African Safari FAQ

Time of year

So you have chosen a Tanzania hotel, decided upon your Botswana travel destination or selected your South African travel agent. The next choice you will have to make will involve the time of year you wish to undertake your safari. Much has been written about the ideal time of year to travel to Africa, but in fact there are myriad factors that could play a role in your decision. These include:

Special natural events you would like to include in your itinerary. Certain natural attractions only occur at select times of the year (e.g. The Great Migration, the blooming of the West Coast wild flowers, the arrival of the water in the Okavango Delta).

The particular focus of your safari. Depending on the main activity that your safari is based upon, certain times of the year will be better than others. For instance, it may be more comfortable to participate in game drives during winter due to the milder temperatures, while the landscape tends to be very lush after the summer rain - making it more difficult to spot game. Therefore, the dry season is a better option as permanent water supplies attract the animals, vegetation is thinned out and trees do not have as many leaves to obstruct the view from your safari vehicle.

Your budget. During peak season your accommodation and activity expenses are bound to be substantially higher than they would be in low season. This is mainly due to supply and demand. Most safari establishments cater only for a select number of people and therefore space on these excursions comes at a premium. If you would prefer to a greater range of activities it is recommended that you visit during low season, when the weather may not be great all the time, but you will get a much better deal on accommodation etc.

Your preferred destination. The dry and wet seasons differ greatly from one country to the next. The East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania, for instance, experience two rainy seasons (the so-called long rains from April to June and the short rains from late November to December). Southern African countries like South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, on the other hand, generally have their rainy season from November to March, although regions like the Western Cape experience a winter rainfall.


It is important to ascertain how seasonal trends might affect your trip. Keep in mind, however, that weather is variable and so it is very possible that days may go by without rain during the rainy season, or you could encounter thundershowers in the middle of the dry season! Discuss these factors with your South African travel agent during the planning phase of your African safari.