Overview–namibia

Damaraland

This huge wilderness is one of Africa’s last remaining unofficial wildlife areas. The area is thinly populated and animals still roam around freely. The main attraction is the stunning desert environment. Wildlife is sparse and desert elephants and black rhinos are what most people come to see. The region also harbors several important rock art sites.

Best Time to Visit

Water is hard to come by during the drought of the winter months (May to September) and animals stay around the few waterholes still available. This makes for the best wildlife viewing in Damaraland, although it can be visited at any time of the year.

May to October –Dry Season – Winter

Best time for wildlife viewing
May to August is cooler
High season rates may apply from July to September
Some of the popular sites can get busy
The air can be filled with dust

November to April –Wet Season – Summer

Rain quenches the drought, although it rarely rains for long
Flowers are plentiful and skies are clear
Baby animals are present and wildlife is healthy
Birding is excellent while the migrant species are present
It tends to be very hot
Animals are dispersed and wildlife viewing isn’t as good

Scenery

Damaraland has some of the most spectacular desert landscapes in Africa. Wild desert mountains rise from the Skeleton coast. Deep ravines, cliffs, and outcrops create a perfect environment for well-preserved ancient rock art. The Spitzkoppe, the remnant of an ancient volcano, is one of Namibia's most recognizable landmarks and is a popular climbing destination.

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Jan

Feb

Mar

April

Oct

Nov

Dec

Rates

From: $186 to $1,272 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: May to September (Animals are easier to see)

High Season

From: July to November (Some places can get quite busy)

Size

From: 47,990km² / 18,500mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Damaraland is not a classic wildlife destination; wildlife is sparse and the main attraction is the arid desert environment. Desert elephants and black rhinos are the animals most people come to see, but other wildlife includes gemsbok, greater kudu, eland, and springbok. Giraffe and Hartmann’s mountain zebra are nomadic visitors to the area.

Wildlife Highlights

The Save the Rhino Trust, in cooperation with Desert Rhino Camp, has set up a program for black rhino tracking to protect the only truly free-roaming (outside national parks and reserves) black rhino left in the world. Rare desert elephants are the other prime species, while a pride of desert-adapted lions is quite a prize if you see them. The endemic black-faced impala and Damara dik-dik can also be found in the area.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Damaraland can be visited any time of the year, although the Dry season (May to October) is the most productive for wildlife watching. At this time animals tend to seek out limited water sources and can be more easily seen. During the Wet season (November to April), animals tend to scatter and become harder to locate.

General Wheather

Damaraland has a harsh, semi-desert climate. Daytime temperatures can spike to well above 38°C/100°F during summer (November to April), with nights in winter (October to April) falling below freezing.

The Wet season occurs during summer and sees sporadic rainfall, but it is unlikely to disturb your trip. In winter, conditions are extremely dry.

Dry Season –May to October - Winter

As the winter months wear on, conditions become drier and drier. These are the coolest months of the year.

May, June, July & August - This is a time of drought, lots of sunshine and the coolest temperatures of the year. Afternoon temperatures average 26°C/79°F. Mornings are around 11°C/52°F, but they can often fall below freezing. Pack warm clothes for early morning game drives.
September & October - Temperatures are on the rise, averaging a warm 29°C/84°F during the daytime. Early mornings are around 14°C/57°F. The month of October is typically very hot, with temperatures occasionally soaring above 38°C/100°F. The rains usually begin at the end of October or the beginning of November.

Wet Season –November to April - Summer

Calling this the Wet season is slightly misleading, as there is only a small amount of rain. Yet, afternoon showers do occur, just not daily. The climate remains sunny and hot. Warmer mornings are typical, with averages of around 17°C/63°F.

November & December - The occasional thundershower occurs in November, marking the beginning of the rainy season. It is still mainly dry, but these rains bring relief from the long, dry period. Temperatures are the highest of the year, with a typical afternoon average of 30°C/86°F.
January, February & March - Most rain happens during these three months. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoon, but the sun is often out all day long. Daytime temperatures are around 29°C/84°F but can spike higher.
April - In April the rains slow gradually, as the daytime temperature cools to an average of 28°C/82°F.

Prons

Great wilderness experience
Stunning desert scenery
A chance to see rare desert elephants and black rhinos
A lot of accommodation options catering to different budgets

Cons

Low densities and variety of wildlife
Very remote destination
Very hot climate

How To Get There

Damaraland has a harsh, semi-desert climate. Daytime temperatures can spike to well above 38°C/100°F during summer (November to April), with nights in winter (October to April) falling below freezing.

The Wet season occurs during summer and sees sporadic rainfall, but it is unlikely to disturb your trip. In winter, conditions are extremely dry.

Dry Season –May to October - Winter

As the winter months wear on, conditions become drier and drier. These are the coolest months of the year.

May, June, July & August - This is a time of drought, lots of sunshine, and the coolest temperatures of the year. Afternoon temperatures average 26°C/79°F. Mornings are around 11°C/52°F, but they can often fall below freezing. Pack warm clothes for early morning game drives.
September & October - Temperatures are on the rise, averaging a warm 29°C/84°F during the daytime. Early mornings are around 14°C/57°F. The month of October is typically very hot, with temperatures occasionally soaring above 38°C/100°F. The rains usually begin at the end of October or the beginning of November.

Wet Season –November to April - Summer

Calling this the Wet season is slightly misleading, as there is only a small amount of rain. Yet, afternoon showers do occur, just not on a daily basis. The climate remains sunny and hot. Warmer mornings are typical, with averages of around 17°C/63°F.

November & December - The occasional thundershower occurs in November, marking the beginning of the rainy season. It is still mainly dry, but these rains bring relief from the long, dry period. Temperatures are the highest of the year, with a typical afternoon average of 30°C/86°F.
January, February & March - Most rain happens during these three months. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoon, but the sun is often out all day long. Daytime temperatures are around 29°C/84°F but can spike higher.
April - In April the rains slow gradually, as the daytime temperature cools to an average of 28°C/82°F.