08/28/2026
🌍 AFRICA FRIDAY WITH IRENE'S TRAVEL: So… when IS the best time to go on safari? 🦁
Probably the question I get asked most:
“What’s the best month to go to Africa?”
The answer really depends on what’s fixed.
📅 If you already know WHEN you can travel, we pick the places that are best at that time.
🦁 If you know WHERE you want to go or WHAT you really want to see, we work backwards and figure out when you should go.
There isn't one “best month for Africa.” It’s about matching the time, place and experience.
Here are a few examples.
☀️ Dry season
In much of Southern Africa — South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe — May/June through October is generally dry season.
The vegetation is thinner, animals tend to gather around water and they can be easier to spot. Roads are usually better too.
July–September is very popular. Of course, that also means higher prices and more people.
And dry season really does look DRY. If the Africa in your head is lush and green, this isn't necessarily when you'll see it.
🌿 Green season
The rains generally come November through March/April in much of Southern Africa.
Suddenly everything is green. There are babies, incredible birdlife, fewer tourists and often much better prices.
And no, all the animals don't disappear. 😄
But rain can mean muddy roads and tougher game drives, especially in remote areas. Animals can be more spread out because they don't need to congregate around water, and some seasonal camps in Botswana and Zambia close during the wettest months.
So green season can be wonderful — but I wouldn't automatically recommend every destination at every time of year.
🦓 The Great Migration
This is another one that gets confusing.
The Great Migration doesn't only happen in September. It's happening all year. The question is where the herds are and what you want to see.
January–March: Southern Serengeti/Ndutu in Tanzania. This is calving season — huge herds, thousands of babies and, naturally, lots of predator action.
July–October: Northern Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara. This is what most people picture when they say they want to see the Great Migration — huge herds and the famous Mara River crossings. August and September are particularly popular.
And no one can promise you a river crossing on Tuesday at 10 AM. 😄 The animals and the rains make that schedule.
💦 Okavango Delta
This one is really interesting.
Botswana's rainy season is generally November–March, but much of the water in the Okavango comes from rain that fell months earlier in Angola.
So June–August can actually be one of the best times to go. Botswana is dry, but the Delta is filling with water. Great wildlife viewing plus those beautiful waterways and mokoro safaris.
In other words: dry season can mean high water.
September–October can also be excellent for wildlife, but it gets HOT — especially in October.
Green season is beautiful, quieter and usually less expensive. But for a first — and maybe only — Okavango trip, I'd generally lean toward the dry-season/flood period.
🌊 Victoria Falls
And this one happens to go perfectly with my photo.
Water levels are generally highest around March–May. I was there in April, during peak water.
See the umbrella? It wasn't raining. ☂️
That's the mist from Victoria Falls!
At peak flow the Falls are unbelievably powerful, but there's so much spray that sometimes you can barely see them.
By roughly September–December, the water is much lower. You see more of the actual rock formations, and some activities are possible then that aren't available at high water.
So is high water better? Not necessarily. Is low water bad? Not at all.
They're simply different experiences — and the best choice depends on what you want to see.
That’s really the point of this whole post.
If you tell me when you can travel, we can figure out where you should go.
If you tell me what you dream of seeing, we can figure out when you should go.
Your dates can determine your destination — or your dream destination can determine your dates.
