Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Namibia take card payments at check-in
Namibia is hit-and-miss with card acceptance at hostels. Windhoek and Swakopmund are card-ready. Out in rural Namibia, especially near the Skeleton Coast, it’s strictly cash. I always withdrew extra Namibian dollars at Standard Bank before road trips. If you don’t want last-minute ATM drama, stock up in the cities.
I stayed in Windhoek, Swakopmund, and Lüderitz, and all hostels there took card at check-in. But when I moved north toward Damaraland, the hostel said “cash only.” Luckily, FNB ATMs were still available in the last big town. Namibia works fine for card in cities and tourist spots, but you can’t avoid ATM trips if you’re heading remote. Carry cash backup.
In Swakopmund, the hostel by the beach accepted Visa and Mastercard smoothly. In contrast, my stay in a smaller town outside Etosha required cash on arrival. ATMs are decent in bigger towns, but they’re rare once you go into the desert or small villages. Namibia is semi-card-friendly, but not 100%. To avoid stress, withdraw in Windhoek and keep notes handy for check-ins outside the coastal cities.
Namibia was easier than I expected. In Windhoek, my hostel took card without hesitation, and same in Swakopmund. Even some guesthouses in Etosha’s gateway towns accepted cards. ATMs from FNB and Standard Bank are everywhere in cities, so if you need cash, it’s not a nightmare. But in smaller towns like Opuwo, hostels usually wanted cash. If avoiding ATM runs is your priority, you’ll be fine along the main tourist circuit but carry a cushion of Namibian dollars for rural areas.