Africa

Namibia in September

Arguably the best month for Etosha: the last water pulls in everything. The Fish River Canyon hike closes mid month for the hot season.

BestHot days, highs near 86F (30C), dry

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

The straight answer

September is one of the best months of the year to visit Namibia. Arguably the best month for Etosha: the last water pulls in everything. The Fish River Canyon hike closes mid month for the hot season.

Weather: Hot days, highs near 86F (30C), dry
Crowds: 4 of 5
Prices: 4 of 5

What September is like in Namibia

September is arguably the best month for Etosha. Days are hot, with highs near 86F (30C), and completely dry, so the last water pulls in nearly everything. Crowds ease a bit after the August peak and prices drop slightly. The Fish River Canyon hike closes mid month for the hot season, though the viewpoints stay open.

September suits wildlife lovers, photographers and couples who want top game viewing with slightly fewer people. Families outside school holidays will love it too. Plan game drives at dawn and dusk. If you prefer cooler days, June offers dry-season viewing with milder weather.

Make the most of September

What is especially good about Namibia this month.

Peak waterhole action

With seasonal water gone, Etosha's waterholes draw elephants, rhino, lions and big herds.

Last chance for Fish River Canyon

The multi-day hike closes mid month, so early September is the final window of the year.

Fewer crowds than August

You get the same great wildlife with more room at the waterholes.

What to pack for September

A wide-brimmed hat and sun protection
A light jacket for cool dawns
Plenty of water for hot midday drives
Binoculars and a zoom lens

Our timing tip

Book Etosha rest camps early and plan to rest at camp during midday heat, then head out again late afternoon.

Book Namibia for September.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Namibia
Opens a hotel search for Namibia in September, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for September
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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.
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Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Namibia
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Namibia for September. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in September

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.

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.