Etosha Weather by Month: Rainfall, Temperature & Wildlife Calendar

Etosha National Park has a semi-arid climate with two distinct seasons. The dry season runs from May to October with cool nights (2-10°C) and warm days (20-30°C), near-zero rainfall, and maximum wildlife concentration at waterholes. The wet season runs from November to April with hot humid days (30-38°C), afternoon thunderstorms, and dispersed game.

Month-by-month breakdown

January

Peak rainy season. 80-130 mm rainfall. Max 32°C, min 17°C. Landscape lush and green. Newborn wildebeest, zebra and springbok calves. Migratory raptors and flamingos. Wildlife dispersed.

February

Wettest month. 100-150 mm rainfall. Similar temperatures to January. Flamingo breeding at Fischer’s Pan. Roads can be muddy on western side.

March

Rains taper. 50-90 mm rainfall. Last of the newborns. Birding still excellent. Days 30°C, nights 15-17°C.

April

Shoulder month. Rains end. 15-40 mm. Grasses still tall. Good value pricing. Days 28°C, nights 12-14°C.

May

Start of the dry season. <5 mm rainfall. Bush thinning out. Temperatures dropping. Days 26°C, nights 9-11°C. Wildlife starts returning to waterholes.

June

Early dry season. Days 22°C, nights 5-8°C. Clear skies. Wildlife concentrating at waterholes. Good value shoulder pricing.

July

Mid-dry season. Coldest month. Days 22°C, nights 2-6°C (can go below freezing at Halali). Peak wildlife concentration. Peak prices begin.

August

Dry and cold. Days 24°C, nights 5-9°C. Windy late afternoons. Excellent game viewing.

September

Late dry season. Days 28-30°C, nights 10-14°C. Dust increases. Waterholes at their busiest. Best month for new visitors.

October

Hot end of dry season. Days 32-36°C, nights 14-18°C. Maximum wildlife concentration but heat can be uncomfortable mid-day.

November

Pre-rains. First thunderstorms. Days 34-38°C, nights 17-20°C. Wildlife still at waterholes until rains arrive.

December

Early rainy season. 40-80 mm. Days 32-36°C, nights 17-19°C. Afternoon thunderstorms return. Wildlife starting to disperse.

Rainfall totals

Annual rainfall averages 360-430 mm across Etosha, with the western sector drier than the east. The vast majority falls between November and March. Etosha receives rainfall from the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, not the Cape winter fronts.

Best months by traveller type

• First-time visitors: July-September (dry, cool, wildlife dense).
• Photographers (dust/light): August-October.
• Birders: December-March (migrants + waterfowl).
• Budget travellers: April-May and November (shoulder pricing).
• Families: June-August (mild temperatures).

See our best-time-to-visit planning guide for fuller seasonal detail.