When to Visit the Jewels Of Africa

Introduction

The most common question I get from clients is, “When is the best time to visit the
Jewels Of Africa? “. There are definitely certain times when it is better time visit the
Jewels Of Africa.
For the purposes of this article, I have divided the Jewels Of Africa into;

a) The South Central African region primarily containing Victoria Falls and the
Okavango Delta.

b) The East Africa region primarily containing the Mountain Gorillas, Mount
Kilimanjaro, the Northern Park Game Circuit, Zanzibar, and the Selous Game
Reserve.

I’ve developed a rating system using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best time for
visiting. Consider a 3 rating in Africa to be a 5 rating anywhere else in the world!  ( See rationale below contact box  for  the basis of rating system )

Summary

a) The top rated time to visit the South Central African region is the September/October
period with a rating of 5.The second rated time is May through August with a
rating of 4. November/December is a 3 rating. The lowest rating goes to January
through April with 2.

b) The top rated time to visit the East African Region is the January/February period
with a rating of 5.The second rated time is September/October with a rating of 4 .
The next rating of 3 goes to June/July/August as well as to November/December.
The lowest rating goes to March/April/May with 2.

If planning a visit to both regions on the same tour, I would recommend the months
from June through October to do so with September and October being the best times to visit.

Contact us to arrange the best time for you to visit the Jewels Of Africa.

The Rating System

The rating system described above is based on a client taking an extensive visit to most if not all the
recommended locations within a single Region. The rating system does not apply if
visiting only one location within a Region.

To arrive at these ratings, some of the variables I have considered include, but are not
limited to, the weather; tour congestion; relative tour and flight costs; wildlife locations;
wildlife visibility; natural events; and special events. Others may use different criteria for
ranking and come up with completely different results.

Below, I elaborate on my rational for arriving at these ratings.

The South Central African Region( Zambia and Botswana) 

JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL (2)

The numbers of tourists to the South Central African  Region drops off in January and February
meaning the tours are not congested, and lower tour and flight costs result.
It’s winter in the northern hemisphere at this time however its summer in the southern
hemisphere. January is the height of rainy season; hot and humid with thunderstorms and
torrential downpours days on end.
Game viewing is poor at the Okavango Delta and dirt roads are impassable. Bring
heavy duty rain gear if planning to visit in this period.
The water in the catchment basin for the Zambezi River gradually starts to build up
peaking in mid April creating a roar over Victoria Falls . The spray from the Falls
typically rises to heights over 400 m (1300 ft) which can be seen as far as 50 km (30
miles ) away. River rafting is mediocre or non-existent. Provided the skies are clear, the
lunar rainbow over the Falls will be visible January 18,19 and 20 ; February 17,18 and
19; March 18,19 and 20; and April 17,18 and 19 .

MAY/JUNE (4)
May/June is the beginning of Autumn and dry season in these parts with temperatures
seldom exceeding 30 degrees C dropping to as low as 5 degrees C at night requiring
warm clothes.
May is considered to be the start of the favourable season to visit the Okavango Delta.
In May, a paradox begins to occur in the Okavango Delta. The flood waters from Angola
start to reach the northern tip of the Okavango Delta as the vegetation starts to dry out
due to a lack of precipitation. The large mammals such as the water buffalo and elephant start arriving and congregating in the Delta. The endangered Wild Dog start to den and are easy to find in certain areas of the Delta.
The flow of water over Victoria Falls is very heavy however the conditions for white
water rafting are considered mediocre to non-existent at this time. Provided the skies are
clear, the lunar rainbow over the Falls will be visible May 16,17 and 18; June 14,15 and
16.

JULY/AUGUST (4)
JULY/AUGUST is winter in these parts with temperatures reaching 27 degrees C in
the day dropping to as low as 5 degrees C at night requiring warm clothes.
By July the floods arrive in full force in the Okavango Delta as dust and dryness
pervades providing great visibility to see the abundance wildlife. This is also peak season
for park visitations with school out. Expect extra traffic on tour, as well as higher tour
and flight costs.

The water flow over Victoria Falls is still high but abating. Conditions for river rafting
change from mediocre to decent over the course of this time frame. Provided the skies are
clear, the lunar rainbow over the Falls will be visible July 14,15 and 16.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER (5)

This is the start of summer in these parts. School is back in session, and some flight and
tours costs may be lower priced. Toward the end of October, daytime temperatures can
hit the 40’s degrees C with night time temperatures not dropping much below 20 degrees
C. There may be some sporadic precipitation in this period.
October is the end of the favourable time to visit the Okavango Delta . Wildlife are
more active at dawn and dusk , and this is also the best time for night drives. Lion are
very busy in these months..
The water volume over Victoria Falls is dropping creating excellent river rafting
conditions through the rapids.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER (3)

This region experiences a hot muggy rainy season from November to April with highs
in the mid 30’s degrees C. Many animals disperse away from the Delta and the dirt tracks
become muddy and often impassable. Game viewing at Okavango Delta is mediocre
however the lighting may be ideal for excellent photography.
November is usually the lowest flow of water over Victoria Falls, only 10 % of the
water volume in April. White water river rafting conditions are excellent in this period.
The Liwindi ancestral worship takes place at the Falls in December. It is also possible to
walk to the bottom of the first gorge on the Zimbabwe side. The Devil’s pool at the top of
the Falls may be accessible for taking a dip.

The East Africa Region

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY ( 5 )

The numbers of tourists to East Africa drop off in January and February meaning the
tours are not congested, and lower tour and flight costs result.
It’s winter in the northern hemisphere at this time however its summer in the southern
hemisphere and the weather is hot and dry. If hot weather bothers you, this is not a good
time to go on an East African tour.

Mount Kilimanjaro, The Northern Game Park Circuit, Zanzibar, and the Selous are
located within the country of Tanzania; and January/February is normally hot and dry at
these locations.
The dryer weather provides ideal conditions for trekking up Mount Kilimanjaro. Time
permitting , schedule the trek in order to summit Uhuru Peak when there is a full moon
illuminating the summit. Full moons in 2011 for this period occur on January 19 and
February 18. Full moons for 2012 for this period occur on January 9 and February 7.
Moshi , the main town at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro hosts the Kilimanjaro
marathon in February.

On the Northern Game Park Circuit, anytime of the year is good to see wildlife in
Ngorongoro Crater.
This is the best time to visit the Serengeti. The bulk of the migration is taking place in
the western part of the Ngorongoro Conservation area and the southern Serengeti, thereby
drastically reducing drive times deeper into the Serengeti that are necessary at other times
of the year, and this is also the time to witness the spectacle of the wildebeests’ birthing
attracting many predators and scavengers. Wildlife are more active at dawn and dusk ,

and this is also the best time for night drives.
On Zanzibar; January and February is a very good time visit historic Stonetown. The
weather and ocean conditions at the Zanzibar beach resorts are also generally excellent at
this time. During February, Zanzibar hosts the Sauti Za Busara Music Festival. January
and February is also is Manta Ray & Whale Shark season for the scuba divers.

In the Selous Game Reserve; the foliage greens up again in January and February,
providing for beautiful scenery. However, this is the time of year when the temperature
and humidity are at their highest. Many animals, including a plethora of bird species, can
be observed along the river year round.

If planning a visit to the Mountain Gorillas at this time; it is useful to know
that rain and humidity is prevalent in the country of Rwanda in January and February
however the mountain gorillas tend to climb at lower elevations making for a less
strenuous hike.

The chances of encountering Chimpanzees in Rwanda is low in this period .  The chance of encountering Chimpanzees in Uganda in this time frame is about 50 % in January and 70 % in February.

MARCH/APRIL/ MAY ( 2 )

The numbers of tourists to East Africa drop off in March, April and May meaning the
tours are not as congested, and lower tour and flight prices generally result. The weather
in East Africa is very unpleasant as there are heavy long downpours of rain in this period.
Bring heavy rain gear if planning to visit during this time.

Mount Kilimanjaro, The Northern Game Park Circuit, Zanzibar, and the Selous are
located within the country of Tanzania; and all are adversely affected by the heavy rains.

It is not advisable to trek up Mount Kilimanjaro during the heavy rain season.

On the Northern Game Park Circuit, particularly in the Ngorongoro Highlands, it is
cool in the evenings so bring along a sweater, long pants, and socks.
Anytime of the year is a good time to see wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater.
In the Serengeti, the bulk of the migration is taking place in the middle southern part of
the Serengeti requiring some driving on very muddy roads. The wildebeest are rutting
at this time. Some clients on a tighter schedule, or those less inclined to enjoy the long
drives between camps or lodges, may opt to fly small planes between some camps and
towns.

On Zanzibar; the streets of historic Stonetown are water laden requiring the use of
rubber boots for footwear. The weather and ocean conditions at the Zanzibar beach
resorts are very poor at this time.

In the Selous Game Reserve; in March, April and May, many of the roads are
impassable, and many of the camps are closed for the season.

If planning a visit to the Mountain Gorillas at this time; it is useful to know that rain
and humidity is prevalent in the country of Rwanda in March, April and May, however the mountain gorillas tend to climb at the lower elevations at this time making for a less strenuous hike.

The chances of encountering Chimpanzees in Rwanda is good in this period. The chance of encountering Chimpanzees in Uganda in March and April is about 50 % but 90% in May .
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST ( 3 )

The numbers of tourists to the East African Region spike in June, July and August
as this is when school is out, and this is also when many North Americans are simply
programmed to take their vacation. Expect extra traffic on tour, as well as higher tour and
flight costs.
It’s summer in the northern hemisphere at this time however it’s winter in the southern
hemisphere and the weather in East Africa is very pleasant by North American standards.
If hot weather bothers you, this is a good time to go on an African tour.

Mount Kilimanjaro, The Northern Game Park Circuit, Zanzibar , and the Selous are
within the country of Tanzania; and June, July and August are normally dryer months at
these locations.
The dryer weather and cooler temperatures provide ideal conditions for trekking up
Mount Kilimanjaro. Time permitting, schedule the trek in order to summit Uhuru Peak
when there is a full moon illuminating the summit. Full moons in 2011 for this period
occur on June 15, July 15, and August 13. Full moons for 2012 for this period occur on
June 4, July 3 and, August 2 and 31.

On the Northern Game Park Circuit, particularly in the Ngorongoro Highlands; it is
cool in the evenings so bring along a sweater, long pants, and socks. The first park to visit
on the Northern Game Park Circuit is usually either Lake Manyara or Tarangire. Lake
Manyara may be the better park to visit in June and July however Tarangire Park is a
teeming with wildlife in August.
Anytime of the year is good to see wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater.
In the Serengeti, the bulk of the migration is taking place in the western corridor and
moving northwards. This means that there is a much greater distance required to drive in
order to witness the migration. Some clients on a tighter schedule or those less inclined
to enjoy the long drives between camps or lodges, may opt to fly small planes between
some camps and towns. In June, you might catch the tail end of the mass migration
crossing the crocodile infested Grumeti River. In August, you might catch the migration
crossing the crocodile infested Mara River.
It needs to be said that only about half the animals in the Serengeti actually participate
in the mass migration, and many of the cats for instance stay in certain territories year
round particularly in the central Serengeti. Even though the mass migration has the
majority of animals in the western Serengeti, there are still fantastic game viewing
opportunities elsewhere in the Serengeti, so June, July and August is still a good time to
visit even the lower Serengeti.

On Zanzibar; June, July and August is a good time visit historic Stonetown. The
weather and ocean conditions at the Zanzibar beach resorts are also generally good at this
time. During July on Zanzibar, there is the Mwaka Kongwa Festival and the Zanzibar
International Film Festival.

In the Selous Game Reserve; the foliage is quite thick during June, July and August
which makes for stunning scenery however the thick foliage does make game viewing a
bit more difficult but still rewarding. Many animals, including a plethora of bird species,
can be observed along the Rufigi River year round.

If planning a visit to the Mountain Gorillas at this time; it is useful to know that rain
and humidity is prevalent in the country of Rwanda year round although the driest period
is usually between mid June and mid September. However, during this drier spell, the
mountain gorillas tend to climb to higher elevations making for a more strenuous hike.

The chances of encountering Chimpanzees in Rwanda is good in June but low in July and August. The chance of encountering Chimpanzees in Uganda in this time frame is about 90 %.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ( 4 )

The numbers of tourists to East Africa drop off in September and October meaning the
tours are not as congested , and lower tour and flight prices generally result. The weather
in East Africa is very pleasant by North American standards so if hot weather bothers
you, this is a good time to go on an African tour.
Mount Kilimanjaro, The Northern Game Park Circuit, Zanzibar, and the Selous are
within the country of Tanzania; and September and October are normally dryer months at
these locations.
The dryer weather and cooler temperatures provide ideal conditions for trekking up
Mount Kilimanjaro. Time permitting , schedule the trek in order to summit Uhuru Peak
when there is a full moon illuminating the summit. Full moons in 2011 for this period
occur on September 12 and October 12. Full moons for 2012 for this period occur on
September 30 and October 29.

On the Northern Game Park Circuit, particularly in the Ngorongoro Highlands, it is
cool in the evenings so bring along a sweater, long pants, and socks. The first park to
visit on the Northern Game Park Circuit is usually either Lake Manyara or Tarangire.
Tarangire Park is a teeming with wildlife in September and October.
Anytime of the year is a good time to see wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater.
In the Serengeti, the bulk of the migration is taking place in the very northern part
of the Serengeti predominantly into the Maasai Mara Park in Kenya where tourist
congestion is very high compared to the Serengeti side in Tanzania. In order to witness
the migration in the Serengeti requires a much longer drive into the Serengeti. Some
clients on a tighter schedule, or those less inclined to enjoy the long drives between
camps or lodges, may opt to fly small planes between some camps and towns. In
September you might catch the tail end of the mass migration crossing the crocodile
infested Mara River. The northern part of the Serengeti is relatively remote and the
camps tend to be much pricier.
It needs to be said that only about half the animals in the Serengeti actually participate
in the mass migration, and many of the cats for instance stay in certain territories year
round particularly in the central Serengeti. Even though the mass migration has the

majority of animals in the upper north, there are still fantastic game viewing opportunities
elsewhere in the Serengeti, so September and October is still a good time to visit the
central and even the lower Serengeti.

On Zanzibar; September and October is a good time visit historic Stonetown.
The weather and ocean conditions at the Zanzibar beach resorts are also generally
good at this time. For the serious scuba divers, in September and October, Nungwi is
visited by migrating Humpback & Sperm Whales which can exceed 14 meters and are
approachable.
Across the strait from Zanzibar on the mainland, the Bagamoyo Arts Festival is held in
October.

In the Selous Game Reserve; in September and October, the foliage is drying up
exposing more animals, and more animals come out of the bush to drink from the Rufigi
River. The reserve is not at its prettiest at this time however that is offset by more game
sightings.

If planning a visit to the Mountain Gorillas at this time; it is useful to know that rain
and humidity is prevalent in the country of Rwanda in September and October, however
the mountain gorillas tend to climb at the lower elevations making for a less strenuous
hike.

The chances of encountering Chimpanzees in Rwanda is good in this period.The chance of encountering Chimpanzees in Uganda in this time frame is about 70 % in September and 50 % in October .

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ( 3 )

The numbers of tourists to East Africa are relatively lower in November but start
increasing substantially the second half of December for those wanting to celebrate
Christmas and New Years in Africa. Tour and flight costs are lower in November and
the first half of December however traffic, tour and flight costs increase substantially the
latter part of December. The short rains fall intermittently throughout November and
December however the weather is still considered to be very pleasant by North American
standards. If hot weather bothers you, this is a good time to go on an African tour.

Mount Kilimanjaro, The Northern Game Park Circuit, Zanzibar, and the Selous are
located within the country of Tanzania; and it is normally warm with intermittent rains at
these locations.

It is not advisable to trek up Kilimanjaro during the rainy season unless you are a die
hard trekker with very good gear.

On the Northern Game Park Circuit, particularly in the Ngorongoro Highlands, it is
cool in the evenings so bring along a sweater, long pants, and socks. The first park to
visit on the Northern Game Park Circuit is usually either Lake Manyara or Tarangire.
Anytime of the year is a good time to see wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater.
In the Serengeti, the bulk of the migration is taking place in the north western part of
the Serengeti. This means that there is a much greater distance required to drive in order
to witness the migration. Some clients on a tighter schedule , or those less inclined to

enjoy the long drives between camps or lodges, may opt to fly small planes between
some camps and towns The northern part of the Serengeti is relatively remote and the
camps tend to be much pricier.
It needs to be said that only about half the animals in the Serengeti actually participate
in the mass migration, and many of the cats for instance stay in certain territories year
round particularly in the central Serengeti. Even though the mass migration has the
majority of animals in the north west, there are still fantastic game viewing opportunities
elsewhere in the Serengeti, so November and December is still a good time to visit the
central and even the lower Serengeti.

On Zanzibar; September and October is a good time to visit historic Stonetown. The
weather conditions at the Zanzibar beach resorts are diminished at this time. For the
serious scuba divers, December is the start of Manta Ray & Whale Shark season.

In the Selous Game Reserve; some animals gradually retreat deep into the bush to
drink from waterholes away from the dangerous confines along the Rufigi River. Many
animals, including a plethora of bird species, can be observed along the Rufigi River year
round.

If planning a visit to the Mountain Gorillas at this time; it is useful to know that
rain and humidity is prevalent in the country of Rwanda in November and December,
however the mountain gorillas tend to climb at the lower elevations making for a less
strenuous hike.

The chances of encountering Chimpanzees in Rwanda is good in this period.The chance of encountering Chimpanzees in Uganda in this time frame is about 50 %.

The end