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Etosha, Namibia · Temperate

Etosha: best months to visit

May (9.3/10) · October (5.0/10).

📅 Data updated: October 2026 🛰️ ERA5 · 10 years 📍 18.80°S · 16.33°E
⚡ Quick answer
May
Depends on your goals
9.3/10
☀️ May
Top score (9.3/10)
🌤️ Jun
Alt. (9.1/10)
Oct
Plus rude (5.0/10)
🏛️ Heritage☀️ Dry climate
Photo par Max Murauer via Unsplash
Decide

When to visit Etosha?

The decision rests on several criteria. Climate score, tourist crowds and feasible activities.

Verdict: In Etosha, May and June clearly stand out. October concentrates the least favourable conditions.
Top & avoid
🏆 May · 9.3 June · 9.1 July · 9.1 August · 9.1 ⚠️ October · 5.0
8.1
Jan
8.4
Feb
8.7
Mar
9.0
Apr
9.3
May
9.1
Jun
9.1
Jul
9.1
Aug
5.6
Sep
5.0
Oct
5.1
Nov
5.2
Dec
Best period · ≥ 7 Decent period · 4 – 7 Tough conditions · < 4

What you grasp in 5 seconds

Etosha offers 8 comfortable months, without any month really to avoid. The gap stays moderate: 9.3 in May vs 5.0 in October.

What to check next

Your tolerance for crowds and budget. The best months concentrate tourist saturation and higher prices. Shoulder seasons offer a good compromise.

Next action

Scroll down to the detailed table to compare month by month, then open the page of the month that interests you.

Compare the 12 months By your project

How we calculate the score

The score combines 4 weighted criteria using 10 years of real climate data (ERA5).

Source : ERA5 · Open-Meteo · 10 years (2016–2025) · Full methodology →

Understand

Compare all 12 months

Month-by-month details: temperature, rain, sunshine, score and verdict.

✅ 8 comfortable months (Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug)
MonthT° minT° maxRain %mm/daySunScoreVerdict
☀️ January →20°C32°C19%3.2mm8.0h8.1/10Best period
☀️ February →20°C31°C21%3.4mm7.8h8.4/10Best period
☀️ March →20°C30°C16%2.6mm8.0h8.7/10Best period
☀️ April →18°C30°C6%0.7mm8.4h9.0/10Best period
☀️ May →15°C29°C1%0.0mm8.3h9.3/10Best period
☀️ June →12°C26°C1%0.0mm8.1h9.1/10Best period
☀️ July →11°C26°C1%0.0mm8.3h9.1/10Best period
☀️ August →14°C30°C1%0.0mm8.7h9.1/10Best period
🌥️ September →18°C34°C1%0.0mm9.1h5.6/10Decent period
🌥️ October →21°C36°C2%0.1mm9.2h5.0/10Decent period
🌥️ November →22°C35°C8%0.6mm9.1h5.1/10Decent period
🌥️ December →22°C34°C16%2.5mm8.5h5.2/10Decent period
☀️ January
8.1/10
T°20°C / 32°C
Rain %19%
Sun8.0h
Best period
☀️ February
8.4/10
T°20°C / 31°C
Rain %21%
Sun7.8h
Best period
☀️ March
8.7/10
T°20°C / 30°C
Rain %16%
Sun8.0h
Best period
☀️ April
9.0/10
T°18°C / 30°C
Rain %6%
Sun8.4h
Best period
☀️ May
9.3/10
T°15°C / 29°C
Rain %1%
Sun8.3h
Best period
☀️ June
9.1/10
T°12°C / 26°C
Rain %1%
Sun8.1h
Best period
☀️ July
9.1/10
T°11°C / 26°C
Rain %1%
Sun8.3h
Best period
☀️ August
9.1/10
T°14°C / 30°C
Rain %1%
Sun8.7h
Best period
🌥️ September
5.6/10
T°18°C / 34°C
Rain %1%
Sun9.1h
Decent period
🌥️ October
5.0/10
T°21°C / 36°C
Rain %2%
Sun9.2h
Decent period
🌥️ November
5.1/10
T°22°C / 35°C
Rain %8%
Sun9.1h
Decent period
🌥️ December
5.2/10
T°22°C / 34°C
Rain %16%
Sun8.5h
Decent period
📊 Quick read
Optimal window
Jan → Aug
Good transition
Sep · Dec
Tough period
none
🌡️ Detailed conditions (May)
🌡️ Feel
Warm
☀️ UV
7.0 · Moderate-Strong
💧 Humidity feel
2°C · Dry
☔ Rain
1% · 0.0 mm/day
🌅 Sunshine
8.3h/day
10-year trend

Annual temperatures — Etosha

Min/max temperature curves observed over the past 10 years (ERA5). Shows climate stability and trend.

T° maxT° meanT° min14°16°18°20°22°24°26°28°30°32°34°201620172018201920202021202220232024202532.4° — decade peak (2024)+-0.73°C / decade
Tailor

For your trip

A few angles depending on what kind of trip you are planning.

🏛️ Heritage🍴 Gastronomy☔ Indoor sights
Book

Plan your trip

Hotels at their lowest outside peak season, highest on comfortable months. Shoulder seasons offer a good price/climate compromise.

🏨
Stay
Hotels & rentals · Etosha
Expedia →
🎟️
Activities
Tours, tickets, experiences
See ↓
✈️
Flights
Multi-airline comparator
Kiwi →

🎟️ Activities & tours · Etosha

GetYourGuide selection · free cancellation

See all →
Affiliate link · GetYourGuide
Practical info

What you need to know before you go

Three angles: the country (language, currency, safety, budget), the year-round climate, and the specifics of a city break.

Country · Namibia

🗣️LanguageEnglish
💶CurrencyDollar namibien ($)
🚗DrivingLeft-hand
🛡️Safety ⓘVery safe · 1/5
💰Cost of living ⓘCheap · 2/5

🌡️ Climate

🌍Climate typeTemperate
📈Climate trend ⓘStable
🔥Hottest monthOctober · 36°C
❄️Coolest monthJune · 26°C
🌧️Rainiest month ⓘFebruary · 21%

🏛️ City break

📅Tourist peak seasonJune → August
☔Indoor sights ⓘYear-round
🚇Public transportGood
Explore

Related destinations & guides

If this destination doesn't fit your dates, here are alternatives and guides.

Similar climate destinations

Namibia · Namibia→Maun · Botswana→Windhoek · Namibia→Agadir · Morocco→

Nearby destinations

Victoria Falls · Zimbabwe1010 km →Livingstone · Zambia1011 km →Luanda · Angola1157 km →Johannesburg · South Africa1457 km →

Guides & rankings

World ranking 2026See →
Best summer destinationsSee →
Winter sunSee →
Where to go in JulySee →
Location

Where is Etosha ?

Global position + regional geographic context.

🌍 World
🔍 Geographic context
Temperate climate with a 9.3 → 5.0 gap between best and worst month. 10 years of ERA5 data to choose by project.
18.80°S · 16.33°E
Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Etosha?
May is the best month with 29.0°C highs, 15.0°C lows, 8.3h of sunshine and 1.0% rainy days. The months of May & August offer comparable conditions.
How many hours of sunshine does Etosha get in May?
Etosha averages 8.3 sunshine hours per day in May. It is the sunniest month with a climate score of 9.0/10.
What is the rainiest month in Etosha?
October is the most unfavourable month with October has the lowest climate score of the year and the lowest climate score of the year.
What are the temperatures at night in Etosha in May?
In May, overnight lows reach 15.0°C, while afternoon highs average 29.0°C.
Is Etosha good in winter?
In winter (December-February), Etosha scores 6.8/10 on average — Decent period conditions for cultural visits.. The best month overall remains May with a score of 9.0/10.
When should you avoid Etosha?
October is the most difficult month to visit Etosha, with October has the lowest climate score of the year. Climate conditions are at their lowest of the year during this period.