Confused as to when is the best time to travel to Africa? Trust us, you are not the only one.

With Covid having messed up most people's travel plans, a lot of our guests are forced to travel outside of their normal travel months and are not 100% sure what to expect when it comes to the weather.

To recap, safari destinations in Southern Africa include countries like Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Malawi. The dry seasons normally fall within the months of April to October but with weather patterns these days, anything is possible.

We have included some pictures above from some of our favourite destinations in Southern Africa to give you an idea as to how beautiful and green the bush is during the rainy season.

If you are heat sensitive however, I would not suggest travelling to some of these areas between the months of November and March as you will be horribly uncomfortable as both humidity and temperatures can get very high. Due to the remote locations of many of these accommodations, air conditioning is not always a luxury on offer.

For me personally, I love travelling in the wet season as this is a great time for birding with all the inter-Africa migrants returning, lots of babies being born with the first rains, fewer visitors meaning that parks and reserves are not as congested allowing you more time with great sightings and probably the most rewarding, the dramatic contrasts of strikingly blue skies and the bright green foliage which is perfect for photographers.

East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania) works slightly differently and can get confusing as their dry season tends to fall over late June to September plus, they have two wet seasons, April to early June and then short rains between October and December.

Rain does not fall for days on end but rather a build-up over a couple of hours followed by a quick sharp thunderstorm for an hour or two before it clears up again. Most of the time it is a welcome relief from the heat and these storms can be pretty spectacular. I would happily recommend travelling to the likes of Tanzania at the start of the short rains to avoid the masses of tourists. Remember, the migration is always happening no matter what time of year you are travelling and general game viewing is always going to be fantastic no matter what time of year you go.

With all these destinations in Africa, it is vital that you plan your travels around your specific interests. There is no point going to the Okavango Delta and spending time at a camp offering only water activities if there is no water, it is a huge waste of money and you are going to be confined to the lodge with very little to do. Likewise, if you don't want to see a drop of rain from start to finish, then we need to make sure you rather travel in the drier months of the year.

Some destinations and lodges are seasonal and even close during the wetter summer months which is when we need to get a bit creative and use lodges that are in fact open, this is where booking through an agent like Zafaris is hugely beneficial to give you the correct advice for the particular destination you are travelling to.

It is so hard to time your holiday to perfection with regards to weather patterns, but we can certainly try our absolute best to make sure key experiences like a safari are maximised.

Please don't think your holiday is going to be compromised in any way travelling during the green season, for us, the best-kept secrets are revealed during these months.

We know that travel is scary at the moment but Africa is really one of the safest destinations to travel through at the moment. We can avoid cities and limit your time spent in airports or in transit. We will make sure your holiday is easy and stress-free from start to finish.

Have a look at some of our recently booked trips travelling during the Green Season.

The Best of East Africa

Rovos Rail and Victoria Falls

Self-Drive Namibia & Relax in Botswana

Remember that all our itineraries are obligation-free quotes so contact us at info@zafaris.co.za to personalise your itinerary or if you have any questions about your up and coming travels, feel free to pop us an email. We can't wait to hear from you!