When is the best time to visit Kruger National Park? What is the best time to see the wildebeest migration? When is the best time to see wildlife in Etosha National Park? These are some of the most common questions we get from people planning their African safari holiday.
This is why we decided to write an article about the best times of the year to visit our top safari destinations in Southern and East Africa. We will start with Kruger National Park, followed by Etosha National Park in Namibia, Okavango Delta and Chobe River in Botswana, the Northern Tanzania National Parks and end with the best time to visit the spectacular wildebeest migration in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara. Find out the best times to go on safari in Africa below,
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger National Park is the largest and certainly the most famous national park in South Africa. The park can be visited all year round. The dry winter months is the best time to view wildlife due to the fact that the bush thins out and the animals gather around waterholes.
Best time to visit: May to October
High season: December to January and July to August
Low season: April to mid-June and September to November
Temperatures summer: 30Ā°C/20Ā°C
Temperatures winter: 24Ā°C/10Ā°C
Etosha National Park, Namibia
The best place in Namibia to see wildlife is Etosha National Park. The park has diverse vegetation and is characterized by a massive salt pan that covers 4731kmĀ². The dry winter months are also the best months to visit Etosha, again because of the large crowds of animals coming to the waterholes to drink. During the lush wet season, it is harder to spot animals because they move around more and it can get very, very hot during these months.
Best time to visit: July to October
High season: July to November
Low season: December to June
Temperatures summer: 35Ā°C/20Ā°C
Temperatures winter: 27CĀ°/6Ā°C
Okavango Delta and Chobe River, Botswana
The Okavango Delta and Chobe River are Botswanaās most popular parks. Both parks offer good wildlife viewing all year round. Wildlife can be easiest spotted during dry season and winter (May to September). The Okavango Delta is famous for the mokoro (traditional canoe) trips through the delta and the months May to August are best for this when the water is high.
Best time to visit: April to September
High season: July to October
Low season: December to April
Temperatures summer: 32Ā°C/22Ā°C
Temperatures winter: 26Ā°C/8Ā°C
Northern Tanzania parks
Tanzaniaās Northern Circuit consists of a collection of National Parks, conservation areas and reserves. Among these are the famous Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park. Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro offer opportunities for great wildlife viewing throughout the year. Tarangire National Park is best visited during dry season from June till October because most of the animals leave the park during wet season.
Best time to visit: June to September
High season: July to March
Low season: April and May
Temperatures summer: 25Ā°C/14Ā°C
Temperatures winter: 24Ā°C/13Ā°C
Wildebeest migration, Tanzania/Kenya
The wildebeest migration is a never-ending circle of life. It starts when the wildebeest and zebra are born, which happens during the calving season between January and March. When food becomes scarce, the approximately 1.7 million wildebeest, a quarter of a million zebra and more than 500,000 antelope head north. From June to September the animals head from the Serengeti in Tanzania to Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. To get here they have to cross two rivers, the Grumeti river and the Mara river, both full of crocodiles. The migration, and especially the millions of animals crossing the rivers and dealing with crocodile, lion and other predators, is one of the most spectacular things you will ever see.
Best time to visit: June to September
High season: July to March
Low season: April and May
Temperatures summer: 25Ā°C/14Ā°C
Temperatures winter: 24Ā°C/13Ā°C
And there you go – the best times of the year to plan and go on the perfect safari in various parts of Africa.
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