Best Time To Go on Safari in East Africa-Month by Month Beginner's Guide

Best Time To Go on Safari in East Africa-Month by Month Beginner’s Guide

The best time to go on safari in East Africa is from January to February and June through to October because this is the dry season and as a result the grass is short making it easy for game spotting . However the question of when is the best time to go on safari in East Africa depends entirely on the desired experience and the countries you want to visit between Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.

For Example the best time to go Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is during the dry Months of January to February and June to September, wildlife viewing is best from February -March and September to early October, the best time of the year to go on safari in Tanzania for wildebeest migration is June to October, Bird watching is ideal from November to April, Beach Holidays from June to March and Mountain climbing is best done from July to October.

Travelers should note that deciding when is the best time to go on safari in East Africa depends on what one wants to see (Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Big Five, Great Migration etc..) and which countries you want to visit. It’s also important to understand how the weather and seasons work in different countries because they vary from region to region. The Continent is a vast one covering the north and south hemispheres which are divided by the Equator. Though the northern hemisphere is divided into four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the most part of Africa typically has two seasons including wet and dry.

Best Time To Go on Safari in East Africa-Month by Month Beginner's Guide — Best Time To Go On Safari in East Africa

To help you plan the best time to go for your memorable safari adventure in East Africa, here is our month-by-month guide on when to go on safari in East Africa and the countries to visit in different seasons. In East Africa that is made up of the countries of Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, the dry season takes place during the months of January to March and June to October while the Wet Season is around the Months of April to June and November to December.

Best Time To Go On Safari in East Africa Based on One’s Desired Safari Activities

Note that the safari seasons in East Africa are a bit complex and therefore deciding when to go on safari in East Africa depends on what type of safari experience you want to plan. Is it Gorilla trekking, great migration, game viewing or Mountain climbing? The fact is most safari areas in East Africa enjoy warm days, cool evenings and excellent game viewing year-round.

Game viewing and Wildebeest great migration

Game viewing in Uganda’s savannah parks (Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo and Lake Mburo Parks) is best at the end of the dry season from February to March and September to early October. This is the time when wildlife is concentrated around water sources

The best time to go to Tanzania for a Wildebeest Migration safari in the Serengeti and for wildlife viewing in other major national parks like Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire is from about June to October

Kenya can be visited for the Masai Mara wildebeest migration from mid-August to late October when the herds have returned from Tanzania’s Serengeti.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is an all year-round activity but the drier and cooler months of January-February and June –September are recommended.

Mountain Climbing or Hiking

For Mountain climbers and hikes, the dry season of between July and October is very favorable to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt.Meru.

Bird Watching

Bird watching is fantastic all year round but is at its peak from November to April when migrant species are present. We’d recommend trying a Uganda safari during the heavy rains of April and May as there are few people and cars plus lots of discounts on accommodation.

In January large numbers of migratory birds are arriving especially in Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara and these are the best time for birders to visit Tanzania as it increases chances of seeing variety of bird species. Tanzania Birding is also possible in November and May.

Beach Holidays

If it’s a tropical beach holiday that you’re after, the best time to visit Tanzania’s coast, Zanzibar and other islands is between June and March.

Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast is hot and humid all year round and rain can fall at any time. We recommend avoiding the coast from about March to May when temperatures and rainfall are at their highest.

The islands of the Seychelles can be visited all year round since they have warm beach weather. Note that the islands are hotter from December to April and wet from January and February with showers which are generally short followed by more sunshine.

The best time to visit the gorgeous Mauritius is from April to December when the weather is dry and sunny.

Browse through our suggested best Uganda safaris, Rwanda safaris, Tanzania safaris and combined East African safaris tours you can take part in on your first Africa safari trip or contact our dedicated safari planner to help get a tailored itinerary.