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.
Once the rain replenishes the water sources, animals disperse. However, the rainy season may also bring migratory birds and baby antelope and wildebeest – which, in turn, attract predators. You’ll also encounter fewer visitors at this time – and find great deals on lodges, camps and tours, though some accommodation in remote areas may close for the rainy season.
Some parks – such as Tanzania’s self-contained Ngorongoro Crater – enjoy fantastic wildlife year-round, while sights such as the Great Migration and the flooding of the Okavango Delta are highly seasonal. Click on the interactive map below to discover the best time to go on a safari in your chosen destination.
Our Safari Vacations
Swaziland wildife and culture tour
Explore Eswatini, one of the smallest countries in Africa
From
£2445
12 days
ex flights
Botswana safari and Victoria Falls
An unforgettable wildlife and scenery experience
From
US $3853
11 days
ex flights
Gorilla and game safari in Uganda
The great Silver back Gorilla & wildlife all in one package!
From
US $3750
10 days
ex flights
South Africa safari vacation, 14 days
Award winning safari in South Africa
From
£3720
14 days
ex flights
Tanzania Selous safari vacation & Zanzibar
Off-the-beaten track safari experiences & paradise beaches
From
£2150
10 days
ex flights
Serengeti Trail, Kenya & Tanzania safari
Overland truck safari
From
US $1656 to US $2020
8 days
ex flights
Ten day wildlife safari, South Africa
Award winning wildlife safaris in South Africa
From
£2340 to £3300
10 days
ex flights
Complete Uganda vacation, tailor made
Gorillas, Chimpanzees, 6 National Parks and Jinja Adventure
From
US $5167
16 days
ex flights
Small group Kenya safari and culture vacation
.Great itinerary combining safari & cultural tours
From
US $1637 to US $2238
7 days
ex flights
Namibia and Botswana camping safari
Camping safari to Namib desert, Caprivi, Etosha & Okavango
From
US $2815 to US $2950
21 days
ex flights
Bwindi mountain gorilla tracking, Uganda
Fly to Bwindi Forest and Trek Uganda's Mountain Gorillas
From
US $1981
4 days
ex flights
Uganda wildlife vacation
This you cannot miss while in Uganda -The wild and beautiful!
From
US $3000
8 days
ex flights
Gorilla Safari & the Masai Mara
Superb safari and trip to see gorillas
From
US $4899
16 days
ex flights
Namibia and Botswana safari vacation
Namibia & Botswana lodge safari Caprivi Etosha Okavango
From
US $3845 to US $4140
21 days
ex flights
Botswana camping safaris
Botswana's premier game parks, Okavango Moremi Savuti Chobe
From
US $2035 to US $2250
14 days
ex flights
Namibia safari and vacation
A fabulous small group guided trip in Nambia
From
£3150 to £3595
12 days
ex flights
Namibia self drive vacation, big cat conservation
Self drive trip taking in Namibia's highlights
From
£2000 to £4000
14 days
ex flights
Classic South Africa self drive vacation
Ideally suited for the first-time visitor to South Africa
From
US $4347
16 days
ex flights
Uganda highlights & mountain gorillas tour
Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking, Queen Elizabeth & Lake Mburo
From
US $3929
10 days
ex flights
Zimbabwe tailor made vacation
A captivating trip visiting some of the gems of Zimbabwe
From
£3350
10 days
ex flights
Zambia safari and Lake Malawi, tailor made
Safari and Beach with a difference, Zambia and Malawi
From
£6105
13 days
inc UK flights
Botswana family adventure
A true African adventure for all the family!
From
US $4940
11 days
ex flights
Vic Falls to Johannesburg tour, Southern Africa
Soak up the sights and sounds on this African adventure
From
US $1773 to US $2065
9 days
ex flights
Namibia vacation, safari & desert discovery
9 day safari designed to show you the best of Namibia
From
£3135
9 days
ex flights
Namibia small group vacation, sand dunes & safari
A hidden gem of contrasting landscapes and amazing wildlife
From
£1685
8 days
ex flights
Southern Tanzania luxury safari vacation
Two of the most wild and unspoilt parks of Tanzania
From
US $11000
12 days
ex flights
South Africa vacation
Explore Cape Town, the Winelands and the Garden Route
From
£2300 to £4500
15 days
inc UK flights
Camping safari in Southern Africa
Camping safari highlights of Zimbabwe, Botswana & Kruger
From
US $2035 to US $2195
16 days
ex flights
Kenya wildlife camping safari
Game watching morning, afternoon and night
From
£2130
8 days
ex flights
1. Botswana
2. Kenya
3. Malawi
4. Namibia
5. South Africa
6. Tanzania
7. Zambia
8. Zimbabwe
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.
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, bringing 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.
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’s peak time is July-Sep, which 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.
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 vacations!). Jan-Feb are green and gorgeous, with baby wildebeest.
Zambia
7. Zambia
Zambia is known for its walking safaris, and most walking bushcamps 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.
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.
Our top Safari Vacation
Bwindi mountain gorilla tracking, Uganda
Fly to Bwindi Forest and Trek Uganda's Mountain Gorillas
From
US $1981
4 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Safari or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
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."
"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 travelers."
Amanda Marks, from our supplier Tribes Travel, explains why the best time to visit Tanzania may not be when you think it is... "Most people think of the migration as from July to October, whereas in actual fact it moves constantly. You have it from December to March in the southern Serengeti – you can find the wildlife there quite easily. They tend to give birth at the beginning of the year, then move north and west, though they are more spread out so it’s not such a spectacle. Then from July to October they are in the very north of the Serengeti."
More about Safari
Our safari travel guide has been designed to help you, the responsible traveler, live like a local and learn from a brief history of safaris as well as taking account of what we rate & what we don’t.
Finding the best place to go on safari for you will always include being able to make the most of your time away from home as our interactive Africa safari highlights map, and recommendations as to where to go from our experts, go to prove.
Some of the best safaris in the world are set against the wide-open vistas of Africa.
If you want to know how to choose a safari or find out what type of safari is best for me then read our sections on bush camp safaris, lodge safaris, and family safaris, to name but a few, and discover how to choose a safari that makes sense for the right reasons.
Electric safari vehicles are transforming the game drive experience into something quiet, smooth and environmentally responsible.
It’s really important to heed advice for families on safari, as safaris with kids will inevitably lead to a whole lot of situations that you might not necessarily be naturally prepared for.
We’ve got safari tips on photography, culture and watching wildlife – properly, so all you’ve got to do is read the safari advice from our travelers and our expert tour ops and find out how to travel safely when on safari in Africa.
Responsible safari vacations aren’t just ticking a box, they’re designed to help you understand what you’re seeing and enable you to travel right while on safari so the wildlife & environment are left as you found them and what you can do to help is a ‘real thing’ not just another signed e-petition.
Find all of our safari guides in one place, for safari in particular countries such as Tanzania and Botswana or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of safari vacations such as budget, self drive or gorilla safaris.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Wild Frog Photography] [Top box: Harshil Gudka]
[Botswana: Geran de Klerk]
[Kenya: Oliver Cox]
[Malawi: Hansueli Krapf]
[Namibia: Hans Stieglitz]
[South Africa: Vincent van Zalinge]
[Zambia: Ian McGrory]
[Zimbabwe: Christine Donaldson]
[Bruce Taylor quote (Botswana): Athena Lao]
[Amanda Marks (wildebeest migration): Joxean Koret]
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