Desert-dominated Namibia is a Pretty Arid Place this time of the Year

September is the best of times – at least if you’ve come looking for the country’s big game. Temperatures are on the up this month but there likely hasn’t been a drop of rain for months, meaning thin vegetation and wildlife congregating at an ever-decreasing number of water sources. Spotting everything from elephants to the long-nosed elephant shrew, from cheetahs to rare black rhinos becomes a doddle in these conditions – especially in game-packed areas such as Etosha National Park. You don’t even need a guide: Etosha’s excellent road network makes a self-drive safari simple; just park next to a waterhole and wait for the wildlife to arrive.

LONELY PLANET