Hunting in Namibia

Visas

Citizens of the USA and most European countries who are visiting Namibia for 90 days or less are issued a visa on arrival and no advance application is necessary. Be sure to have several blank pages in your passport, and be sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your planned departure. Check the visa rules that apply to your passport type at this link: https://namibia.visahq.com/

Temporary gun licence

Most hunting clients arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek. After landing, the hunter walks to the arrival hall to fill out an arrival form and then proceeds through Immigration. Once through Immigration, go to baggage claim and retrieve your luggage, then find the small office (back toward Immigration) with a sign that reads “Arms and Ammunition.” Here, you will identify your gun case and fill in a simple form that will serve as your temporary gun license/permit. All you need is your gun information and the address of where you will be staying in Namibia, which the outfitter should provide to you. After filling out your form and retrieving your gun case, proceed through Customs. Your outfitter will most likely meet you outside the door to drive you to your hunting area.

Most hunts in Namibia are spot-and-stalk or safari style, with the hunters covering ground either on foot or by vehicle and, once an animal is spotted, completing a stalk on foot. Some safaris can require extensive walking; others require very little, so it’s a good idea to ask the professional hunter.

Clothing and Gear

Dark green or brown clothing is best, as are boots with soft soles for quiet stalking. You’ll only need a couple of changes of clothing as laundry is done daily at most camps. Bring a wide-brimmed hat, sunblock, good optics, and a jacket for cool mornings and evenings.

Rifles

Most professional hunters recommend rifles in the .300-caliber family for plains game and .375 for dangerous game, but the most important thing is to bring a rifle you are familiar with and can shoot well. Handguns and semiautomatic rifles are not allowed in Namibia.

Tips

Tips are appreciated at most safari camps in Namibia; in addition to the professional hunter, tracker(s), driver, and skinner(s), there are usually staff members at camp who handle cooking and cleaning and other chores and help to make a hunter’s stay pleasant. The professional hunter or outfitter can advise the hunter how much is appropriate to tip each staff member.

Trophy preparation

Typically, animals are skinned at the safari headquarters and all skins are cleaned and salted; skulls and horns are cleaned and buried in salt. After a couple of days, the skins are hung to dry, cleaned once more, and folded and stored in a skinning shed. Skulls will be cleaned and placed on a rack. Before leaving camp, it’s a good idea to ensure the skulls and skins are properly tagged with the hunter’s name and contact information.

Taxidermy

Once the hunter departs, or sometimes at the end of the season, trophies will be taken to a taxidermist for professional cleaning and dipping, which is required for export. The taxidermist then contacts the hunter for instructions regarding preparation and shipment, and to arrange payment for these services. The taxidermist then contacts a shipping agent, who will handle the permits and shipping to the hunter’s home country, again after contacting the hunter. Hunters should check the latest regulations in order to make arrangements in advance if they are hunting species that require CITES permits or special export or import permits from the hunter’s home country. Many export and import requirements for these species have undergone dramatic changes in the past couple of years.