Wednesday, April 1, 2015

In Search of Perfect Weather: When to Go On Safari in Africa

Post by Jaunted


A female lion lounges on an overcast afternoon in Kenya's Masai Mara
The calendar is ready to turn over to April, which means that safari season will officially kick off in many parts of Africa as the wet, rainy summer season ends and we enter the dry, winter months (Africa seasons are the opposite of North America).
Things have been up and running for a couple months now in Eastern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, where two rainy seasons break up the safari season. But since rain falls from November to December and between April and June, the best times to go are January through March and then again June through October.

But as Eastern Africa prepares for a quick break in the action, Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi) is just getting started. In most parts of this region, the rainy season runs from November to March, with the dry season lasting the entire summer, beginning at the start of April.

While each region has its prime time, keep in mind that safaris can take place any time throughout the year - it's just a matter of rolling the dice. Off-peak months have the best deals and fewer crowds, but the weather definitely makes a huge difference in the experience, from the rain itself to the tall grass it creates. The further you get into the dry season, the less coverage the animals have to hide.
That said, there are also less watering holes and smaller rivers later in the season, so there are perks to going early in the season. Landing somewhere in the middle is your best bet, when you are likely to have nice weather and a balanced ecosystem.


[Photo: Will McGough]

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