12 Months of Wildlife Experiences in Africa

January

• January is a busy but dramatic time to visit Tanzania as the migration herds give birth in the southeast of the Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks see a short break from the rains
• In Namibia’s Caprivi Strip you can make the most of excellent birdwatching opportunities, with more than 450 species in the area
• Clear, calm seas in Zanzibar make January a great time for diving and snorkelling to see the incredible marine life
• January is the best time of year for game viewing in Botswana’s Central Kalahari, as the green desert, attracts predators, prey, and plenty of migrant and resident birds
• Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans plays host to large concentrations of zebra and flamingo
• Ideal time for trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda or Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda as January generally coincides with a short dry spell, making it easier and more comfortable to trek because there is less rain and mud

February

• Although it’s the rainy season in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls is in full flow with water thundering over the edge into the canyon below
• In the rest of Zambia, large flocks of migratory species make it a good time for birdwatchers
• Meanwhile in Uganda, it’s a good time to go trekking in search of mountain gorillas and chimpanzees
• In Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve, the vegetation comes to life, with a chance to see endemic species in this region, which comprise of the endangered Grévy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and gerenuk – look out for the babies
• It is an excellent time for snorkelling, and diving, on Fregate, Denis, Praslin, and Mahé Islands in the Seychelles. Also turtle hatching, black parrots, and giant tortoises can be found
• Southern Africa is in good birding season, with many migrant summer visitors.
• It’s peak gorilla trekking season in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, or Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

March

• March is a changeable month across much of Africa, with rains disrupting travel in many places. Wildlife viewing is still good and migratory bird species arrive in their thousands, yet the camps are quiet and offer good deals, making this a more affordable time to visit most destinations
• Expect excellent leopard and rhino sightings in the ‘big five’ country of the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve within Kruger National Park, South Africa
• March to mid-May has a reputation as the best time to see chimpanzees in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park, and Uganda’s Kibale National Park
• Predators and prey are plentiful in Botswana’s Central Kalahari
• Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana has large concentrations of flamingos and zebras

April

• The breeding season for antelope is underway in Botswana and Malawi — you’ll see males strutting around and butting heads in a show of force
• As fruit ripens, chimpanzees come down to the lower branches to feed, so it’s a prime time to spot them in Rwanda
• The rainy season is starting across East Africa, as the wildebeest are on the move, passing through the Seronera area in long columns, attracting the attention of big cats. This is a great time, and place, to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
• Whale-watching opportunities abound as humpback whales make their epic annual migration from Antarctica to warmer waters off East Africa to give birth

May

• May is the start of the dry season across Southern Africa. It’s a good time to visit as the grass dries up, forcing herds to move from pastures to wetlands. This makes their whereabouts easier to predict — along with the predators they attract
• Zimbabwe offers great safaris in Hwange. Lake Kariba is a must, and the Victoria Falls are still in peak flow
• The migrating wildebeest are arriving in the western corridor of the Serengeti and begin crossing the crocodile infested Grumeti River

June

• In Botswana and Uganda, the ground starts to dry out, the vegetation thins and the water holes shrink, making game easy to spot
• Meanwhile, the Niassa Game Reserve in northern Mozambique and Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, with its pumped waterholes, open up, attracting all manner of wildlife for photographers to capture
• The Sardine Run can be seen off South Africa’s KwaZulu/Natal coast
• The famous Ngorongoro Crater moves into its peak season
• Superb gorilla trekking in this drier month in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

July

• It’s a good time for whale watching and game viewing in South Africa, with southern right whales and humpbacks migrating along the coast and animals congregating around waterholes in the game reserves
• The migration moves into the western Serengeti then heads north towards Kenya’s Masai Mara. River crossings are at their peak, and it’s an excellent time to see big cats as wildebeest, wildebeest, and more wildebeest pass through!
• Elephants start to gather in Tarangire, Tanzania
• This is the best time to see hippos in South Luangwa, Zambia as this is when the Luangwa River is lowest and you’re likely to see large hippo concentrations

August

• The Great Migration is at its height in Kenya’s Masai Mara, with huge herds of wildebeest and zebra gathering to cross the Mara and Talek rivers
• Walking safaris are at their best in Zambia and combine well with a visit to Victoria Falls
• Big pods of southern right whales can be seen off the southern coast of South Africa, between Cape Town and Plettenberg bay, on their annual migration from the Antarctic
• In Southern Africa, carmine and white fronted bee-eaters start nesting.
• Gorilla trekking is good in Uganda and Rwanda in August, and it combines well with a safari in Kenya
• Great conditions for pelagic tours off the southern Cape of South Africa, and Humpback whales off the East coast
• Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania, offers spectacular, peak-season, game viewing in a massive national park, without the crowds

September

• September really is prime game viewing across most of Africa. Take your choice from safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa (in the north Kruger region), Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia
• In the Seychelles you will see turtle nesting and egg-laying
• Migrating birds travel southwards, through East Africa to Southern Africa, in large numbers
• You will encounter vast herds of wildebeest grazing on the Mara’s lush and plentiful grasses in Kenya
• Ruaha and Katavi National Parks less well-known national parks in Tanzania, offer superb game viewing and birding
• Elephants are concentrating at Chobe River and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and in Zambia’s lower Zambezi
•  In Zambia, you can look for thousands of carmine bee-eaters, which arrive to nest in the riverbanks

October

• In Etosha National Park, Namibia, many animal species gather around one waterhole as others dry up.  You really won’t know where to start looking!
• Hwange in Zimbabwe and Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park,  in South Africa are at their driest time, when the animals are at their greatest concentrations around water, easy targets for big cats and wild dogs
• In the lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia, you can experience 4×4 game drives, nature walks in the morning, and boating and canoe safaris in the afternoon
• Linyanti, Savute in Chobe, Botswana will surprise you with their game viewing sightings

November

• This is a great time to take advantage of low-season rates in Tanzania
• Migrating herds start to travel south from Kenya, so you can often see river crossings in the north of the Serengeti
• It’s also a good time for birdwatching in Zimbabwe, where parks have become quieter despite the presence of both resident and migratory bird species
• The greater straw-coloured fruit bat migration into Zambia’s Kasanka National Park, whilst tens of thousands of wildebeest make the most of fresh grazing at Liuwa Plains

December

• Cape Town is such a great place to visit at this time of year, with stunning scenery and great ‘malaria free’ game viewing
• This is the best time to see new-born seal pups at Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.
• Plenty of lions, leopards, wild dogs, spotted hyenas, and cheetahs can be seen as thousands of zebras arrive to feast on the fresh grass, as well as hundreds of wobbly new-born springbok, impala, wildebeest, and buffalo In the Kalahari Desert, Botswana
• In Mahale Mountains, Tanzania, it’s a great time for trekking habituated chimpanzee families in the Mahale rainforest

Wildlife in Africa is not seasonal and there is something to experience all year round! We have amazing holidays at affordable prices so be sure to for you to book your Safari today.