The Best Time for a Safari in Africa

Choosing your safari in Africa is a big moment! Choosing the destination, the country or countries to visit, the season that matches what you want from a safari… all of these are things to think through before you set off. Here, we help you get a clearer picture of the best season to plan your safari in Africa.

African nature follows a seasonal rhythm marked by a winter that's often dry across much of the continent, with water becoming scarce – which draws animals to the main waterholes and makes them easier to watch. The African winter runs from June to October. Summer, meanwhile, is a period of lush, flourishing nature, offering its kaleidoscopes of green and attracting birds and reptiles. The African summer runs from December to February. So choosing the best season for a safari in Africa depends on what you want to see and how you dream of your trip. Each season has its own particularities for encountering wildlife.

How to choose your safari

There are different approaches to safari and many ways to encounter African wildlife. Each place, country and park has its own particularities, but above all the season will greatly influence your trip and what you discover. Big mammals, birds, reptiles, migrations, births… animals move and change with the seasons. Choosing summer, winter or a shoulder season will therefore affect what you see. The season also affects how easy the viewing is, and that's often why winter is recommended.

The southern winter: an ideal time for a safari

The southern winter is often known as the best season to travel for a safari and watch the animals. It's true that the African winter brings together some ideal conditions, namely:

You'll spot animals easily: as the winter months are dry, with only 60 millimetres of monthly rainfall, animals start seeking water at the few remaining waterholes – lakes, rivers, puddles, muddy fresh water in the savannah or distant springs – to find more water and shelter from the sun. As water is an essential need, they're easy to find on their search around the main waterholes. Let your local expert guide you so you can approach them while respecting their space: the spectacle promises to be magical!

The weather is ideal: the African winter is warm to temperate – with temperatures around 20 to 25°C depending on the country, and rising to nearly 30°C in Botswana, for example – though at the edges of the day, early morning and at night, you'll get a little coolness, or even very low temperatures in some regions. Some areas are known for their dramatic drops in temperature, such as the Kalahari desert. Overall, the climate lets you enjoy the sun and a pleasant climate, with a little coolness once night falls.

Waking up a little later: a safari is often timed to follow the animals' rhythm – when they wake, how they move, and so on – to give you the best chance of watching them well. During the southern winter, animals wake later, because sunrises are later, so you can extend your nights and wake rested, ready to enjoy the show!

Choosing your safari during the southern winter – between June and October – can also let you escape the heatwave and enjoy a mild, gentle climate, with the sun still shining.

Watching the newborns: many young animals are born at this time of year. Lots of births take place before the rains return, which means you can watch the newborns and their parents during the southern summer. This period is ideal for seeing baby animals. South Africa is especially known for its impalas, southern African gazelles giving birth at this time of year.

Fewer crowds and attractive prices: the African summer lets you enjoy African nature and safaris peacefully; you can breathe and enjoy more space, as there are fewer tourists. If you love the charm of the off-season for all the advantages it brings, you'll no doubt appreciate the gentle tranquillity, and an authentic, immersive experience.

The dry season – from June to October – in Kenya gives you the best chance of watching the animals. Rainfall decreases, so conditions are good for spotting wildlife around the waterholes.

July and August offer a wonderful natural spectacle: the Great Migration of the Masai Mara. At this time, thousands of animals move and cross the Mara River, notably wildebeest and zebra. This period also lets you see the births and all the newborns across the African savannah!

Tanzania also has two dry seasons a year. The first takes place during the southern winter, between June and October, when conditions are ideal for watching the animals in the Serengeti National Park or the Ngorongoro nature reserve. January and February, for a safari in Tanzania, let you see the newborn animals and the Great Migration phenomenon in the southern Serengeti, in the Ndutu region.

A safari in South Africa lets you venture into the famous Kruger National Park and roam the wild plains where the animals gather. Between June and October especially, the dry season lets you watch the big animals – elephants, buffalo, zebra and hippos – gathering and concentrating around the waterholes. The dry period is particularly harsh in South Africa, so the animals are forced to seek out cool spots and water, making their movements more predictable. That said, Kruger offers excellent safaris all year round!

Uganda sits on the equator, enjoying pleasant temperatures all year round. Two seasons mark the climate: two dry seasons – December to February, then June to October – and two rainy seasons – March/April and November. Here too, the dry season gives you the best chance of seeing the greatest number of animals. However, if you want to see gorillas and chimpanzees, the southern summer, with its foliage, is best for spotting them.

Between June and October, conditions are perfectly aligned for watching the animals on a safari in Namibia. Zebra, antelope, lions and elephants emerge from their shelters and are more easily seen. You can also watch a great many birds flying over the country.

Fancy setting off on this thrilling adventure and seeing this resplendent nature with your own eyes? Our team is here to help you design the trip you dream of, to suit your wishes, at the time you want and to fit your budget – whether that's a small-group safari or a self-drive tour.