When to Go

The dry winter season (May to October) is the most pleasant time to visit Namibia. During this period you can expect warm, sunny days and cold nights, often with temperatures falling below freezing. It’s best to avoid Namib-Naukluft Park and Etosha National Park in the extreme heat (December to March), and Fish River Canyon is closed to the public between December and April. The northeastern rivers may flood during this time too, making some roads either impassable or hard to negotiate. Resort areas are busiest during both Namibian and South African school holidays – usually from mid-December to mid-January, late-April to early June, and late-August to mid-September.

Windhoek

Windhoek (pronounced /ˈvɪnthʊk/, sometimes in German: Windhuk) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in the Khomas Region, has a population of approx. 230,000 and is a major trade centre of sheep skin. It sits on a sloping plain on the northern side of the Khomas Hochland (Khomas Highlands) at an altitude of 1665 metres. Windhoek was originally inhabited by the Herero, then became the centre of a Nama chief who defeated the Herero in the 19th century. Germany occupied the region in 1885, and the city became the seat of colonial rule in 1892 as the capital of the colony of German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika). During World War I Windhoek was captured by South African troops and became a South African Mandate under the League of Nations. Until the independence of Namibia was inaugurated in 1990, Windhoek was recognised as the capital city of South West Africa as administered by the South African government. It continues today as the capital city of the Republic of Namibia.

Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa on the Atlantic coast. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. It gained independence from South Africa in 1990 and its capital city is Windhoek (German: Windhuk). Namibia is a member state of the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the Commonwealth of Nations. It is named after the Namib Desert.