For many, embarking on a trip to Africa is a venture into the unknown. For this reason, it  requires careful and meticulous planning. One of the most important questions that arises during this time is: When is the best time for a safari?  This short ‘best time to go to Africa guide’, is intended to share general information and specific details that might be useful for safari planning purposes. 

Africa’s General Climate

The majority of people who travel to Africa for safari are advised to  visit during the dry  and cool season. This is the time when the roads within the safari parks are dry, and therefore good for driving during game drives. The cool weather is comfortable and bearable.  During the rainy, wet season, some roads tend  turn into impassable ruts.  This is a general statement that cannot be applied to the entire continent of Africa. There are important regional variations to this observation. Further, business travelers to any African destination should feel free to ignore this article. Safari enthusiasts would find it more useful.  

Why is the Dry Season a Better Time for Safaris?

The dry season is the best time because it offers the best chance of seeing the wild animals – the essence of the African safari. Permanent water sources attract the animals. As they follow the water supplies and converge at the sources, it is easy to find and see them. The vegetation is thinned out and the trees and other vegetation do not have many leaves that would otherwise obstruct they view.

Why is The Wet Season NOT the better time?

During and immediately after  the rainy season, the grass and general vegetation is long in most wildlife areas.  This means game viewing at these times can be difficult. In some areas, the wildlife will disperse during the rains due to the ample water supply, as they are not dependent on water holes.

Generally, the best time for safari travel,  the optimum safari season usually includes winter (May-August) and the hot spring months of September and October. The climate is comfortable in the dry winter months of May, June, July and August. Daytime temperatures are mild and the nights get a little cool.

For the purpose of this article, and to be able to make some sense out of this complex maze, I am going to divide Africa into 4 regional blocks. This division is more or less arbitrary, based on geography and general climatic conditions.

Africa’s Regional Travel Blocks; 

1. Eastern Africa –Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Burundi
2. Southern Africa – Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia
3. Central and West Africa – DRC, Angola,  Ghana, Nigeria 
4. North Africa – Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco
5. Island Destinations – Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zanzibar

When is the Best Time for Safaris in Eastern Africa

The eastern Africa countries, as mentioned above are  Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Burundi. This region has 2 dry seasons –  From December to February/March and also from June to end of October. In between there will be the rainy season. So a safari trip to Kenya and Tanzania is best planned during the months that fall on these dry seasons  – when wildlife is concentrated around water sources, making it easy to spot and photograph them.  If you are looking at combining gorilla safaris in Rwanda or Uganda,  with big 5 wildlife safaris, the months to AVOID are April and May. The rest of the time should be just fine.

When is the Best Time for Safaris in Southern Africa

Southern Africa safari destinations include Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. As always, for wildlife safaris, it is best to visit during the dry season. The dry season falls between the months of May/June, all the way till October. The rains come between November and April/May. In terms of temperatures, it can get really hot in October.

Best Time to visit Central and  West Africa

Central and West Africa trip destinations include Ghana, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. In most parts of Central and West Africa, the dry season, ideal for travel falls between October/November and April May.  The rest of the year, outside the dry season can also be very hot.

When Should You Visit North Africa?

Unlike safari destinations in Eastern and Southern Africa, rain or wetness is not the main factor when it comes to determining the best time to travel to north Africa. It is the temperature. It can get extremely hot in the north African destinations. That is Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. The best time to travel to any destination in Northern part of Africa is the cooler period – from October to March. Other elements to consider when trying to find the best time for hour trip to  Africa include the continents fascinating festivals and individual country holidays – for example, you may want to reconsider traveling in Islamic countries during the month of Ramadan.

When is the best time to visit the  Indian Ocean Island Destinations?

The weather patterns of the islands are similar to that of Southern Africa with summer rainfall, November to March. The ideal time to visit is from May through to October. All year tropical weather makes the Seychelles and Reunion islands a great place to travel to at any time. But the optimum months are the transitional periods between the wet and dry season. Go in April – May or October – November to benefit from warm, dry days and cool nights. A trip combining Seychelles beach experience and wildlife safari would be best taken September – October. Madagascar and parts of Mozambique  can be affected by extremely inclement weather including massive flooding and cyclones in February and March.

Best Time for the Africa Trip?

Having said that, even though we recommend travel during the dry seasons, especially for safaris, this does not mean this applies to trips to all parts of Africa. In some destinations, even during the rainy seasons, the rains only last for a few hours in a day. That means one can still take part in various interesting activities, when the air is even cleaner and the views are clearer. For people who love bird-watching, the rainy season is also the best time.  

Further, because of the low numbers of travelers, most hotels and lodges offer lower prices, making your entire trip a lot more cheaper than the other times of the year.