Namibia’s Best Celebrations, From Independence Day to Oktoberfest

Namibia's calendar needs reading carefully, because several of its public holidays commemorate loss. Cassinga Day on 4 May and Genocide Remembrance Day on 28 May are days of mourning. Treating them as a festival would be a serious misreading.

Three dates are celebrations in the ordinary sense. Independence Day on 21 March, Herero Day at Okahandja in August, which is commemorative but public and attended in huge numbers, and Windhoek Oktoberfest at the end of October, which is simply a beer festival.

Namibia takes thirteen national public holidays, more than its neighbours.
Public holidays and the best windows to travel
https://focustravelandtours.com/public-holidays/

Lodges, tours and park gates run normally on Namibian public holidays. Banks and government offices close. Fuel stations on the main routes stay open, but in the remote areas they keep their own hours regardless of the calendar, so carry cash and fill up when you can.

The important change is not a holiday at all. On 1 April 2025 Namibia ended visa-free entry for thirty-three nationalities, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and most of the European Union. A visa is now required, available on arrival or online in advance. Confirm what your passport needs before you fly.

Park entry and conservation fees are charged per person per day plus a vehicle fee, and we confirm the current rate when we quote.
Public holidays in Namibia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Namibia