Public Holidays in Namibia
Statutory public holidays in Namibia, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Namibia at a glance
Namibia’s public holidays centre on Independence Day on 21 March, alongside Christian feast days and the commemoration of the Herero and Nama genocide.
Several dates move with Easter, and the country’s calendar reflects both its German colonial and liberation histories.
Namibia public holidays 2026
The dates below come from Namibia’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| New Year | Jan 1Thu | 2026 |
| March Equinox | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
| Independence Day | Mar 21Sat | 2026 |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | 2026 |
| Easter Sunday | Apr 5Sun | 2026 |
| Easter Monday | Apr 6Mon | 2026 |
| Workers' Day | May 1Fri | 2026 |
| Cassinga Day | May 4Mon | 2026 |
| Ascension Day | May 14Thu | 2026 |
| Africa Day | May 25Mon | 2026 |
| June Solstice | Jun 21Sun | 2026 |
| Heroes' Day | Aug 26Wed | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 17 dates recorded for 2026.
Major cities in Namibia
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Namibia.
Windhoek
A highland capital of German colonial buildings, markets and a sunny climate.
Swakopmund
A German seaside town of pastel houses, with dunes behind and fog offshore.
Walvis Bay
A lagoon port of flamingos, pelicans and dune excursions.
Luderitz
A remote coastal town of Art Nouveau houses and wild desert coastline.
Oshakati
A town in the populous north, on the edge of the Etosha pans country.
Top attractions in Namibia
The places that draw most visitors to Namibia.
Sossusvlei & Deadvlei
Huge red dunes around a white clay pan of dead camelthorn trees.
Etosha National Park
A vast salt pan ringed by waterholes teeming with wildlife.
Fish River Canyon
One of the largest canyons on earth, a multi-day hiking route.
Skeleton Coast
A fog-bound coast of shipwrecks, seal colonies and empty beaches.
Namib-Naukluft
The oldest desert on earth, of gravel plains and towering dunes.
Twyfelfontein
A valley holding one of the largest concentrations of rock engravings in Africa.
Festivals, food and getting around Namibia
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year
Falls on Jan 1
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March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
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🎉
Independence Day
Falls on Mar 21
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🎉
Good Friday
Falls on Apr 3
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🎉
Easter Sunday
Falls on Apr 5
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🎉
Easter Monday
Falls on Apr 6
Food & drink
Getting around
Gravel roads dominate; a 4×4 and long empty stretches define travel, and light aircraft link the lodges.
Travelling around Namibia’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Namibia tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Namibia's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Namibia public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Namibia have?
Namibia has 17 dates recorded on its 2026 calendar, ranging from national statutory holidays to widely marked observances that are not days off work.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Namibia is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Namibia's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Namibia typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Namibia?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Namibia?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.