SeasonMapSossusvlei (Namib) weather by month
Namibia
The best time to visit Sossusvlei (Namib) is June to August — 91/100 in July, 25°C and 0 rainy days. The best season is winter, June to August (90/100 on average).
The worst month is February at 57/100 — hot, dry, clean air. See February →
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Planning the wider trip? Best time to visit Namibia →
Sossusvlei, month by month
Comfort score out of 100 for the kind of trip Sossusvlei is best for, the average high, rainy days and hours of sun a day from the climate normals, and how busy it tends to be.
| Month | Score | Tier | High | Rain | Sun | Crowds | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanJanuary | 61 | C | 33°C | 2 d | 12 h | Busy | 3 |
| FebFebruary | 57 | D | 34°C | 3 d | 12 h | Quiet | 3 |
| MarMarch | 64 | C | 33°C | 2 d | 11 h | Shoulder | 3 |
| AprApril | 75 | B | 31°C | 1 d | 11 h | Shoulder | 3 |
| MayMay | 85 | A | 29°C | 0 d | 10 h | Busy | 3 |
| JunJune | 90 | S | 25°C | 0 d | 10 h | Busy | 3 |
| JulJuly | 91 | S | 25°C | 0 d | 10 h | Busy | 3 |
| AugAugust | 89 | A | 26°C | 0 d | 10 h | Busy | 3 |
| SepSeptember | 83 | A | 30°C | 0 d | 11 h | Busy | 3 |
| OctOctober | 68 | C | 33°C | 1 d | 12 h | Shoulder | 2 |
| NovNovember | 63 | C | 33°C | 1 d | 12 h | Shoulder | 2 |
| DecDecember | 59 | D | 34°C | 1 d | 13 h | Busy | 3 |
What's on in Sossusvlei through the year
Festivals, natural spectacles, holidays and the seasons to watch out for — curated and sourced. The month pages carry the detail.
- January
- The desert rains1 Jan – 31 Mar (usually)Season
- The inner gate opens an hour early1 Jan – 31 Dec (usually)Rule
- February
- Water in the vlei1 Feb – 15 Apr (usually)Nature
- April
- Milky Way over the dunes1 Apr – 30 Sep (usually)Nature
- May
- The cool dry months1 May – 30 Sep (usually)Season
- October
- Heat before the rains1 Oct – 31 Dec (usually)Hazard
- December
- Festive season peak15 Dec – 5 Jan (usually)Holiday
Crowds in Sossusvlei in July
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyThe cool dry months, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet