Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WINDHOEK
061 / POP 340,000 / ELEV 1660M
Central Windhoek is a surprisingly modern, well-groomed city where office workers
lounge around Zoo Park at lunchtime, tourists funnel through Post Street Mall admiring
African curios and taxis whizz around honking at potential customers. In fact, first impres-
sions confirm that the city wouldn't look out of place in the West.
It's not a big city and is eminently walkable; add to this a mixed population, a
pedestrian-friendly city centre, a relaxed, relatively hassle-free pace and an utterly cosmo-
politan outlook and Windhoek makes for a very pleasant exploration indeed. Neo-baroque
cathedral spires, as well as a few seemingly misplaced German castles, punctuate the sky-
line and complement the steel-and-glass high-rises.
Of course that's only part of the story; a trip into Katutura, the once-ramshackle town-
ship on the outskirts of the city, now just another outer suburb, gives insight into the reality
of most people's lives within the boundaries of the capital.
Windhoek makes a great place to begin or break a journey through Namibia. The accom-
modation choices, food variety, cultural sights, shopping and African urban buzz give it an
edge not found anywhere else in Namibia.
History
The city of Windhoek has existed for just over a century, but its history is as diverse as its
population. During the German colonial occupation it became the headquarters for the Ger-
man Schutztruppe (Imperial Army), which was ostensibly charged with brokering peace
between the warring Herero and Nama in exchange for whatever lands their efforts would
gain for German occupation. For over 10 years at the turn of the 20th century, Windhoek
served as the administrative capital of German South West Africa.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Country code
264
Area codes
Namibia uses three-digit area codes
International access code
00
