Plan Around the Seasons

Best Time to Visit Africa

Southern and East Africa sit south of or on the equator, so the seasons run opposite the US: our summer is their winter, and June through August is dry, cool and prime for most safaris.

Every destination has its own rhythm, so compare them below, then read the month-by-month notes. Not sure where your dates fit best? We're happy to help you choose.

Peak: Best conditions and busiest; book early
Shoulder: Good conditions with fewer visitors
Green: Rainy or low season; lush and quiet, some trade-offs

Best time to visit each destination, by month
Destination	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
South Africa	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Botswana	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Zimbabwe	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Zambia	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Kenya	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tanzania	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Namibia	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mozambique	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Indian Ocean Islands	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

South Africa

Cape Town shines November to March; Kruger and the bushveld are best May to September.

Jan
January · Peak
Hot, dry Cape summer for beaches and wine country. Kruger is lush, hot and thick with foliage.
Feb
February · Peak
Warm, long days in the Cape; Kruger is green with young animals but harder to spot.
Mar
March · Peak
Late Cape summer, calmer winds and fewer crowds. Bush starts thinning in Kruger.
Apr
April · Shoulder
Mild Cape autumn with good light. Kruger game viewing improves as the bush dries.
May
May · Shoulder
Cooler, quieter Cape; excellent early dry-season safari conditions.
Jun
June · Shoulder
Cape winter rains begin. Kruger is dry and clear, with animals drawn to water.
Jul
July · Peak
Coolest Cape month, often wet. Prime Kruger game viewing; US school holidays are busy.
Aug
August · Peak
Dry, clear bushveld and great sightings. Cape winter eases; whales appear along the coast.
Sep
September · Peak
Cape spring and wildflowers on the West Coast, whale watching in Hermanus. Dry safari.
Oct
October · Shoulder
Warming Cape days. Kruger is hot and dry with good waterhole sightings before the rains.
Nov
November · Shoulder
Cape summer begins with long days. Kruger greens up with the first rains and newborn animals.
Dec
December · Peak
Peak Cape summer and holiday season; book early. Kruger is hot, green and showery.

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Botswana

Dry season June to October is prime: Okavango floodwaters peak and wildlife gathers.

Jan
January · Green
Emerald season: rain, lush scenery, birdlife and baby animals. Zebra gather near Makgadikgadi.
Feb
February · Green
Hot and green with afternoon storms. Excellent birding and newborn animals; some roads are tough.
Mar
March · Green
Rains taper off. Green and quiet, with predators hunting young antelope.
Apr
April · Shoulder
Skies clear and temperatures ease. Floodwaters start arriving in the Delta.
May
May · Shoulder
Dry season begins. Pleasant days, cool nights and fewer visitors than the winter peak.
Jun
June · Peak
Okavango flood arrives from Angola; mokoro and water activities. Cool, dry and clear.
Jul
July · Peak
Flood at its height. Superb game viewing, big elephant herds on the Chobe River.
Aug
August · Peak
Peak flood and dry land game. Busiest month in many camps; book well ahead.
Sep
September · Peak
Hot and dry; wildlife concentrates at the water. Outstanding predator sightings.
Oct
October · Peak
Hottest, driest month with the best waterhole action. Brief storms may begin late month.
Nov
November · Shoulder
First rains green the landscape. Migratory birds return and young animals arrive.
Dec
December · Green
Rainy season with hot days and storms. Quiet camps, lush bush and calving season.

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Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls thunders March to May; Hwange and Mana Pools are best June to October.

Jan
January · Green
Hot, humid rainy season. Falls are rising and the bush is thick and green.
Feb
February · Green
Heavy rain and green bush. Falls growing; spray can limit views from the Zimbabwe side.
Mar
March · Shoulder
Victoria Falls approaches full flood, with huge spray. Rains easing.
Apr
April · Shoulder
Falls at or near peak flow: dramatic, though views can be misty. Bush still green.
May
May · Shoulder
Falls still very full, clear skies returning. Game viewing improves as the bush dries.
Jun
June · Peak
Dry season begins with cool days. Falls flow remains strong and Hwange wildlife improves.
Jul
July · Peak
Cool, dry and busy. Great game viewing at Hwange and walking safaris in Mana Pools.
Aug
August · Peak
Prime dry-season game viewing as animals depend on waterholes and the Zambezi.
Sep
September · Peak
Hot and dry, with outstanding Hwange elephant herds. Falls flow is dropping.
Oct
October · Peak
Peak heat and best waterhole sightings. Falls at their lowest, but rock faces are visible.
Nov
November · Shoulder
Falls near their lowest. First rains arrive late month and the bush turns green.
Dec
December · Green
Rainy, hot and humid. Falls start to rise again, with very few visitors.

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Zambia

Dry season June to October is prime, with walking safaris; many camps close December to March.

Jan
January · Green
Heavy rains. Many South Luangwa camps are closed or roads impassable; lush scenery.
Feb
February · Green
Peak rains and green bush. Most remote camps closed; Victoria Falls is rising.
Mar
March · Green
Rains easing but many camps still closed. Victoria Falls is nearing full flood.
Apr
April · Green
Rains end and camps begin reopening late in the month. Falls at near peak flow.
May
May · Shoulder
Dry season starts with green, uncrowded bush. Most camps open; Falls still impressive.
Jun
June · Peak
Cool, dry and clear. Walking safaris in the South Luangwa are at their best.
Jul
July · Peak
Excellent game viewing as the bush thins and animals gather on the rivers.
Aug
August · Peak
Prime walking safari and Lower Zambezi canoe season. Book early for owner-run camps.
Sep
September · Peak
Hot and dry with intense game viewing. Livingstone Island and Devil's Pool open on low water.
Oct
October · Peak
Peak heat and best waterhole sightings. Carmine bee-eaters nest along the river around now.
Nov
November · Shoulder
First rains begin. Kasanka's fruit bat migration runs roughly October to December.
Dec
December · Green
Rainy season; many camps begin to close. Green and quiet with newborn wildlife.

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Kenya

July to October brings the Great Migration crossings to the Masai Mara.

Jan
January · Peak
Dry, warm and clear. Excellent big-cat sightings across the Mara and Laikipia.
Feb
February · Peak
Hot, dry and dusty with great visibility. Still quiet in the Mara; good for coast time.
Mar
March · Shoulder
Heat builds and the long rains start late in the month.
Apr
April · Green
Long rains: lush, wet and quiet. Some camps close; the quietest time of year.
May
May · Green
Wet, green and uncrowded. Roads can be difficult.
Jun
June · Shoulder
Rains clear. Landscapes are green and the first migration herds arrive late in the month.
Jul
July · Peak
Great Migration herds arrive in the Mara. Dry, cool days and dramatic river crossings.
Aug
August · Peak
Peak river-crossing season and peak crowds. Book camps up to a year ahead.
Sep
September · Peak
Migration crossings continue; excellent predator action. Still busy.
Oct
October · Peak
Late migration crossings before herds head south. Mara is dry and crowds thin out.
Nov
November · Shoulder
Short rains begin; green and quiet. Herds have left the Mara but predator sightings remain good.
Dec
December · Shoulder
Showers fade into dry, sunny days. Festive-season visitors make it busy late in the month.

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Tanzania

The Serengeti delivers year-round: calving January to March, river crossings July to October.

Jan
January · Peak
Calving season on the southern Serengeti plains, with predators following the herds.
Feb
February · Peak
Peak calving around Ndutu; hot, dry and great for big cats. Busy at the lodges.
Mar
March · Shoulder
Herds are still in the south; rains start. Lush and quieter.
Apr
April · Green
Long rains: wet and green. Many camps close; some roads are impassable.
May
May · Green
Heaviest rains taper off. Very quiet and lush; the herds are on the move.
Jun
June · Peak
Dry season begins. Herds head north and western Serengeti views are superb.
Jul
July · Peak
Migration reaches the northern Serengeti; river crossings begin. Dry, cool and busy.
Aug
August · Peak
Peak river crossings on the Mara River. Excellent visibility; book far ahead.
Sep
September · Peak
Crossings continue, and Tarangire's elephants are at their best. Dry and clear.
Oct
October · Peak
Dry, warm and quieter. Late crossings and strong predator sightings in the north.
Nov
November · Shoulder
Short rains begin; herds start moving south. Green, with fewer visitors.
Dec
December · Shoulder
Herds return south and the plains green. Warm, with showers; festive season is busy.

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Namibia

Dry season May to October is best, with Etosha waterholes at their peak.

Jan
January · Green
Hot with summer rains. Etosha is green and quiet; dunes and coast are very hot.
Feb
February · Green
Peak rains and heat. Lush Etosha with young animals, but spotting is harder.
Mar
March · Green
Rains continue then ease. Birding is excellent and crowds are few.
Apr
April · Shoulder
Cooling and drying. Etosha clears up and the desert is pleasant.
May
May · Peak
Dry season starts. Comfortable days, clear skies and great light for Sossusvlei.
Jun
June · Peak
Cool, dry and clear. Etosha waterholes draw elephant, lion and rhino; cold desert nights.
Jul
July · Peak
Peak dry season. Superb waterhole viewing; mornings can be near freezing in the desert.
Aug
August · Peak
Excellent wildlife viewing at Etosha. Busy lodges, clear skies and windy dunes.
Sep
September · Peak
Warm, dry and windy. Prime Etosha waterhole action; Skeleton Coast and Damaraland shine.
Oct
October · Peak
Hot and very dry, with big concentrations of wildlife at the waterholes.
Nov
November · Shoulder
Early rains arrive. Etosha greens and babies appear; heat builds in the desert.
Dec
December · Shoulder
Hot with scattered storms. Lush and quiet, but the Namib is very warm midday.

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Mozambique

May to November is dry and perfect for beaches, diving and humpback whales from July.

Jan
January · Green
Hot, humid, rainy season with cyclone risk. Best for those who accept weather chances.
Feb
February · Green
Peak rains and cyclone risk. Some lodges close; very quiet.
Mar
March · Green
Still wet and humid with cyclone risk easing. Whale sharks are often seen off Tofo.
Apr
April · Shoulder
Rains fade and seas clear. Excellent diving at Bazaruto and fewer visitors.
May
May · Shoulder
Dry, sunny and cooler. Calm, quiet beaches before the peak.
Jun
June · Peak
Dry, warm and clear. Great snorkeling and diving, with Bazaruto at its best.
Jul
July · Peak
Humpback whale season begins. Dry, warm days, ideal for beach and island time.
Aug
August · Peak
Whales are close to shore. Cool evenings, little rain and the busiest period.
Sep
September · Peak
Peak whale watching and clear water for diving. Warm, dry and spectacular.
Oct
October · Peak
Warming days with excellent diving and island sunsets. Whales linger and mantas are likely.
Nov
November · Shoulder
Heat and humidity return. Whales are heading south; still good for diving.
Dec
December · Green
Start of the wet season with humid heat and storms. Quiet resorts.

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Indian Ocean Islands

May to November is best for Madagascar, Seychelles and Mauritius; avoid January to March cyclone season.

Jan
January · Green
Peak of the cyclone and rainy season in Madagascar and Mauritius; hot and humid.
Feb
February · Green
Highest cyclone risk and heavy rain in Madagascar and Mauritius. Seychelles is warm and calm.
Mar
March · Green
Cyclone risk persists in Madagascar and Mauritius. Seychelles is hot with calmer seas.
Apr
April · Shoulder
Rains ease and calm seas return. Seychelles is at its warmest and clearest.
May
May · Peak
Cooler, dry season starts. Lemurs are active in Madagascar and the Seychelles is calm.
Jun
June · Peak
Dry and pleasant on all three islands. Good diving and snorkeling; trade winds pick up.
Jul
July · Peak
Cool, dry and sunny; breezy in Seychelles. Humpback whales near Madagascar's Sainte Marie.
Aug
August · Peak
Peak dry season in Madagascar; humpback whale watching. Trade winds in Seychelles.
Sep
September · Peak
Warm, dry and calm. Excellent Madagascar wildlife and beach weather across the region.
Oct
October · Peak
Winds ease with clear water for diving. Madagascar is warming up, perfect for lemurs.
Nov
November · Peak
Seychelles and Mauritius are warm and calm. Early rains start in Madagascar.
Dec
December · Shoulder
Holiday-season rains begin. Hot, humid and busy; cyclone season starts.

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