool. CGEE's partnerships and memorandums allow students to participate in UNAM https://www.unam.edu.na/ and NUST https://www.nust.na/dss/acc-sport-culture. 

While Windhoek is not known for its variety of culinary cuisine, there are several excellent restaurants to choose from when students feel like a special night out.  There are plenty of German restaurants and others specializing in large quantities of meat, including local game. A favorite among tourists is Joe’s Beer House which serves zebra, kudu, ostrich, crocodile, springbok and more.  The Namibia Institute for Culinary Education (NICE) offers the opportunity to watch the aspiring chefs at work behind a glass window. There are also Chinese, Brazilian, Cameroonian, Indian, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese restaurants.

Students in the past have joined soccer teams, basketball teams, rugby teams, and musical groups.  There are places to dance, do yoga and hike in and around Windhoek. There are movie theatres and many restaurants, cafes and bars to visit.  Students who don’t do internships can choose to volunteer with different organizations, such as schools, NGOs, and advocacy groups. There is plenty to do in Windhoek—all it takes is a little initiative.

The electrical current is 220/240 volts, the same as in Europe, but different from the U.S. and Canada. Most U.S. appliances run on less voltage (110 volts) so you need a transformer or voltage converter unless the appliance already has a built-in switch to change the voltage (many newer shavers, hair dryers, and computers do). Not only is the voltage different, but so is the outlet plug; in Namibia, the outlet typically has three large rounded prongs, but some have two smaller rounded prongs.

Almost all wall sockets in Namibia take the big, round three-pin, 15-amp plug. If you have a continental/European or U.S. adapter plug, you will probably find that it won't work. A cheap solution is to buy a plug that will fit between your appliance and the transformer/voltage adapter. Generally, the necessary adapters are difficult to find in the U.S. but they can be purchased easily in Namibia for about US$7.00. Some travel stores in the US (AAA, for example) or the international wing of the airport may sell the necessary adapter (ask for a plug for South Africa, which is the 3-prong).

You can easily buy adapters here, but many students find it more convenient if they have the necessary plugs when they arrive. If you do buy them in the United States, be very specific to request the three round prongs of South Africa.  A universal adaptor set will probably not work.

Many electronics items don’t require a voltage adapter at all, just the plug adapter that you can buy in Namibia for about US$7.00.  This would include most cell phones, MP3 players and laptops. If you bring a power strip, you could plug that into one plug adapter and be able to charge all of you and your roommate’s electronics simultaneously.  Items that use more power - like hair dryers and curling irons - will require a voltage adapter. Many students find it simpler to buy a hair dryer or curling iron in Namibia rather than sort through the complex world of voltage adapters.

Most common sizes of batteries can be purchased for appliances that use them