Guides
When to travel
Much of Africa is seasonal. Here is my month-by-month view of where families get the best of each country, so you can match your dates to the right place.
Travel calendar
Seasons at a glance
Each rating weighs up wildlife, weather and how well a place works for families that month. A Fair month can still be wonderful, often with lower rates, more availability and far fewer vehicles at animal sightings.
- Excellent
- Good
- Fair
- Poor
Scroll sideways to see every month.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | ||||||||||||
| Masai Mara | January: Good | February: Good | March: Fair | April: Poor | May: Poor | June: Good | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Fair | December: Good |
| Kenya coast | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Good | April: Poor | May: Poor | June: Fair | July: Good | August: Good | September: Good | October: Good | November: Fair | December: Excellent |
| Tanzania | ||||||||||||
| Northern Serengeti | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Poor | April: Poor | May: Poor | June: Good | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Fair | December: Fair |
| Southern Serengeti | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Excellent | April: Poor | May: Fair | June: Fair | July: Fair | August: Fair | September: Fair | October: Fair | November: Fair | December: Good |
| Ngorongoro and Tarangire | January: Good | February: Good | March: Good | April: Fair | May: Fair | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Good | December: Good |
| Zanzibar | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Good | April: Poor | May: Poor | June: Good | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Fair | December: Excellent |
| South Africa | ||||||||||||
| Cape Town and Winelands | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Excellent | April: Good | May: Fair | June: Fair | July: Fair | August: Fair | September: Good | October: Good | November: Excellent | December: Excellent |
| Garden Route | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Excellent | April: Good | May: Good | June: Fair | July: Fair | August: Fair | September: Good | October: Good | November: Good | December: Excellent |
| Kruger | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Good | April: Good | May: Excellent | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Good | December: Fair |
| Namibia | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Fair | April: Good | May: Excellent | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Good | November: Fair | December: Fair |
| Botswana | ||||||||||||
| Okavango Delta | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Fair | April: Good | May: Good | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Good | November: Fair | December: Fair |
| Chobe and Linyanti | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Fair | April: Fair | May: Good | June: Good | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Fair | December: Fair |
| Kalahari and Makgadikgadi | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Excellent | April: Good | May: Good | June: Good | July: Fair | August: Fair | September: Fair | October: Fair | November: Good | December: Good |
| Zambia | ||||||||||||
| South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi | January: Poor | February: Poor | March: Poor | April: Poor | May: Good | June: Good | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Fair | December: Poor |
| Victoria Falls (Zambian side) | January: Fair | February: Good | March: Excellent | April: Excellent | May: Excellent | June: Good | July: Good | August: Good | September: Fair | October: Fair | November: Poor | December: Fair |
| Zimbabwe | ||||||||||||
| Hwange and Mana Pools | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Fair | April: Fair | May: Good | June: Good | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Fair | December: Fair |
| Victoria Falls (Zimbabwean side) | January: Good | February: Good | March: Excellent | April: Excellent | May: Excellent | June: Excellent | July: Good | August: Good | September: Good | October: Fair | November: Fair | December: Good |
| Mozambique | January: Fair | February: Fair | March: Fair | April: Good | May: Excellent | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Excellent | November: Excellent | December: Good |
| Uganda | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Fair | April: Poor | May: Poor | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Good | October: Fair | November: Fair | December: Good |
| Rwanda | January: Excellent | February: Excellent | March: Fair | April: Poor | May: Fair | June: Excellent | July: Excellent | August: Excellent | September: Excellent | October: Fair | November: Fair | December: Good |
Know your dates already?
Tell me when you can travel and who is coming, and I'll suggest where your family will get the very best of that time of year.