Africa

Namibia in August

The busiest month of the year. Superb wildlife, but book the small lodges far ahead. East winds can bring dust storms to the coast.

BestDry and warming, highs near 79F (26C), windy at times

Sossusvlei, Namibia — NamibiaPhoto: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

August is one of the best months of the year to visit Namibia. The busiest month of the year. Superb wildlife, but book the small lodges far ahead. East winds can bring dust storms to the coast.

Weather: Dry and warming, highs near 79F (26C), windy at times
Crowds: 5 of 5
Prices: 5 of 5

What August is like in Namibia

August is the busiest month of the year. Days are dry and warming, with highs near 79F (26C), and it can be windy. Wildlife viewing is superb as animals crowd the waterholes. Prices are at their peak, small lodges sell out far ahead, and east winds can bring dust storms to the coast.

August suits families tied to summer holidays and travelers who want the best wildlife and can book early. If you can be flexible, June or September offer similar viewing with fewer people. Plan coastal days with some flexibility in case of dust.

Make the most of August

What is especially good about Namibia this month.

Superb wildlife at the waterholes

Dry conditions push big herds, elephants and predators to Etosha's permanent water.

Herero Day in Okahandja

Around Heroes' Day on August 26, Herero communities gather in Okahandja to honor their ancestral leaders. It is a commemoration, so watch respectfully.

Desert-adapted elephants

In Damaraland, elephants move along dry riverbeds, and sightings are good as water gets scarce.

What to pack for August

A buff or scarf to cover your face in wind and dust
A warm layer for chilly mornings
Sunglasses that wrap around for dusty days
A camera with a zoom lens

Our timing tip

Book the small lodges in and around the parks as far ahead as you can, since August sells out first.

Book Namibia for August.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Namibia
Opens a hotel search for Namibia in August, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for August
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Namibia
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Namibia
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Namibia for August. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in August

Etosha waterhole season

Roughly July through October, peaking as the dry season ends

As seasonal water dries up, wildlife concentrates at permanent waterholes. The later in the dry season, the better the viewing and the hotter the days.

Herero Day in Okahandja

Late August, around Heroes' Day on August 26

Herero communities gather in Okahandja to honor their ancestral leaders, with women in the distinctive Victorian-era dresses and horned headwear. A commemoration, so watch respectfully.

Things to do in Namibia

Full guide

Etosha National Park

Stay at least two nights, ideally split between the west (Okaukuejo) and east (Namutoni). The camp waterholes are floodlit at night; the rest camps are run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Sossusvlei and Deadvlei

Gates at Sesriem open at sunrise; lodges inside the park boundary get an earlier start to the dunes. Climb Big Daddy or Dune 45 before the heat and sand turn brutal.

Tickets and tours →

Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

Cool, foggy coastal towns with German-era architecture, dune adventure sports, and kayak trips among the Cape fur seals and flamingos of Walvis Bay lagoon.

Tickets and tours →

Damaraland and Twyfelfontein

Desert-adapted elephants in dry riverbeds and Twyfelfontein's UNESCO-listed rock engravings, some thousands of years old.

Tickets and tours →

Fish River Canyon

One of the largest canyons on Earth. The multi-day hike runs only from about late April or May to mid September because of summer heat and flash floods; the viewpoints are open year-round.

Tickets and tours →

The Skeleton Coast

Shipwrecks, fog, and a seal colony of tens of thousands at Cape Cross. Remote, raw, and best combined with Damaraland.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Book lodges inside or right at the edge of the parks (Sossusvlei and Etosha) first; they sell out months ahead for July and August and buy you the dawn gate advantage.
Go in June or September instead of July and August for the same dry-season wildlife with fewer European families on the roads.
Avoid the mid December to early January and Easter windows at the coast, when South African and Namibian holidaymakers fill Swakopmund.
At Etosha, drive out at gate opening and camp at a quiet waterhole rather than chasing sightings; the animals come to the water, and the crowds come to the famous pools.

Know before you go

The Fish River Canyon multi-day hike is open only from roughly late April or May to mid September; the rest of the year it is closed for extreme heat and flash-flood risk.
Park gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, and night driving outside the camps is not permitted in Etosha. Plan drives to reach camp before the gate closes.
In the rainy season, some gravel roads and river crossings in the north and in Damaraland can flood after storms. Check road conditions daily before long drives.
Business and town shops close early on Saturdays and are largely shut on Sundays outside Windhoek and Swakopmund, so stock up on fuel and groceries before weekends.

Namibia in August, quick answers

Is August a good time to visit Namibia?

August is one of the best months of the year to visit Namibia. The busiest month of the year. Superb wildlife, but book the small lodges far ahead. East winds can bring dust storms to the coast.

What is the weather like in Namibia in August?

Dry and warming, highs near 79F (26C), windy at times.

Is Namibia crowded in August?

August is peak crowd season in Namibia; expect lines at the headline sights.

What is happening in Namibia in August?

Etosha waterhole season (roughly july through october, peaking as the dry season ends); Herero Day in Okahandja (late august, around heroes' day on august 26).