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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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
There are numerous african safari choices and many ways to experience your African Safari trip all of which offer fabulous game viewing opportunities. However the best way to really 'experience' Africa is to do a walking safari. Have a read through the various types of safaris on offer to find one that suits your requirements.
Walking Safaris
This is general term used to define an emphasis on walking in game rich areas with an armed, qualified and experienced Professional Guide. These safaris usually make use of both temporary bush camps or permanent lodges as a base from which vehicles and sometimes boats will get you into areas of game activity or specific interest. From there you're led by a Professional Safari Guide.
Walking safaris range from simple trails not far from camp to full on backpacking expeditions. There are walking safaris to suit all levels of comfort and depth of pockets, however, the main point to ensure is the quality of the guide taking you. Some of the best places for walking safaris are in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. Plus, in Eastern Africa, Tanzania offers good opportunities.
Mobile Safari
Mobile safaris make use of 4x4 vehicles usually to cover larger areas or a variety of different habitats in a single trip. The relatively large distances between the prime spots in places like Botswana and Namibia make mobile safaris the ideal choice for viewing these destinations. Vacationtechnician.com employs fully qualified Professional Guides which means that some of the stop-over points will include some time exploring on foot.
Mobile safaris enable visitors to take advantage of all the accommodation options ranging from temporary fly-camps to luxury lodges but more importantly allow access to areas affected by constantly changing seasonal patterns (as in the Okavango Delta) or game movements (as in the Kalahari Desert as well as East Africa).
Fly-in Safaris
Most commonly found in in Botswana and Namibia in order to cover a large amount of territory with some very specific spots on the agenda in as short a space of time as possible. Usually the pilot serves as your guide for the duration of the safari. The camps and lodges used for stop-overs are often the most exclusive available. Six or seven night fly-in safaris are fairly popular with guests who're short on time. This is a more expensive way to go on safari, but you will get to see things that other land bound visitors don't.
Canoe Mekoro Safaris
A great way to experience Africa, especially popular at Mana Pools National Park, and the remote Lower Zambezi National Park on the Zambezi river.
Canoe safaris range from deluxe assisted trails using tented camps or permanent lodges for overnight stops to full participation canoe trails with temporary overnight camps on river banks and islands.
Mekoro canoe safaris can be easily combined with walking safaris to experience a wide selection of what Africa has to offer.
Self-drive Safaris
This is defnitely D.I.Y safari but offers the most flexibility. You hire a vehicle, plan your own route, pre-book accommodations of your choice and explore the region of your choice. Research is key when undertaking a self drive trip and you must ensure that you have all the necessary permits. Namibia is the easiest to on a self-drive basis.
Elephant Back Safaris Y
You do not need to be experienced on horseback to enjoy an Elephant Back Safari and most people agree that being on top is even more exciting than a walking safari!
Privately Guided Safaris
If money is no object and you want to go places not covered by planned trips then you can arrange a privately guided safari. Just ensure that when booking the quality of the guide and accommodation is fully understood.
Horse Riding Safari
Similar to the numerous walking safaris on offer, there are a number of operators who offer horse riding safaris. It's a great way to explore Africa although some level of basic riding ability is required, this is not the place to go and learn to ride.
*`�*-.,_,.-*`�*-.,_,.-*�
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.