East Africa

There are two distinct seasons in East Africa - wet and dry. The dry season is the most popular time to travel because the grass is short, the water sources few and the wildlife tends to concentrate around this precious commodity. In East Africa the dry season ranges from Dec-Mar and Jun-Oct. November to mid-December is the time of the short or light rains. At this time bright, sunny days are interspersed with tropical downpours. The temperatures are warmer and the landscape is green with lush vegetation and new life. The long rainy season occurs during April and May. Peregrine does not recommend travelling in East Africa during this time.

The migration is often a factor in affecting travel to these countries. Each year the herds of wildebeest and zebra assemble in the Serengeti around January and February where they gather and drop their young in large numbers in anticipation of the long rains. From June, after the rains, they start to move north into the Masai Mara, where they stay till around September. From November the herds head south again into the Serengeti. It must be remembered that only some of the wildebeest and zebra migrate - many of the plains animals, the elephants, buffalo, giraffe and all the predators remain year-round in the Serengeti and as such there is really no bad time to visit this area. You cannot mark your calendar by these dates, and with or without the migration there is still prolific resident game in both parks.

Ethiopia experiences short rains from March to may before the long rains set in over June to August. The best time to visit Ethiopia is from September through to and including February when the skies clear and days are long and fine.

The best time to visit Madagascar and West Africa is from April through to the end of the year when the country experiences it's dry season.

Southern Africa

Southern Africa is a land of contrasts when it comes to climate. Traditionally January to March is the rainy season with milder temperatures and higher humidity in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and the astern regions of South Africa. From March until October this region is charecterised by long dry winters offering excellent game viewing where days are warm and bright but the nights can become quite cold. Light rains begin in Namibia at this time and continue until the longer rains begin in January. Namibia does not tend to attract the light rains and the months of November and December are very hot but with only low humidity levels.

The Western Cape region of South Africa, primarily Cape Town, is much more reminiscent of a Melbourne year. June, July and August are wet and windy whilst December to March is characterised by warm, summery weather.

For more information on the four main seasons:

Dry season
The dry season is the most popular time because the grass is short and the wildlife is concentrated around permanent water supplies so it is easy to spot game. Temperatures vary widely with cold nights and hot days.

Shoulder season
The shoulder season is an ideal time to join a safari. Wildlife is easy to track, there is less dust in the air, and the weather is generally more temperate. January and February are very good months to visit East Africa.

Light rains
During the light rains the parks are greener and you don’t see as many other tourists. The rain generally falls at night freshening the air. Cooler conditions mean the animals are generally more active during the day.

Rainy season
The rainy season showcases Africa in a very different way. Bright, sunny days are interspersed with tropical downpours. Some years the rains are very light – or simply don’t come at all.