The Namibian Summer
With the numbers of UK and European visitors to Namibia still on the increase, peak season availability is a growing challenge, the downside to small numbers of small camps. Yet, when the Namibian winter turns to spring and the temperatures start to climb again, visitor numbers drop. So what is happening in Namibia through the approaching hot summer months?
As the first rains arrive in October and inject fresh colour into the bleached landscape, the plains and valleys starts to fill with thousands of young antelope and even the vicious thorn trees cover themselves with blossom. Tiny desert edelweiss add colour between shards of basalt and the cactus like hoodia produces a stunning and short lived flower. The desert elephants leave the winter confines of the river beds and start foraging into the mountains where they follow precarious narrow trails in search of commifora and fresh rain water. It isn’t uncommon to spot elephants following the main roads though Damaraland as they enjoy this period of increased territorial freedom.
The famously dry air is filled with pollen, the scent of wild sage and the fresh smell of rainfall. That fine Namibian dust that works its way into camera bags, wash kits and the creases of your skin is temporarily subdued. The usually endless blue skies are complimented by brilliant white clouds and thunder heads, which turn average landscape photographs into masterpieces.
Dry rivers flood overnight and the tyre tracks from the winter season are covered over within hours, leaving silt laden trails as tempting as untracked powder runs. Just don’t venture too far off piste, you’ll have to come back to pull your Land Rover out of the mud with a truck. It is fortunate really that the mega fauna also leave the wide rivers alone at this time.
Careful observation leads you to discover frogs deep within the Namib Desert, tiny amphibians freed from their winter clay homes by the first rainfall. Guides start to alter their walking trails to include their favourite seasonal swimming holes hidden amongst boulders and invariably find leopard tracks suggesting nocturnal activity.
By mid summer in February and March, the flamingos have started to populate waterholes in Etosha and the road winds between flooded pans. The early riser will be rewarded by a totally private exploration of Sossusvlei and the wide open spaces of Namibia begin to feel like a private playground. The Namibian coast, famed for treacherous fog, strong cold currents and metal rusting moisture becomes so warm that locals actually swim, quickly. Braais run on far into the warm night and safari camps move their dining room tables outside.
It takes a lot of rain for Namibia to enjoy a true green season but by late March, the landscape can be totally transformed, bearing little resemblance to the postcard reds and golds of winter. If I had to pick, I’d say that late rainy season is my favourite time of year in Namibia. Emerging from shady foliage filled canyons and valleys filled with thick grass, making the first tracks of the coming season, you aren’t touring, you are exploring.
Here are some sample itineraries to try in the coming summer months.