Namibia

Namibia is famous for its dramatic and often harsh landscapes. From the impressive Fish River Canyon, the world's second largest canyon, to the Namib Desert and the highest sand dunes in the world, Namibia is a country on a grand scale. The Skeleton Coast is full of reminders of how unforgiving the ocean can be while in the north of the country lies Etosha National Park, offering wonderful game viewing across its vast salt pans.
Add an interesting mix of colourful cultures, ancient rock paintings, unique plant life and friendly towns and you have a recipe for a truly rewarding holiday. For details of all our Namibia holidays Click here

Where to go; Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park became the first conservation area in Namibia in 1907 and is today one of Africa's most well known game reserves and safari destinations. Etosha is mostly a vast shallow sandy landscape, dotted with mopane woods and grass plains. Thousands of animals come to drink at the Etosha waterholes in the dry season when giraffe, elephant, lion, rhino, cheetah and leopard can be spotted. Etosha is also ideal for a self-drive safari in Namibia as good roads and frequent signposts are common.

What to do; Explore Swakopmund

Swakopmund is a small town on Namibia’s west coast where both locals and travellers converge to explore and get away from the heat inland. Swakopmund has a quaint atmosphere with palm-lined streets, seaside promenades, art galleries and cafe culture. In the surrounding desert adventure seekers can try quad-biking, parasailing, sand-boarding and sand-skiing. Or relax at Walvis Bay on a kayak trip or dolphin cruise. Combine Swakopmund with safaris in Namibia for a complete holiday experience!

Featured tour; Tailor-made Namibia

Leopard drinking, Etosha National Park, Namibia

Explore Namibia and see and do what you want all at your own pace with our tailor-made Namibia itinerary. Let us know your interests and budget, and we will tailor-make the perfect itinerary for you. Choose from a huge range of properties, from small guest-houses to luxury lodges. Or to see all of our Namibia itineraries please click here.

Elephant at Etosha National Park, Namibia

When to go on a Namibia Safari

January – March

Be assured that the sun will shine on you whenever you visit Namibia as the country has an average of 300 sunny days a year. For those willing to put up with some rain, these months are a great time to visit and offer the visitor a chance to explore the country when many tourists don't. Most rain showers only tend to last a short while before the clouds dissipate and sun shines once again bringing on a renewed vigour to the land.

The abundance of grass throughout the country means that herds of wildlife can be seen. Serious photographers often seek after the contrast of green grass growing on the red sand dunes with the dramatic backdrop of thunderous skies.

After particularly good rains there are phenomena's to see such as the lilies at Mariental and flamingos in the Etosha Pans. Migrating birds from Europe and elsewhere arrive thereby dramatically increasing the numbers of birds to be seen. If anyone is a birder in particular then the Caprivi is a fantastic area to visit during these months.

The coastal towns are particularly stunning due to the lack of winds and fog at this time of year and February is the best month for shark fishing, especially for the most sought after bronze whaler - this is all done on a catch and release basis.

April and May

A great time for photographers as the recent rain has cleared all the dust particles from the air making the atmosphere much clearer. The contrasts and colours in the landscapes are brought out to perfection. These months probably offer the best temperatures of the year with pleasant days and warm evenings. From April there is the chance of seeing the leatherback turtle in the coastal waters. Apart from Easter, there aren't that many people travelling so it isn't too crowded.

June – September

The first two weeks of June are a fantastic time to make the most of flight deals and some economical accommodation prices before the high season begins, allowing those on a budget to get more for their money.

May and early June are great times for hiking before the busy season begins, whether it is in the Fish River Canyon, the Naukluft Mountains, the Waterberg Plateau or the Tok Tokkie Trail. The daytime temperatures aren't too hot and the night temperatures not yet too cold when sleeping out. The rock pools in the Fish River Canyon and on the Naukluft trails still contain enough water for a nice dip.

This is a great time in terms of wildlife viewing. The longer grass will have grazed making it much easier to spot wildlife on the open plains in Etosha. You can often see up to 7 different species at one of the waterholes at any one time.

August and early September are a particularly good time to travel down to the Fish River and Aus areas as the winter rains transform the landscape into a carpet of colours as all the flowers bloom. This area is sometimes known as the Namibian Namaqualand. It is always hard to pinpoint exactly when this is going to happen but it's a spectacular sight for anyone who manages to time it right.

September is a great time to head into Damaraland as the elephant and other desert-adapted wildlife become easier to find as their water recourses begin to dry out. This area is famous for the largest free-roaming black rhino and desert elephant populations in the world.

October – December

If you are after animals in large numbers, visit Etosha in October. With scarce supplies of water during this season, the game is drawn to the permanent waterholes on the edge of the pan or at the main camps.

In October and November whales frequent the waters along the cost of Namibia, with possible sightings of humpback, southern right, Minke and even killer whales. Dolphins – both the bottlenose and the endemic Benguela (heavysides) – are present all year round, as are Cape fur seals.

During the second half of November and into December there is plenty of baby life to be seen. This is also the busiest time of year for the colony of breeding Cape Fur seals at Cape Cross, the largest of its kind in Southern Africa, when the sheer volume of seals is at its highest in December.

Definitely head down to Swakopmund on the coast to cool down in the Benguela ocean before exploring the town’s array of adventure sports, German architecture and cuisine and of course the nightlife there is on offer.

Discover Namibia

Tailor-made for you

We design your safari around your interests and preferences.
Choose from an array of luxury lodges and intimate camps.
Private safari vehicles and guides just for your party.

Safari experts

Between us, we've over 100 years of experience in designing exceptional safaris.
Expert staff, drivers and guides in the UK and Africa.
UK staff extensively travelled in Africa and always returning to update their knowledge.

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