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When is the best time to go on safari in Namibia?
Weather of Namibia
Namibia is one of the driest countries in the world, receiving barely any rainfall throughout the year. Dominated by the Namib Desert on the west and Kalahari Desert to the East, you wouldn’t think of Namibia as a safari destination, but in actual fact, this is what makes it such an incredible wildlife destination and knowing when to go is key to maximizing your Namibian safari experience.
Namibia is just north of South Africa and to the west of Botswana meaning it has similar weather patterns. The “rainy” season starts in mid-November and last until March, but as Namibia is predominately desert, rain is still uncommon. Even though rainfall is uncommon, it is still important to be cautious when travelling over these months as flashfloods can occur if rain has fallen in the mountains and catchment areas and without warning dry riverbeds quickly start to flow again. October through to March are considered the hot summer months when temperatures can rise to over 40°C (104°F). With the rains comes life and it is incredible to see the desert transformed into a carpet of green as grasses and plants that have been dormant for months quickly come to life.
From March and April, the dry season kicks in and any surface water that was lying around, quickly starts to dry up. This is a great time to be in Namibia as temperatures drop to a mild 25°C (77°F). May is the start of the cold winter months when nighttime temperatures can drop quickly as the desert hands fails to retain any of the daytime heat. From June, nighttime temperatures can drop as low as 10°C (50°F), although daytime temperatures are a pleasant 20-25°C (68-75°F). July and August are the peak of the dry winter months with mild daytime temperatures hovering around 21-25°C (70-77°F), while at night the temperature can drop to 7°C (45°F), although in the desert and higher altitudes, temperatures can drop below freezing.
From September, the temperature starts to rise again with pleasant day and nighttime temperatures and from October, the heat really starts to set in. Being the end of the dry season, this is the best time for game viewing on safari, until November when the rains start.
Namibia is one of the driest countries in the world, receiving barely any rainfall throughout the year. Dominated by the Namib Desert on the west and Kalahari Desert to the East, you wouldn’t think of Namibia as a safari destination, but in actual fact, this is what makes it such an incredible wildlife destination and knowing when to go is key to maximizing your Namibian safari experience.
Namibia is just north of South Africa and to the west of Botswana meaning it has similar weather patterns. The “rainy” season starts in mid-November and last until March, but as Namibia is predominately desert, rain is still uncommon. Even though rainfall is uncommon, it is still important to be cautious when travelling over these months as flashfloods can occur if rain has fallen in the mountains and catchment areas and without warning dry riverbeds quickly start to flow again. October through to March are considered the hot summer months when temperatures can rise to over 40°C (104°F). With the rains comes life and it is incredible to see the desert transformed into a carpet of green as grasses and plants that have been dormant for months quickly come to life.
From March and April, the dry season kicks in and any surface water that was lying around, quickly starts to dry up. This is a great time to be in Namibia as temperatures drop to a mild 25°C (77°F). May is the start of the cold winter months when nighttime temperatures can drop quickly as the desert hands fails to retain any of the daytime heat. From June, nighttime temperatures can drop as low as 10°C (50°F), although daytime temperatures are a pleasant 20-25°C (68-75°F). July and August are the peak of the dry winter months with mild daytime temperatures hovering around 21-25°C (70-77°F), while at night the temperature can drop to 7°C (45°F), although in the desert and higher altitudes, temperatures can drop below freezing.
From September, the temperature starts to rise again with pleasant day and nighttime temperatures and from October, the heat really starts to set in. Being the end of the dry season, this is the best time for game viewing on safari, until November when the rains start.
