After the rain: Namibia’s enchanting season

‘It is also a country where potential evaporation exceeds rainfall by three or more times per annum,’ says Simon Shikongo, a guide at Wilderness Little Kulala. For most of the year, that equation defines everything: bleached grasses, dry riverbeds and the extraordinary adaptations of creatures that have learned to live on almost nothing. 

‘Almost overnight the desert undergoes a spectacular transformation, turning from desolate sand to a vibrant oasis. The environment bursts into life,’ says Simon. 

This year’s wet season has been particularly striking, according to Hamish Hofmeyr, who oversees Wilderness operations in Namibia. ‘The rains arrived in December, widespread from south to north, reaching even remote Wilderness Serra Cafema in the far north-west, with over 50 mm. While they are not unusual historically, last year and this year speak to a rainy period we are going into which may last another few years.’

As ephemeral rivers flow and flowers bloom across Damaraland and the Sossusvlei area, it’s not just the guests enjoying the new life. 

Silvester Cloete, a field guide at Wilderness Damaraland Camp, has watched this sequence many times but never grows tired of it: ‘After good rains, everything changes fast. This is the best time to take guests out to the open plains and riverbeds, where the grass is fresh and the animals are active. The birds sing, flowers, bees and insects bring new life. But good rains don’t only bring life to the wildlife, they also bring life to the people. Rain brings grass. Grass brings strong animals, and strong animals give birth and produce milk, and animals multiply.’ For communities that depend on livestock, this is a game changer. 

One of the most compelling aspects of the wet season is what it does to wildlife you might assume you already understand. The desert-adapted black rhino, one of Namibia’s most celebrated residents, becomes paradoxically harder to find – for the best of reasons. ‘They disappear into the landscape because they no longer need to stay in one place. Food and water are everywhere, so they spread out,’ says Richel Aibes, who is currently based at Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp and has been with Wilderness for over 10 years. ‘Tracking becomes more challenging but also rewarding as we teach guests how to read the land.’

Springbok, meanwhile, put on something of a show. Famous for their ‘pronking’, Silvester enjoys their excited stiff-legged jumps into the air, while Stephanus Katanga, a guide at Wilderness Doro Nawas, notes how they gain weight from the abundant food and so become more fertile, which in turn affects the circle of life. Smaller bird species like larks and buntings breed well, and young antelope become increasingly independent.

The oryx also exhibit distinct behaviour shifts in the wet season, says Simon. ‘They take advantage of resource abundance, moving to higher grounds to find vegetation and increase social gathering.’

Up at Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, guide Max Bezuidenhout – who has been with Wilderness since 2017 – calls it ‘happy hour’ in Namibia: ‘Animals like springbok and oryx gather in large numbers after the rains as the grass pushes through and watering holes fill. Birds are active. These are magical blessings.’

Ben Petrus, who has been guiding at Hoanib Skeleton Coast since 2019, says that particular part of the country where he is based is extra special right now. ‘I love taking guests out to see the landscape – especially the trip to the Skeleton Coast. It feels like you’re experiencing the whole country in the north-west of Namibia.’

‘A Namibian safari is more than the wildlife,’ says Stephanus. ‘It’s all about the scenery and endless horizons. The landscape is beyond expectation. I love taking my guests on nature drives – to see the vast landscapes and game, while nature walks are great to see the summer plants and flowers, and the tracks that you won’t see from a vehicle.’

While photographs will show you the green, they won’t give you the smell. There is something particular about rain falling on desert earth, petrichor amplified by extreme aridity, by soil that hasn’t been touched in months. It’s a strong sensory memory that you won’t get from the dry season. Every guide, unprompted, returns to it.

‘It feels refreshing and alive, says Stephanus. ‘You can smell the wet, you can hear the soft drops of water on the earth – it’s peaceful and full of good nature.’

The light, too, is different, with the colours offering a particular richness – ‘perfect for storytelling and photos,’ says Richel, who, like Stephanus and Max, make sure they take their guests to the best vantage points to enjoy the sunsets, which are even more magnificent in this light. 

For return guests, the contrast is the revelation. ‘Guests love the life in the drier areas, although return guests notice the change – they have seen these areas during drought conditions, and the difference between the two is vast,’ says Hamish. 

While the rains will most likely come to an end soon, the grass and plant growth will last well into winter, although it will quickly change from green to yellow. It’s a view difficult to imagine if you don’t see it first-hand, and what makes it worth timing a trip around.