Africa’s Nature Calendar

Which month for safari?

Africa’s nature calender is meant to give you some inspiration on travel options if you are limited to a certain month to go on holiday. Please talk to us for personal advice. The various African countries within themselves have seasons too and sometimes a Green Season is excellent for bird watchers and tranquility seekers.

January

Although January can bring a lot of rain in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Kruger National Park, the Cape is in full summer and offers mostly excellent weather for beach days. If you like to go on safari, we recommend to travel to Kenya, Uganda or the Northern Parks of Tanzania. Beach extensions are not that great (Zanzibar, Diani Beach) as it might be cloudy.

The second largest zebra migration in the world takes place in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Nxai Pan in Botswana, but roads can be inaccessible after heavy rains.

February

This is a great month to visit the Serengeti to watch the Great Migration, this is the caling season for the wildebeest. In Kenya too you might spot a lot of young animals (zebra, giraffes). Weather is excellent in Kenya and Tanzania, even on Zanzibar. Rwanda and Uganda are very accessible too at the beginning on February just before the rains start.

The zebra migration in Nxai Pan National Park and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana might be still there but due to heavy rains, roads might be very muddy.

The Garden Route and wine lands are excellent to visit at this time of year, specially for the grape harvest.

March

In the Serengeti the Great Migration heads north towards the Grumeti River and later to the Masai Mara.
It is harvest time in the Cape Winelands. If you are keen on low season rates, visit Botswana and Namibia.

April

April depics is the rainy season in most of East Africa, definately not the best time to travel there. The Victoria Falls are at it’s best so you could start your safari in Zambia or Zimbabwe then visit Botswana or Namibia during the Green Season with low season rates.

The Cape continues to enjoy quite good weather so you might choose this quieter time to visit. KwaZulu Natal is also looking beautiful so this is a good month to visit the Drakensberg mountains and Boer and Zulu war battlefield sites. It might get a bit wet from timt to time though there.

May

The rains continue in East Africa, but prices are lower in Kenya and Tanzania and you are always guaranteed to spot lot’s of animals wherever you go. The safari season picks up in Botswana and Zambia. Why not combine your safari with a week in Mauritius or some island hopping in the sunny Seychelles. Also Namibia is great visit during this month. There are not as many self drive tourist, so you will have a quieter experience in Etosha National Park and the nights are not that cold.

June

June is a great month to travel anywhere in Africa. If you are keen on a walking or camping safari, then June is a great month as the weather is still very pleasant but not too hot and the nights not too cold. Low or Mid season pricing almost everywhere.

July

July is dry weather almost everywhere and an excellent safari month. The annual “flood” is entering the Okavango delta, visibly raising water levels, while diminishing ground water is causing large herds of elephant and plains game to gather across Northern Botswana, Hwange and the Etosha Pan. Chimp and Gorilla Trekking conditions are excellent at this time of the year too. Diving conditions in Mozambique are perfect.

August

It is high season almost everywhere but the safari conditions and beaches are excellent at this time of the year. If you are traveling with kids, please keep in mind that the nights can be very chilly in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, so swimming in pools is not always that comfortable. However, the cold water mostly doesn’t seem to affects kids! If you like the heat, a destination in East Africa might be a better option for you.

September

September is probably our favourite month. Parks are not as busy as in July and August, yet the safari conditions are even better. The Great Migration can be spotted in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Namibia and Botswana are ideal to visit during these months. Dry vegetation makes it easier to spot the wildlife. It is also a great season for whale watching in Mozambique and South Africa.

October

This is probably the hottest month in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. Dry conditions everywhere make this one of the most spectacular times for a safari as animals gather in ever larger herds around precious groundwater. The rivers are mobbed by elephant drinking and swimming which makes your African holiday an even more memorable experience. This is also a prime time to visit Mauritius and the delightful Seychelles or Lake Malawi.

November

November is a month to avoid in East Africa. Lots of heavy rains make the roads inaccessible, gorilla trekking can slippery. Botswana can still be visited, although temperatures might be high so getting stuck in thick sand is more likely. The best destination would be South Africa. Beautiful spring flowers, good safari conditions in Kruger and whale watching along the coast and comfortable weather conditions for hikes and bike tours along the Garden Route.

December

December is South Africa’s peak season. A perfect time for a malaria free holiday in Madikwe or Pilanesberg in combination with some beach time around the Western or Eastern Cape. December is an excellent time to escape the cold European winter months and travel to Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda or Uganda where the safari conditions are outstanding during this time.

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