Namibia has an average of 300 days a year of sun. Where in Europe most people get excited about the sun, in Namibia they get excited at the prospect of rain. The only weather they speak about in Namibia is whether it has rained or is going to rain. Namibians count every millimetre of rain that falls, religiously! It is not unusual for every newspaper in Namibia to report when just 2mm of rain falls. There is even a Facebook page “Rain in Namibia” where even a cloud is discussed at length!
If you are planning a Namibia tour, it helps to have some information about the weather. So let’s jump in!
All the fuss starts in October, the start of summer, when tensions run high at the prospect of a good rainy season. A good rainy season means drinking water reservoirs can get filled, a dry season means they don’t and that can have serious consequences. Around October the weather starts heating up and it gets hot!
When the clouds do arrive, it‘s a joyous occasion because with luck it rains, but if a south westerly wind blows up, it usually blows the rain away. Clouds are a huge talking point in Namibia. Relief floods the Namibians when the rain finally arrives.
Rain in Namibia transforms the countryside from brown to green. In a country where most rivers hardly ever flow, Namibians get so excited when they do, that most will pack their “braai” on their off-road bakkie and head to the river to braai close to the water.
It’s not a good game viewing time, as in the dry season animals have to come to water holes to drink, there is now more than enough drinking pools scattered in the bush. Although you may have to look a little harder to find animals, the reward is that you will get to see them amongst green grass and flowers. When the rains come to Namibia it is also the time when the antelope give birth so seeing the young is an added bonus.
The plant life in Namibia is amazing. Bulbs can lie dormant underground for years till the rains come, and then produce flowers quickly before the soil dries up again. Many grass seed also lie dormant in the soil and transform the landscape in shades of green when it rains. Every now and then the desert rains bring a huge treasure and not in the form of a diamond or gold but rather a very special mushroom. The mushroom is known as “Omajova” and is a very unique mushroom that grows on tall termite mounds. Not only people like to consume this mushroom so it is best to pick it quickly and eat it. They are rather large mushrooms with a cap of up to 20cm in diameter. Locals fry the mushroom much like you would fry a steak, using the stems cut up in soup or a risotto. This mushroom tastes similar to veal, with a firm texture. Omajova is not something you will find at the local market, although they can sometimes be bought alongside the road in the rainy season.