When to go on safari?
There is no straightforward answer to this question, which can make navigating the planning of your first safari a bit of a minefield. The best time to go on safari will depend on a number of factors, including what you hope to see, do and experience; climate; game migrations; your budget and availability. The answer isn't the same for everyone, as there are so many variables to consider. That's why it is recommended that you get in touch to get personalised professional advice tailored for you.
Dry season vs wet season?
This is one of the first big considerations. For many people, especially those going on their first safari, avoiding rainy seasons can be a good option. Very broadly speaking, for most areas of Africa, July to October are going to offer the best of dry season big game viewing.
In the dry seasons, big game viewing is typically at its best. With waterholes and smaller river channels drying up, water scarcity means that animals become more concentrated around remaining water sources, such as permanent rivers and lakes. This makes finding big game in larger numbers more straightforward. Also, with grasses and vegetation dying back, spotting animals and getting an unobstructed view can be easier.
The dry season in Southern Africa is from around May to October, so this is when the big game viewing is at its strongest. It can be particularly good as you go later into this dry season, but through September and into November, temperatures rise up to around 40°C (100°F), which can be too much for some people.
Eastern Africa is a bit more complicated, with a small rainy season around November and then the main rains around April/May. This means that the best big game viewing season is from around July to October, but January to March can also be good. If seeing the river crossings of the great migration are on your bucket list though, then July to September are the big crossing months.
The above is a very generalised summary, but there are more nuanced regional variations, so it is best to get in touch to discuss this in more detail.
Summary of best big game viewing seasons by country:
Botswana June-October
Kenya July-October
South Africa May-November
Tanzania July-November
Zambia July-October
Zimbabwe June-October
But, don't rule out travelling in the rainy season!
There are a lot of advantages to travelling in a rainy season. Don't be put off by the rain! For the most part, the rains are isolated heavy rain showers that generally only last for an hour or two. Also it doesn't rain every day and it can go days without any rain, so the rain itself is rarely a big issue. The only considerations in this regard are that if there is some heavy rain, you may have to adjust your daily plan with your guide and bush flights can get delayed. Normally, this will only be a short delay though.
One of the biggest advantages is that there can be significant cost savings from travelling outside the peak months. Savings can be dramatic with some safari lodges dropping their prices by around 50%.
In terms of the safari itself, the rainy season can be a very interesting and rewarding time to travel. It's my personal favourite time to go on safari. Though your guide may need to work a bit harder to find big game and predators, you will still see them, just in lower numbers. With the rains, the landscapes transform from barren into lush green paradises, which is why the rainy season is often referred to as the green season. Some drier areas are even at their peak for game viewing during the rains.
The new shoots of the green season make this the perfect calving season, so there are baby animals everywhere. The abundance of easy prey can also result in frequent predator hunting action. Birdlife reaches a crescendo during the rainy season too, as this is when all the migratory birds arrive to breed, so birding is at its absolute best at this time of year.
Spectacular cloud formations build up in the afternoons of the rainy seasons. These towers in the sky, add to the overall drama of this exciting time and arguably lead to the best sunsets of the year with stunning colours. With the beautiful light, photography can be excellent at this time of year,
Outside school holidays, the safari lodges aren't as busy, so the rainy season can be a quieter, more exclusive time to travel. Many people find this is a big draw of travelling during the green season.
So, with a careful consideration of what is important to you, rainy season travel has a lot going for it! However, it is very important to be careful about what areas and camps to choose during this time of change. Please get in touch for advice about where to go for a green season adventure....