When to go
Where to be, month by month.
There is no single best time for Africa, only the best time for what you want to see. The migration moves, the rains come and go, and each country has its season. Here is how we think about it.
The great migration
A year with the herds.
Around 1.5 million wildebeest, with zebra and gazelle, move in a loop between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara. Timing varies with the rain, so these are tendencies, not timetables.
December – March
Calving in the south
The herds graze the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu. In February thousands of calves are born each day, and the predators follow.
April – May
The long rains
The herds drift north-west through the central Serengeti. Many camps close; those that stay open are green, quiet and good value.
June – July
The Western Corridor
The herds gather along the Grumeti River for the first crossings, where crocodiles wait in the pools.
July – October
The Mara River
The famous crossings in the northern Serengeti and the Maasai Mara. Our most requested season; book well ahead.
November
The return south
After the short rains the herds stream back south through Lobo, often in long columns across open country.
At a glance
The year across six countries.
“Quieter” months are often excellent value, with fewer vehicles and green landscapes, though some remote camps close.
| Country | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania (Northern circuit and the Serengeti) | Peak | Peak | Good | Quieter | Quieter | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Kenya (Maasai Mara, Laikipia and Amboseli) | Good | Good | Good | Quieter | Quieter | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Rwanda (Volcanoes, Akagera and Nyungwe) | Peak | Peak | Quieter | Quieter | Quieter | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Quieter | Good |
| Botswana (Okavango, Linyanti and the Kalahari) | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Namibia (Sossusvlei, Damaraland and Etosha) | Quieter | Quieter | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Zambia (South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi) | Quieter | Quieter | Quieter | Quieter | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Quieter | Quieter |
Peak Best wildlife and weatherGood Very rewarding, some trade-offsQuieter Rains likely, some camps closed
Our advice
Three things we tell everyone.
Book the season, then the camp
For July to October in East Africa, the best-positioned camps fill nine to twelve months ahead. Decide on timing first and we will hold the right places.
Do not dismiss the green season
November to March brings newborn animals, dramatic skies and lower prices in Botswana and Kenya. Short afternoon storms rarely spoil a day.
Combine countries by season
Gorillas in Rwanda pair well with the Serengeti in June; Botswana's flood season works beautifully with Victoria Falls from July.
Find your month
Tell us your dates. We will tell you where to be.
If your dates are fixed, we will find the best place to spend them. If they are flexible, we will suggest the month that suits what you most want to see.