The Vacation Technician Company recommends African Safaris all year round. African seasons all have their own advantages. It is nice to understand the seasonal trends and how they can affect your safari. Weather is variable so it is possible to go for days without rain during the peak of the rainy season, or have rain in the middle of the dry season. For detail on particular Africa Safari regions read on:
Southern Africa
Botswana
An all year luxury wildlife destination. Please note:
Best birding months are Nov - March when the Okavanga Delta is brimming with migratory birds.
Best botanical months are Dec - May when the vegetation is lush and green, and also when most plants are in flower.
SUMMER: November - April, days are hot and generally sunny in the morning with possible afternoon thunder storms. Daytime temperatures can rise to 38�C and night temperatures drop to around 20�C - 25�C. The 'rainy season' begins December and ends in March/April. The Northern areas receive up to 700mm while the Kalahari Desert area averages as low as 225mm.
WINTER: May - October, days are dry, sunny and cool to warm while evening temperatures drop sharply. Daytime temperatures generally reach 20�C and can drop to as low as 5�C at night.
Seasonal changes have an influence on safaris - flooding through the Okavango Delta needs can be incredibly exciting and a great time to be in Botswana. The Okavango is best from July to October, Moremi and Chobe May to October
Zimbabwe
SUMMER: October - April, days are hot and generally sunny in the morning with possible afternoon thunder storms. Daytime temperatures can rise to 30�C and night temperatures drop to around 14�C - 16�C. The rainy season runs from December to April, although the Eastern Highlands are damp for most of the year.
WINTER: May - September, days are dry, sunny and cool to warm while evening temperatures drop sharply. Daytime temperatures generally reach 20�C and can drop to as low as 5�C at night.
Zimbabwe's best game-viewing season is generally from late May until November. September sees the start of the inbound bird migrations and birding remains excellent throughout the wet season. This applies to all areas except Matusadona which we consider to be a good safari spot at any time of year. Mana Pools is practically inaccessible other than by canoe in the wet season between December and April.
Zambia
Zambia has a moderate climate, despite the fact that it is within tropical latitudes. There are three seasons:
1. cool and dry from April to August
2. hot and dry from September to October
3. warm and wet from November to March.
Only during the wet season is there noticeable humidity. In the river valleys of the Zambezi and Luangwa it only becomes very hot in the month of October.
Zambia's game viewing is best during the dry season from May through to October. The wet season is best for bird watching but access particularly into the Luangwa is very limited. "Green season" safaris are available on request in certain camps.
Namibia
SUMMER: November - April, days are generally hot and sunny. Daytime temperatures can rise to 35�C and night temperatures drop to around 14�C - 18�C. The coastal region is cool and dry throughout the year. The rainy season runs from February to March and average rainfall varies from less than 50mm along the coast to 350mm in the central and 700mm in the far north-eastern regions.
WINTER: May - October, days are dry, sunny and mild to warm while evening temperatures drop sharply. Daytime temperatures generally reach 23�C and can drop to as low as 0�C - 10�C at night. Would recommend jumpers and a windbreaker.
South Africa
SUMMER: October - April
WINTER: May - August
Summer temperatures average between 15-30�C (60-96F) at midday. South Africa's climate is generally mild throughout the year. Snowfall is limited to the highest mountain peaks. South Africa ranks high in the world in respect of the number of sunshine days per year.
KwaZulu Natal has a sub tropical climate with high humidity in Summer. The Southern Gauteng region has hot summers with occasional thundershowers and frosty winters, while the Eastern part of this region (known as the Lowveld) enjoys mild winters.
The Cape interior and the Free State have similar weather conditions to the Southern Gauteng region.
The Western Cape region has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.
East Africa
Kenya
Kenya is divided by the Equator and enjoys a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and northeast parts of the country. The hottest period is in February and March and the coldest in July and August. The long rains occur from April to June and short rains from October to December. Rainfall is sometimes heavy and tends to fall in the afternoon and evenings.
Tanzania
Late March-late May is traditionally the long rainy season. This period is considered the "winter period" in Tanzania.
June-late October is the dry season. June, July and August can be very cold on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater.
Late October-mid December is when the short rains occur. These tend to be in the form of a daily thunderstorm. The Ngorongoro Crater rim has a wonderful climate at this time of year. The Serengeti and Lake Manyara are very warm and Mnemba is very hot.
Mid December-March is summer weather. It is dry and very warm until March. Due to its altitude Ngorongoro Crater is much cooler than elsewhere.
Uganda
Temperature in Uganda remains fairly constant, whereas the rainfall varies depending on the region. Lake Victoria and the mountainous areas receive heavy rainfall, but the northeast and parts of the south are quite dry. Dry seasons in the south run from December through March, and June through October; in the north, the dry season is from November through March.
Rwanda
In Rwanda's highland climate, wide temperature variations occur because of elevation differences. In the mountains in the northwest, frost occurs at night. Rwanda's three main seasons include a short dry season in January, a major rainy season that lasts from February through May, and a long dry season from May through September. The average yearly rainfall is 790 millimeters (31 inches) and is heaviest in the western and northwestern mountain regions.
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