Namibia lies at the southern edge of the Tropic of Capricorn. The climate is classified as subtropical, and the Subtropical High Pressure Belt gives Namibia clear skies and 300 days of sunshine a year. Needless to say, Namibia can be visited year-round.
The hottest months of the year are January and February, when daytime temperatures in the Namib Desert can reach 104°F. Even then, however, night time is comfortably cool. The height of winter runs from June to August, when the weather is generally dry and cool. In Windhoek, for example, the average low is 45°F during this time. Along the coast, the climate is generally cooler and drier most of the year due to the cold Benguela current of the Atlantic. Temperatures inland, especially in the Namib, are naturally more extreme, ranging from scorching to freezing cold.
Despite the generally dry climate, there are two rainy seasons in Namibia, both occurring in the summer months. A small rainy spell is experienced from September to November, while a more intense period of precipitation runs from February to April. In the more inland areas, rains are concentrated between the summer months of November and March.
Best Time to Visit Namibia
Three-hundred days of sun a year mean Namibia can be visited at any time. However, the hottest months of the year (January and February) are best avoided. The northern regions experience annual flooding, which flows from Angola down towards the plains of Ovamboland. In is not advised to travel during the month of March in this region.
Those traveling along the Caprivi Strip may note that the region has a distinct tropical climate. It experiences heavy rainfall, and often heavy flooding from December to March. After March, however, the area offers the best bird watching in the region. Namibia’s wildlife safaris are best done in the winter months, specifically April to June, as the dry weather tends to compel the animals to congregate at watering holes. Otherwise, August is the peak of the tourist season, when prices go up and travel arrangements are best booked early.