Back to country calendar
Public Holiday Nationwide

Genocide Remembrance Day

May 2026
262728293012
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31123456
Holiday selected

🏪 What's open

  • Banks Closed
  • Government offices Closed
  • Schools Closed
  • Shops Varies
  • Restaurants Reduced
  • Public transit Reduced
  • Stock market Closed
  • Post office Closed

🛋️ Long weekend potential

4-Day Block
THU 28 Holiday
FRI 29 Bridge Day
SAT 30 Weekend
SUN 31 Weekend

4-day weekend with a bridge day on May 29

📣 Traveler notes

Namibia is located in Southern Africa and features diverse attractions, including the Namib Desert, Fish River Canyon Park, Etosha National Park, and the Kalahari Desert. The country is linguistically diverse, with residents speaking nine languages. German, Afrikaans, and English are commonly spoken.

  • Use 'Namibian' when unsure of proper racial terminology.
  • Greeting people is expected in markets, taxis, and local shops.
  • Public displays of affection are generally reserved for bars or nightclubs.
  • Visitors should be mindful of the historical context of the Herero and Nama genocide.
  • The country mixes modern amenities with traditional and colonial-era practices.
  • Locals are nationalistic and proud of their country.
  • Standard greetings involve asking 'How are you?' or 'Howzit?'. Dress appropriately; while shorts and trousers are common for tourists, overly safari-themed attire outside safari settings is noted. Formal or traditional attire is customary for formal occasions or services.

About this holiday

Commemorates the Herero and Nama genocide, a systematic extermination perpetrated by the German Empire in German South West Africa between 1904 and 1908, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 40,000–80,000 Hereros and 10,000 Nama.