When to go to Africa

Tell people you’re going on safari in January, and they might say things like ‘It will be very wet and hot, and the wildlife will be spread out.’ Ignore them all. Africa in January is glorious, with many of the safari destinations wearing their lush, green season colours. If you want to avoid the rain completely, East Africa is a great option, but if you don’t mind a splash of rain here and there, Southern Africa is magnificent, with young babies dotting the plains and the most beautiful sunsets you’ll ever see.

Just like January, people like to tell horror stories about going on safari in February – but that’s because they don’t know where to go. Traditionally, it’s the ‘rainy season’ across Southern Africa, but the bonus of this is stunning, luscious landscapes, spectacular sunsets and quieter lodges and camps (because everyone else has listened to the stories!). And in fact, East Africa is still enjoying its mini dry season, with sunny, clear days and excellent game viewing all round, including the magnificent gorillas. Madagascar however is in the midst of cyclone season.

March is the last month of East Africa’s short dry season and is still a great time to visit. If you’ve got your heart set on Big Five game viewing, try northern Kenya in particular where the days are still warm and dry, or the Masai Mara for good game viewing without the usual crowds. For something different, Zambia’s rivers are in full flood and offer great opportunities for boat safaris and a little walking, and Hwange in Zimbabwe is a good bet for big cats and bigger elephants. Otherwise, head even further down to South Africa (Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal) or the mysterious mountain kingdom of Lesotho.

April in Southern Africa is ‘shoulder season.’ It’s an excellent time of year to travel, you just have to know where to go! On safari, you’ll get the best of both worlds; the lush beauty of the wet season is still evident, but it’s stopped raining. In some places, the smaller bush camps start to reopen, ready for the dry season, and in South Africa, Kruger and the northern parks are entering prime game-viewing time. East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda) however, is in the midst of the ‘long rains’, making the weather unpredictable.

May sees the beginning of the peak dry season in Southern Africa. The bush is starting to dry out, and the vegetation begins to thin producing top-notch wildlife viewing conditions. More and more of the smaller bush camps that are inaccessible in the green season are beginning to open their doors for business, especially in Zambia and Zimbabwe. In Botswana, the rains are mostly over but the Okavango Delta is filling up nicely, and in South Africa it’s a great time to visit Kruger but be wary of dropping temperatures in Cape Town. East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda) are still in the grips of their rainy season.

June heralds the start of the dry or peak season across most of safari Africa, and wherever you choose to go, you’ll be in for a treat! You’ll often hear June referred to as the start of ‘winter’; for most of Africa, this means dry, warm days with little to no rain at all. The most ‘wintery’ it gets is in the evenings and mornings when temperatures drop, so make sure to pack a warm jacket and a scarf for nights spent around the camp fire. All those intimate and wonderfully remote bush camps open again in June, and you’ll have your pick of the accommodation. The exceptions, however, are Cape Town (cold) and Chad (rainy!).

By July, the dry season is in full swing and it’s a brilliant month to visit just about anywhere on the continent. It can be a little chilly in the mornings and evenings (but nothing a warm jacket and scarf won’t solve), but temperatures during the day are blissful and it’s generally dry and warm. Across the top safari parks and reserves, the bush is drying out and the animals congregate in their hundreds (and sometimes thousands) around the waterholes, making for superb sightings and photo opportunities. Most beach destinations are idyllic too, with the exception of Cape Town which is in the grip of winter.

August is undoubtedly one of the best months to visit almost anywhere in Africa. Most countries are in the heart of the dry season, temperatures are pleasant, and the game viewing is, in one word, exceptional. In fact, you could close your eyes and pick almost anywhere across the continent for a fantastic safari, and the even better news is that most of the Indian Ocean islands are pretty dreamy at this time of year too. But we will tell you that it’s perhaps not the best time to visit Cape Town (it’s a bit rainy), or Chad (Zakouma National Park is closed).

As the end of winter approaches, temperatures start to heat up across the continent, and the parks and reserves of ‘safari Africa’ become increasingly drier. If you’re on safari, that means phenomenal concentrations of game around the last few waterholes, and, like August, September is traditionally one of the best months for big game viewing across most of East and Southern Africa. Over at the Indian Ocean, the climate is blissful; the mercury may be rising but the humidity is still several weeks away. Oh, and did we mention that European school holidays are over, so most areas are a little quieter than before. Cape Town’s hotting up nicely too!

October reveals the first signs that the end of the dry season is near but in general, it’s another top choice for a safari in most of Eastern and Southern Africa – particularly if you like the heat! It's a hot month, and in some places, you may notice a spot of humidity creeping in and rain clouds gathering towards November. But the weather is an unpredictable old thing and it certainly shouldn’t put you off a safari, especially when the game viewing is still as fabulous as it is. It’s also a dreamy time to combine a South Africa safari with the city lights of Cape Town and a spot of Indian Ocean beach-lounging.

November receives rather an unfair reputation in the world of safari – but don’t listen to the naysayers. Yes, the dry season might be over for most of safari Africa, but a few drops of rain here and there shouldn’t affect your game drives. In most cases, the rain is a welcome relief to the high temperatures, and the accompanying thunderstorms (and sunsets) are spectacular. It’s a magical month for a safari, with lower rates, lower tourist numbers, and some seriously unique sightings. And if you’re desperate for some sunshine, you couldn’t do much better than Cape Town and the Garden Route in South Africa.

By December, the wet, summer season is in full flow. Generally, Southern Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia) is a little wetter, but that doesn’t mean a safari is out of the question – you just have to be prepared. In South Africa, Cape Town, the Western Cape and the Garden Route are in the midst of a picture-perfect summer and are a good bet for a sunshine-filled Christmas. In East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda), the rain is tailing off, and it’s a great time of year for a bush-and-beach combination.