What Is the Best Month To Go on an African Safari Holiday

Best Time To Visit South Africa

Consistently voted as one of the top tourist destinations worldwide, South Africa is home to some of the best wildlife destinations. The best time to visit South Africa is from May to September, the dry season when wildlife is exceptional and mainly congregate around the remaining water holes. It can be rainy from November to February, but this is the best time to travel for birding.

South Africa is a year-round destination, with varying regional climates and excellent wildlife opportunities.

Best Time To Visit Botswana & Zimbabwe

The climate in Botswana and Zimbabwe are typical for Southern Africa. This means that June to October is considered the dry season months with little to no rain, bright blue skies and lots of sunshine. April and May are great months as it is the start of the dry season with clear skies and moderate temperatures. During June, July and August, wildlife is out in abundance.

In the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the seasonal flood peaks between June and August with superb game viewing as wildlife migrate to the region in search of water.

Safari enthusiasts can visit these charming countries year-round and enjoy incredible wildlife sightings.

Best Time To Visit Namibia

Namibia, which is partially covered by the Namib Desert, is known as one of the world’s sunniest countries-enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year.  It is a year-round destination, with each season (high, low, shoulder season) bringing its own highlights. However, the best season to visit Namibia is in winter from June to September.  It’s easy to spot wildlife during these months as vegetation is sparse and animals are forced to congregate at established waterholes, especially in the Etosha National Park.  April and May are also great months to visit Namibia as it’s not too hot, not too cold, and you’ll get the best of the dry and the green seasons.

Best Time To Visit Kenya & Tanzania

If you are interested in visiting Tanzania or Kenya, you will be pleased to hear that there is no right or wrong time to visit these two beautiful countries, as all their parks offer amazing wildlife sightings. The best time to visit Tanzania or Kenya is during the long dry season that lasts throughout June, July, August, September and October. These months also coincides with the great migration and river crossings at the Mara River.

Famous national parks like the Serengeti and the Masai Mara offer diverse and fascinating game viewing year-round and known for their big predators.

Best Time To Visit Rwanda & Uganda

The majority of people visiting Rwanda or Uganda is to enjoy face to face encounters with the mountain gorillas. Although gorilla trekking is regarded as a year-round activity, the best time is from mid-December to mid-March and again from mid-May to mid-October as these are the dryer months. Both these equatorial countries enjoy tropical climates and generally experiences rainfall throughout the year.

Best Time Of Day For Safari

Generally, the best time to spot wildlife is during the morning or late afternoons when the temperatures are cool, and animals are more active. Early morning is also great to see some nocturnal predators who start settling down after a night of hunting.

Night drives are possible in private wildlife reserves or concessions. These drives offer a different dimension to a safari and offer you the chance to see rare nocturnal animals such as the porcupine and aardvark or glimpse an elusive.

Most safari destinations in Southern Africa like, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe conducted game drives in custom-designed, open-sided four-wheel-drive safari vehicles that are ideal for morning and afternoon game drives. East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda) use enclosed safari vehicle which offers you the opportunity to enjoy full day game drives and travel longer distances to enjoy wildlife sightings.



Africa Safari During The Wet Season

Don’t throw away to travel during the rainy season as it brings migratory birds and baby antelope – which, in turn, attracts predators. With most safari destinations, we find it’s to be a great time to go on a safari outside of peak times as the experiences can be just as incredible, crowds are smaller, and you can find some great offers.

Climate variations from country to country and area to area, so if you are not sure when to travel to maximise wildlife opportunities, speak to one of our safari experts.