By Anthony Ham
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.
Namibia is characterized by its desert habitat. This harsh environment forms a magnificent backdrop for a different kind of safari. Animal populations are smaller, but sightings in this sparse setting tend to be rewarding. Not to be missed is Etosha Pan, a seasonal wildlife magnet.
Pros and Cons
- Excellent waterhole-based wildlife viewing at Etosha
- Long coastline with marine animals, such as seal colonies
- Good infrastructure and excellent self-drive safari options
- High-end and budget safaris
- Low population and vast undeveloped areas
- Highly photogenic scenery and colors
- Desert habitat doesn't support high animal densities
Wildlife
The open, arid landscape of Namibia doesn’t support animals in great numbers, but you’ll certainly have no trouble seeing the ones that do live here. These include plenty of wildebeest, zebra, lion and elephant, with large groups congregating in Etosha. The country is particularly good for seeing cheetah, which are widespread, while the more elusive black rhino and brown hyena confine themselves to coastal locations.
Weather & Climate
A subtropical desert climate is the norm in Namibian parks. In the winter (May to October), this means barely any rain and afternoon temperatures that hardly ever rise above 28°C/82°F. The rain finally arrives a few months into summer (November to April), accompanied by humidity, and fierce heat in the desert areas that approaches 40°C/104°F. It also gets cooler the higher you climb in Namibia, which refers mainly to the country’s central plateau.
Best Time to Visit
The sunny, virtually cloudless days of the Dry season (May to October) are a very pleasant time to visit. Although from June to August it can get very chilly overnight and in the early morning. The Dry season also happens to be the best time to go wildlife watching, as the animals gather around any water and so are easy to find. It’s harder to get up close to wildlife in the at-times strikingly hot Wet season (November to April), even in Etosha.
Premier Parks and Reserves
- Etosha – Classic safari
- Namib-Naukluft – Scenery, animals scarce
- Skeleton Coast – Scenery and marine wildlife
- All 13 Namibia Parks & Reserves
