When to Go to Namibia

The best time to travel to Namibia depends on where you're headed. We've chosen the most popular Namibian destinations and provided information on when to visit each one. Use this information in conjunction with our Recommended Itineraries to plan the best time to visit Namibia.

Windhoek

The best time to visit Windhoek is between May and September, when it is cool and dry. From November to March the summer is hot with heavy rains that sometimes make the gravel roads to the Namib completely impassable.

December and January see the main school holidays: much of the populace heads to the coast, so if you visit during this time you may find some shops and restaurants closed.

Southern Namibia

If you're visiting southern Namibia (Luderitz, Keetmanshoop or Sossusvlei, among others) the best thing to do is avoid the summer, which is extremely hot.

Therefore, the best time to visit southern Namibia is in winter time - between May and September - but bear in mind that the desert regions can be bitterly cold at this time of year.

The climate of the southern coast is hospitable from February to May, but quite cool and misty year-round, and particularly windy in August.

The Namib

October to March is the best time to go to the Namib coast (including Walvis Bay and Swakopmund) as the weather is pleasant on the coast compared to the roasting interior. When the dry easterly winds blow however, it can be very hot at this time of year.

For the inland areas of the Namib, the cooler months from May to September are best, though the easterly winds have the same effects here as on the coast.

Skeleton Coast & Kaokoveld

The northern Skeleton Coast experiences much the same weather year-round: moderate temperatures with mist, wind, and hardly any rain. For angling, November to March is the best time to visit the Skeleton Coast.

For the inland Kaokoveld, the dry winter season from May to August is the best time to travel.

The summer months bring very high temperatures and occasionally flash floods as most rain falls between January and March.

Etosha and the North

The best time to visit Etosha is from April to September as the temperature is tolerably cool, especially at night. From May to September the increasingly thirsty animals gather at waterholes, making it the best time to go to Etosha for game viewing.

Summer is best time to travel to Etosha for bird watching as migratory birds (both intra-African and Palaearctic) flock into the park's many habitats after the summer rains. The main Etosha Pan itself can become a huge expanse of shallow water filled with flamingoes, wildfowl and waders.

Kavango and Caprivi

Summer is also the best time to visit the Kavango area and the Caprivi Strip for bird watching, but visitors should be forewarned that the heat and humidity can be unbearable unless they are at least partially alleviated by rain.

The winter months - April to October - are the best time to travel to the Caprivi for game viewing as it is much cooler and drier, with virtually no rain falling at this time.

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