Namibia Travel: When to Go

The best time to travel 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.

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.

In December and January the main local school holidays happen and 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. The best time to visit southern Namibia is between May and September.

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

The Namib coast (including Walvis Bay and Swakopmund) is best visited from October to March when the weather is cooler. Inescapably, however, when the dry easterly winds blow it is sometimes very hot even 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 period.

For the inland Kaokoveld, the period from May to August is best. The summer months bring flash floods and very high temperatures, and most rain falls between January and March.

Etosha and the North

The most popular time to visit Etosha is from April to September, because during this time the temperature is tolerably cool. From May to September the animals gather at waterholes, so this is the best period for game viewing.

Summer is best for bird watching, as migrant birds visit the pans after the summer rains.

Kavango and Caprivi

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

Winter, being cooler and drier, is best for game viewing.

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