Best time to visit Southern Africa

Safaris in southern Africa in February are not as great as other months. However, February is a great time for a Cape Town holiday. It is warm and sunny making for an excellent African holiday destination or potentially if you have a lot of time and budget, to combine with an East Africa tour.

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In March, Mozambique’s rainy season ends, but the weather remains sunny and pleasant for lounging on the beach, snorkelling and scuba diving .This is also the best time of year to view green turtles breeding on the beaches. 

Botswana, like most of Africa, is in transition in March. Because this is the ‘low season’ for Botswana safaris, several camps in the Okavango Delta have amazing ‘off-season’ deals. 

The Makgadikgadi Pans are packed with zebras in early March, and the flat terrain makes game viewing easy. This month marks the start of their annual trek back to the Okavango Delta. Which involves half of the Okavango Delta’s zebra population migrating on a 500km round trip to the lush grasslands of Makgadikgadi.

March is also a great time of year to explore Cape Town, the winelands, cultural events, and natural vistas! Combine this with a Kruger National Park safari for some amazing wildlife spotting opportunities.

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April brings a sense of renewal to southern Africa. The heavy rains of late summer ease, leaving behind lush landscapes, clear skies, and fresh bursts of wildlife activity. For travellers seeking a quieter, more intimate safari, this is one of the most rewarding times of year – when the bush is alive with colour, yet the crowds are still months away.

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The best time to visit Kruger National Park is from May to September. During the driest months of the year, because this is the time that the animals most frequently gather around waterholes. This, along with the drier and sparse vegetation, makes finding the wildlife in Kruger a breeze.

Etosha National Park in Namibia is also best visited from May to October, when the dry environment receives little rain. That’s because the dry weather makes seeing lions, elephants, rhinos, and other animals super easy since they all need to drink from the watering holes. 

May marks the end of the rainy season in Mozambique. While May is warm, the humidity is lower than earlier in the year, making a Mozambique holiday super enjoyable. The calm, clear waters are great for water sports.

Travel to Mauritius for an island holiday in May for decreased humidity and warmer sunny weather. Summer is over and the cooler temperature makes lounging on the beach a pleasure.

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The Okavango Delta’s dry season begins in June, when animals come to the Delta in pursuit of water, making for superb wildlife viewing. The weather is pleasant, and there are less mosquitoes this time of year which makes for the perfect Okavango Delta Safari. 

June also marks the start of winter in South Africa and the northern wildlife reserves’ peak season for game viewing. As the grass dries in the South African bush, the wildlife becomes easier to find which is perfect when on Safari in South Africa.

In June, all wilderness camps in Zambia open their doors to guests for safari. The effects of the green season can still be felt, and wildlife is plentiful. Plus, several camps are providing discounted rates in June, making a Zambia safari relatively affordable.

In Zimbabwe, on the other hand, the dry season encourages animals to gather near waterholes and rivers, resulting in excellent wildlife viewing opportunities for your safari in Zimbabwe. In addition to that, the Victoria Falls are at their most powerful in June too and the best view of the falls can be seen from the Zimbabwean side.

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July is a time when the wild feels vast and untamed, yet every sighting seems closer and more intimate. The rains are long gone, leaving behind golden grasses and clear skies – the dry conditions drive wildlife to gather around the last remaining precious water sources.

Botswana’s safari destinations are spectacular at this time of the year, especially the Okavango Delta where the waterways flood with water from the Angola highlands, opening up opportunities for mokoro safaris.

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Travel to Namaqualand in northwestern South Africa in late August to witness spectacular displays of wild spring flowers carpeting the arid semi-desert landscape.

In August, Namibia Safaris are the most popular. Animals gather in great numbers near the few water sources in Namibia, making wildlife viewing easy and predatory action a common occurrence.

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Tourist numbers in Zambia and Zimbabwe can stay high in September since wildlife watching on safari is still considered peak. 

Water and plants become scarce in September due to months without rain and rising temperatures. Because of their water requirement, animals gather in huge groups, creating an exciting predator-prey encounter. Making a Zambia Safari and Zimbabwe Safari in September ideal. 

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October is the grand finale of southern Africa’s dry season – a time when the wilderness feels raw and untamed and the land is aching for rain. As the last of the waterholes shrink, wildlife gathers in dramatic concentrations, creating some of the most intense and rewarding game‑viewing opportunities of the year.

The bush is dry, but the sheer abundance of wildlife and the atmosphere of anticipation before the rains make October one of the most thrilling months for safari.

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Explore the beaches of Cape Town and the Garden Route on a South Africa holiday as the weather warms up for the beginning of summer and before the Christmas holiday crowds descend on the country. 

A Botswana Safari in November is the end of the dry season. The camps are cheaper and the reserves are less crowded. Wildlife is easy to find, but temperatures and humidity are rising.

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If you don’t mind crowds on the beaches, December is a great time to visit Cape Town, the Eastern Cape, or the magnificent KwaZulu-Natal coast on an adventurous South African holiday.

In December, hundreds of zebras migrate to the Kalahari Desert in Botswana for new pastures. This time of year, this parched region becomes a beautiful wonderland.

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