Best time to visit Africa

Excellent

Peak zebra migration — thousands crossing the pans

Excellent

Zebra and wildebeest with young — predators follow

Excellent

First rains attract zebra — migration begins

Excellent

Full migration in swing, flamingos on the pans

Excellent

Migration peak — lush, dramatic landscapes

Excellent

Green season peak — lion and cheetah cubs, abundant prey

Excellent

Lush, predators very active, great for cheetah

Excellent

Dry season — predators at fossil riverbed waterholes

Excellent

Outstanding lion and cheetah sightings

Excellent

Peak — black-maned lions on fossil riverbeds, spectacular

Excellent

Superb — large herds of oryx, gemsbok and springbok

Excellent

Falls building to peak — dramatic and full spray

Excellent

Falls at maximum flow — incredible spray and power

Excellent

Peak flow — the falls at their most dramatic

Excellent

Full flow + activities open — excellent all-round

Excellent

Ideal — lower spray means you can see the falls clearly

Excellent

Excellent views, rafting in full swing

Excellent

Calving season — thousands of wildebeest born, predators everywhere

Excellent

Peak calving — extraordinary predator action on short-grass plains

Excellent

Herds moving north, green plains, dramatic scenes

Excellent

Western corridor crossings — dramatic Grumeti River action

Excellent

Migration in the north — Mara River crossings begin

Excellent

Peak crossings in the north — spectacular drama

Excellent

Herds crossing back south — excellent action

Excellent

Herds on short-grass plains, calving season approaching

Excellent

Excellent — crater floor lush, all wildlife present

Excellent

Superb game viewing, crater green and dramatic

Excellent

Dry and clear — excellent visibility into the crater

Excellent

Peak season — wildlife dense on the crater floor

Excellent

Outstanding — big cats, rhino and flamingos

Excellent

Excellent all-round — dry, cool, spectacular

Excellent

Superb conditions, crater rim misty at dawn

Excellent

Dry and excellent — strong finish to the year

Excellent

Dry season — prime gorilla trekking, trails clear

Excellent

Dry, excellent trekking conditions

Excellent

Dry season begins — superb trekking

Excellent

Peak dry season — ideal gorilla trekking

Excellent

Excellent — clear trails, great photography

Excellent

Still excellent, dry conditions hold

Excellent

Dry season returns — festive trekking

Excellent

Dry season — prime gorilla trekking

Excellent

Dry, excellent forest conditions

Excellent

Dry season begins — superb trekking

Excellent

Peak dry season — ideal gorilla trekking

Excellent

Excellent — clear trails, great sightings

Excellent

Still excellent, dry conditions hold

Excellent

Dry season returns — festive trekking

Excellent

Dry season begins, game viewing picks up fast

Excellent

High water in the Delta — mokoro and boating season

Excellent

Peak season — best game viewing, floodwaters high

Excellent

Exceptional — dry, wildlife concentrated at waterholes

Excellent

Still excellent, rains may begin late in month

Excellent

Dry season opens — outstanding wild dog activity

Excellent

High water excellent for boat and walking activities

Excellent

Peak season — wild dogs, leopard and lion all active

Excellent

Exceptional — wildlife very dense, predators hunting

Excellent

Still superb, rains may begin at month end

Excellent

Dry season — game concentrations build rapidly

Excellent

Excellent game at the Kwando and Linyanti rivers

Excellent

Peak — exceptional predators including wild dogs

Excellent

Outstanding, largest wildlife concentrations

Excellent

Still superb, some early rains possible

Excellent

Dry season begins — excellent game concentrations

Excellent

Brilliant boat safaris, elephant herds on riverbanks

Excellent

Peak season — massive herds, daily sightings

Excellent

Absolute peak — thousands of elephants at the river

Excellent

Still outstanding, herds at peak size

Excellent

Dry and cool — ideal for walking and tracking

Excellent

Excellent rhino and roan sightings

Excellent

Peak season — outstanding walking safaris

Excellent

Excellent all-round, wildlife concentrated at water

Excellent

Still superb, warm and clear

Excellent

Winter sunshine, clear and comfortable

Excellent

Cool and dry — ideal for all activities

Excellent

Clear days, cold evenings — classic Swakopmund

Excellent

Peak season — crystal clear, superb for photography

Excellent

Warming, still excellent conditions

Excellent

Dry season — superb wildlife viewing begins

Excellent

Excellent game, animals at pumped waterholes

Excellent

Peak season — massive elephant herds, all predators

Excellent

Outstanding — wild dogs denning, big concentrations

Excellent

Exceptional game viewing, hot springs of activity

Excellent

Dry season — tiger fishing and game viewing excellent

Excellent

Excellent houseboat safaris, wildlife along shores

Excellent

Peak season — outstanding tiger fishing and game

Excellent

Exceptional — elephants in shallows, superb sunsets

Excellent

Outstanding — all activities firing on all cylinders

Excellent

Camps reopen — fantastic game viewing begins

Excellent

Brilliant conditions — wildlife concentrations building

Excellent

Peak season — incredible wildlife density

Excellent

Walking safari at its best — arid and dramatic

Excellent

Outstanding leopard and predator activity

Excellent

Dry season begins — cheetah and wild dog very active

Excellent

Busanga Plains open — outstanding game concentrations

Excellent

Peak season — all predators, exceptional sightings

Excellent

Outstanding — wildlife density rivalling anywhere in Africa

Excellent

Still superb, rains may begin late in month

Excellent

Winter begins — vegetation thinning, game easier to spot

Excellent

Peak season — dry, cool, fantastic game viewing

Excellent

Best game viewing of the year — bare vegetation

Excellent

Exceptional — wildlife concentrated at waterholes

Excellent

Spring warming, still excellent game density

Excellent

Cool and clear — excellent game viewing begins

Excellent

Peak season — dry, cool, outstanding wildlife

Excellent

Best game viewing — dry, vegetation sparse

Excellent

Excellent — wildlife concentrated at waterholes

Excellent

Warming up, still excellent conditions

Excellent

Migration arrives — wildebeest river crossings begin

Excellent

Peak migration — dramatic Mara River crossings daily

Excellent

Migration continues — excellent big cat and predator action

Excellent

Dry season — Kilimanjaro clear, game concentrates

Excellent

Peak season — superb elephant herds and big cats

Excellent

Excellent game viewing, Kilimanjaro dramatic at dawn

Excellent

Outstanding conditions, herds around the swamps

Excellent

Dry season — rhino tracking and game viewing superb

Excellent

Excellent conditions — diverse wildlife very active

Excellent

Peak season — rhino, wild dogs and all game

Excellent

Outstanding — camel, horseback and walking excellent

Excellent

Superb conditions, all activities operating

Excellent

Rains tapering — game concentrates at permanent water

Excellent

Dry season — elephants and predators at Mzima Springs

Excellent

Peak season — outstanding red elephant viewing

Excellent

Best game viewing, red dust coating animals dramatic

Excellent

Excellent conditions — diverse and plentiful wildlife

Excellent

Dry and cool — excellent game viewing begins

Excellent

Peak game viewing — animals drawn to waterholes

Excellent

Excellent — rhino, lion and cheetah sightings common

Excellent

Peak dry season — spectacular waterhole action

Excellent

Still outstanding, some early clouds

Excellent

Excellent walking and rhino activity begins

Excellent

Peak walking season — rhino tracking superb

Excellent

Outstanding — rhino and Etosha combo excellent

Excellent

Peak dry season, rhino at waterholes

Excellent

Still excellent, reserve very active

Excellent

Perfect temperatures, clear skies, great for photography

Excellent

Cool mornings, stunning light on the dunes

Excellent

Cold nights, crisp days — superb photography

Excellent

Peak season — clear air, beautiful dune colours

Excellent

Excellent — wildlife active, great mornings

Excellent

Warm and clear — best conditions of the year

Excellent

Dry and cool — ideal rhino tracking conditions

Excellent

Excellent — elephants and rhino very active

Excellent

Peak season — wildlife concentrated at water sources

Excellent

Outstanding — desert elephant herds moving to rivers

Excellent

Excellent conditions, clear and warm

Excellent

Game building rapidly — elephants, lions and predators

Excellent

Peak season — enormous elephant herds at the river

Excellent

Outstanding — wildlife density at its highest

Excellent

Still superb, huge herds in baobab landscapes

Excellent

Dry season — outstanding predator activity begins

Excellent

Excellent — wild dogs and lion prides very active

Excellent

Peak season — wildlife concentrations build along river

Excellent

Outstanding — one of Africa's great dry season spectacles

Excellent

Superb game, remote and wild atmosphere

Excellent

Dry season — boat and walking safaris superb

Excellent

Excellent — wild dog dens active, river safaris great

Excellent

Peak season — wildlife intense along Rufiji River

Excellent

Outstanding — boat safaris, walking and game drives

Excellent

Superb conditions, dry and productive

Excellent

Dry season begins — outstanding game and canoe activity

Excellent

Superb — elephants, lions and wild dogs very active

Excellent

Peak season — extraordinary elephant behaviour, incredible game

Excellent

Outstanding — wildlife intense, canoe safaris superb

Excellent

Still exceptional, Zimbabwe's finest season

Excellent

Peak season — buffalo herds and predators outstanding

Excellent

Exceptional walking safari conditions

Excellent

Outstanding — Africa at its most raw and remote

Excellent

Dry season — excellent game and canoe conditions

Excellent

River safaris superb, wildlife abundant

Excellent

Peak season — fishing, canoe and game drives all excellent

Excellent

Outstanding — low river exposes beaches, wildlife dense

Excellent

Exceptional game, tiger fishing at its best