Best time to go on safari

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Top 10 safaris Choosing a safari Electric vehicle safaris Safaris with kids Tips & advice Small group safaris African wild dogs Responsible tourism All our safari guides

Best time to go on safari

As a general rule, the dry seasons are the best for seeing wildlife as animals are forced to cluster around the ever-shrinking waterholes.

The peak time for safaris in east and south Africa is June to September, during the dry season. Once the rain replenishes the water sources, animals disperse. However, the rainy season brings migratory birds, and baby antelope and wildebeest – which attract predators. You’ll also encounter fewer visitors – and find great deals, though some more remote accommodation may close.

Some parks – such as Tanzania’s self-contained Ngorongoro Crater – enjoy fantastic wildlife-viewing year-round, while the flooding of the Okavango Delta is highly seasonal. Click on the interactive map below to discover the best time to go on a safari in your chosen destination.

Call us for the best time to go on a Safari Holiday

When to go on Safari in Africa, month by month

January and February: This is safari low season, but you could go to Kenya and South Africa for baby animals, and Uganda and Rwanda. Avoid Malawi (it’s wet until March).

March, April and May: Avoid Kenya and Tanzania, where the heavy rains make roads unnavigable and safari difficult. In Rwanda and Uganda it’s the rainy season from March until the end of May, a less popular time to visit. Instead, go to Malawi, Mozambique or Zimbabwe, especially in May – for pleasant temperatures at the start of the dry season.

June: Is the start of peak safari season in Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia, and start of peak time for visiting Uganda and Rwanda for gorillas.

July to August: Is often the most expensive time to visit Tanzania and Kenya, and peak time for visiting Uganda, South Africa, Botswana.

August and September: Are fantastic for wildlife viewing in all the best safari destinations: Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique. September is particularly nice in South Africa.

October: Is still good for most places, except Rwanda and Uganda, where the rainy season is starting, and Malawi, where weather is more changeable.

November and December: Aren’t busy months for African safaris, but you will still see wildlife; most of it doesn’t migrate. Avoid Malawi from November; it’s just started raining. Avoid Zambia in December for the same reason.

Call us for the best time to go on a Safari Holiday

1. Botswana
2. Kenya
3. Malawi
4. Namibia
5. South Africa
6. Tanzania
7. Zambia
8. Zimbabwe

Botswana

1. Botswana

Botswana’s “green season” falls from November to March. Afternoon storms cool the desert heat and bring migratory birds and baby animals. The peak time for game viewing, however, is September-October, when the country is at its hottest and driest, and water at a premium. Unusually, this is when the Delta is at its highest – a lush counterpoint to the parched Kalahari.

Botswana

Kenya

2. Kenya

The Great Migration crosses into the Masai Mara from June-Oct, when you’ll need to book in advance, but if possible avoid the Great Migration of tourists in July and August. The long rains from March-May can cause travel disruption in more remote areas, with some lodges closing. The short rains of Nov-Dec refresh the vegetation, and bring migratory birds and baby animals.

Malawi

3. Malawi

Malawi’s peak season is from May-mid November – the driest and coolest months. Come early in the season for greener landscapes and warmer weather. June-August are chilly at night though wildlife is abundant and visitor numbers at their highest. Come in Sep-Oct if possible, which are cosily warm but still dry, luring wildlife to waterholes.

Malawi

Namibia

4. Namibia

This desert nation is at its most parched from May-early November, the best time for wildlife viewing in Etosha – but you’ll need to book well in advance. June-August are very cold at night and unpleasantly dry, but wonderfully clear. May is warmer and less dusty – a lovely time to visit. Combine the Big Five with big whales, sighted off the coast from July-Nov.

South Africa

5. South Africa

Kruger National Park’s peak time is July-Sep, months that are dry and pleasantly cool – you’ll need extra layers at night. The risk of malaria is also at its lowest. Aug is the busiest – and priciest – month, book well ahead. The park can be visited all year, but Dec-Jan can be unbearably hot, though rain falls in short, sharp storms, meaning you can still explore. For Addo, chilly June-Sep are also the best months.

South Africa

Tanzania

6. Tanzania

The long rains from March-May cause some lodges in the south and west to close. In the north, however, this can be a good time for deals – and fewer tourists. The Great Migration can be seen virtually year-round in the Serengeti, but the peak months are June-August, for the river crossing (and school holidays!). Jan-Feb is green and gorgeous, with baby wildebeest.

Zambia

7. Zambia

Zambia is known for its walking safaris, and most walking bush camps are open from June onwards, when the weather is at its driest. Luangwa, Mana Pools, and Lower Zambezi are hot with clusters of wildlife in September and October, while the Nov-April rains can cut off areas of South Luangwa, particularly in Feb-March, when accommodation may close.

Zambia

Zimbabwe

8. Zimbabwe

May to October is the key safari season here, particularly in Hwange National Park where the lack of rain draws wildlife to the waterholes. Nights are cold from June-August, so bring layers. Victoria Falls is easy to access at this time as well, though the flow trickles off from October. Earlier on in the season, the landscape is still pleasantly green.

Contact Us

Call us for a chat about our holidays. We are happy to discuss your holiday and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.

01273 823 700 01273 823 700

Call us until 6pm

Calling from outside the UK

rosy@responsibletravel.com

What happens when on safari

Emma Gregg is an award-winning travel writer. She talks us through her best times to visit Namibia: “The end of the dry season is excellent for wildlife watching in Etosha - it's so dry at this time that giraffes, elephants and zebras converge at the waterholes in impressive numbers. Namibia's landscapes look amazing in May, when the air is very clear, the temperatures are moderate and much of the vegetation is still green.”

Bruce Taylor, founder of our supplier Sunway Safaris, describes his favourite time in Botswana:
"I enjoy the green season, from December to April, because there's no dust. The beauty of the rains in Botswana is that they’re generally late afternoon thunderstorms that come rolling through then pass on, so you can still have gloriously sunny days. The rain cools things down a bit, there are a lot of young animals around and all the migratory birds are in the Okavango – they’re spectacular."

Rupert Calcott, from our supplier Exodus, tells us about the best time for a safari in his native South Africa: "The colder months of July to September are a fantastic time for game viewing. As the country gets drier the animals are concentrated at waterholes, there’s greater visibility; it’s a really good time for wildlife. April to June are also wonderful because it’s not too hot and there’s less chance of rain, but we get fewer travellers."