Summer
Dec → Feb32 to 34°
nights 21°
- 9 rainy days · 65 mm
When is the best time to visit Etosha National Park?
- Jan32°not recommended
- Feb32°not recommended
- Mar31°not recommended
- Apr30°fair
- May28°recommended
- Jun25°recommended
- Jul26°recommended
- Aug30°recommended
- Sep33°recommended
- Oct35°recommended
- Nov35°fair
- Dec34°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Etosha National Park, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 21° | 80 mm | 10 d | |
| February | 32° | 21° | 66 mm | 9 d | |
| March | 31° | 20° | 69 mm | 9 d | |
| April | 30° | 19° | 12 mm | 3 d | |
| May | 28° | 15° | 1 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| June | 25° | 12° | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| July | 26° | 11° | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| August | 30° | 14° | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| September | 33° | 18° | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| October | 35° | 20° | 4 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| November | 35° | 21° | 14 mm | 3 d | |
| December | 34° | 21° | 49 mm | 7 d |
The four seasons in Etosha National Park, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Okaukuejo) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Autumn
Mar → May28 to 31°
nights 15 to 20°
- 4 rainy days · 27 mm
Winter
Jun → Aug25 to 30°
nights 11 to 14°
- 0 rainy days · 0 mm
Spring
Sep → Nov33 to 35°
nights 18 to 21°
- 1 rainy days · 6 mm
Book early for May to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in Etosha National Park, month by month
EventsWildlife at the waterholesJune to OctoberGreen season and birthsDecember to MarchDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Hiking: May, June, July
- Towns & culture: March, April, May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Etosha National Park, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- June to OctoberWildlife at the waterholes big crowds
From June to October, water grows scarce and herds crowd around the pools, elephants and rhinos included.
- December to MarchGreen season and births
The summer rains turn the savannah green, antelopes give birth and migratory birds return to the pan.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended32°21° at night
- 80 mm · 10 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended32°21° at night
- 66 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended31°20° at night
- 69 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair30°19° at night
- 12 mm · 3 d
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended28°15° at night
- 1 mm · 0 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended25°12° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
High season, book early
July
Recommended26°11° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
High season, book early
August
Recommended30°14° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
High season, book early
September
Recommended33°18° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
High season, book early
October
Recommended35°20° at night
- 4 mm · 1 d
High season, book early
November
Fair35°21° at night
- 14 mm · 3 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended34°21° at night
- 49 mm · 7 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 21 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (80 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 21 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (66 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. 31 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (69 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. 30 °C in the afternoon and 19 °C at night. Hardly any rain (12 mm over 3 days). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. 28 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C at night. Hardly any rain (1 mm over 0 days). Busy season, without the crush.
June. 25 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). High season: book early.
July. 26 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). High season: book early.
August. 30 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). High season: book early.
September. Real heat: 33 °C at the warmest of the day, 18 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). High season: book early.
October. Real heat: 35 °C at the warmest of the day, 20 °C at night. Hardly any rain (4 mm over 1 day). High season: book early.
November. Real heat: 35 °C at the warmest of the day, 21 °C at night. Hardly any rain (14 mm over 3 days). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Real heat: 34 °C at the warmest of the day, 21 °C at night. Rain stays light: 49 mm over 7 days. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Etosha National Park?
May to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 25 to 35 °C, with almost no rainy days a month on average (2015-2024 records, Okaukuejo).
Which month should you avoid in Etosha National Park?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 80 mm over 10 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Okaukuejo).
What is the hottest month in Etosha National Park?
October, with 35 °C on average in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Okaukuejo).
What is the coldest month in Etosha National Park?
June, with 25 °C at best during the day and 12 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Okaukuejo).
What is the driest month in Etosha National Park?
June: 0 mm over 0 days of rain, against 80 mm in January, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Etosha National Park?
The gap between day and night reaches 16 °C in August: 30 °C in the afternoon, 14 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When is the best time to hike in Etosha National Park?
May, June, July: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month according to 2015-2024 records (Okaukuejo), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Etosha National Park guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Namibia: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Gavin Rain / Pexels · Hub JACQU / Pexels · Manel Cusido / Pexels · Dick Hoskins / Pexels · Kakhraman Nazarov / Pexels · Jedesto / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)