Best Time For Traveling to Africa
Last updated on June 8th, 2023 at 08:02 pm
January
January is a busy yet exciting season to visit the Serengeti since the migrating herds give birth there.
With more than 450 species in the area, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip offers fantastic chances for birdwatching. In Swakopmund, you might also witness thousands of flamingos collected on lagoons.
January in Zanzibar is a fantastic period for diving and snorkeling due to the clear, quiet waters.
Events & Festivals
The South African Battlefields in KwaZulu-Natal commemorate the anniversaries of the Battle of Isandlwana and the Battle of Rorke’s Drift.
Turtles come to Mozambique to lay their eggs.
February
Victoria Falls is in full flow, with water roaring over the cliff and into the canyon below, despite the fact that it is the wet season in Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a good season for birdwatchers throughout the rest of Zambia because of the vast flocks of migratory birds.
In the meantime, it’s a fantastic time to go trekking in Uganda to look for chimpanzees and mountain gorillas.
Events & Festivals
Early February sees the annual Stone Town Old Fort Sauti za Busara Music Festival, which features African music.
March
In many parts of Africa, March can be unpredictable due to rain, which makes travel difficult in many areas. Prior to the rains in Tanzania, the humidity increases.
As migratory bird species arrive in their hundreds, wildlife viewing is still excellent, and the camps are calm and have great bargains, making this a more economical time to travel.
April
In Botswana and Malawi, the antelope breeding season is in full swing. Males may be seen brawling and butting heads in a show of dominance.
It’s best to see chimpanzees in Rwanda during the fruit’s peak period since they descend to the lower branches to graze. In Mozambique, the sea is calm, transparent, and has excellent visibility.
Events & Festivals
As humpback whales make their epic annual voyage from Antarctica to milder waters off East Africa to have their young, there are several possibilities for whale viewing.
Crocodile breeding season starts in Malawi’s Liwonde National Park and Majete Game Reserve. Males may be heard and seen roaring, blowing bubbles, and fighting as they compete for dominance.
May
In Southern Africa, the dry season begins in May. It’s an excellent time to travel because the herds are moving from pastures to wetlands as the grass dries off. Along with the predators they draw, this makes it simpler to anticipate where they will be.
Crowds and prices from the peak season have not yet materialized. While Egypt and Morocco experience pleasant temperatures for sightseeing, clear skies, and mild weather make it a great time to explore Mozambique.
Events & Festivals
Mozambique’s dry, calm weather provides excellent diving conditions, particularly in the Quirimbas and Bazaruto archipelagos.
June
Southern Africa is in the middle of winter, so you can expect warm days and chilly nights. It becomes simple to identify animals in Botswana and Uganda when the ground begins to dry out, the vegetation dwindles, and the size of the waterholes decreases.
Meanwhile, the pumped waterholes of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park and the Niassa Game Reserve in northern Mozambique spring up, inviting a variety of wildlife for photographers to snap.
Events & Festivals
A three-day festival of tribal culture in the Kenyan region of Lake Turkana, the Lake Turkana Cultural Festival takes place in mid-June.
The Knysna Oyster Festival, which takes place from late June to early July, is a sporting and oyster extravaganza.
July
With humpback whales moving along the coast and animals gathering around waterholes in the game reserves, it’s a good time to go whale watching and game viewing in South Africa.
Elephants begin to congregate in Tarangire, Tanzania, where the Great Migration herds are more likely to be found, and cruises are possible on the Lower Zambezi in Zambia.
Events & Festivals
In the Okavango Delta, the floodwaters start to rise, enabling journeys in mokoros (traditional canoes) along the channels conceivable.
The Knysna Oyster Festival, which takes place from late June to early July, is a sporting and oyster extravaganza.
August
In Kenya’s Masai Mara, the Great Migration is at its most intense, with enormous herds of wildebeest and zebra assembling to cross the Mara and Talek rivers.
Zambia offers the best walking safaris, which go well with a trip to Victoria Falls. Additionally, this is a great time of year to travel to Lake Malawi, where you can unwind in the warm sunshine.
Events & Festivals
In southern Malawi’s Liwonde National Park, flocks of hundreds of Lillian’s lovebirds converge.
September
Elephants in large numbers congregate at Tanzania’s Tarangire. The country’s southern parks are peaceful, while its northern circuit can get crowded.
Namibia is at its best now because of the low humidity and lovely weather.
While diving and snorkeling are better in Mozambique, thousands of carmine bee-eaters arrive in Zambia to build their nests on the riverbanks.
Events & Festivals
Early September: Kwita Izina, the customary naming ceremony for infant gorillas in Rwanda, features local music, dance, and entertainment.
The three-day annual Lake of Stars Festival takes place in late September on the shores of Lake Malawi.
The Hermanus Whale Festival, which takes place in late September, honors the migration of southern right whales as well as their springtime arrival in South Africa.
Join a group of volunteers for the annual 24-hour census of the animal population in Hwange National Park in late September or early October.
October
The eland, the largest antelope in the world, can frequently be seen in Malawi’s Nyika National Park when herds begin to congregate in great numbers for the breeding season.
In Mozambique, the dry season is coming to an end, and wildlife watching is at its best. It’s also an excellent time to see fossa, a carnivorous creature that resembles a cat, in the deciduous forests of western Madagascar.
November
Due to nighttime rains, this is a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of Tanzania’s low-season prices. In the north of the Serengeti, you can frequently witness herds crossing rivers as they make their way south from Kenya.
In Zimbabwe, parks have become more tranquil despite the presence of permanent and migratory bird species, making it an ideal period for birding.
Events & Festivals
The world’s greatest animal migration, with millions of bats filling the skies, occurs in Zambia.
On the beaches of Mozambique, turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.
December
Plan ahead to secure availability because the holiday season in Tanzania and South Africa can be highly crowded.
Kenya is very beautiful in December since the rains are brief and you can view baby animals and migratory bird species.
Crocodiles start to hatch in Malawi, and the mothers gingerly carry the young to the water’s edge in their mouths.
