Africa Wildlife Calendar - Wildlife Escapes

Africa is a diverse continent, and a destination where each month delivers something special. Therefore, it is important to know what happens where, and when, and matching your travel dates with the best wildlife encounter. You won’t, for example, see the Great Wildebeest Migration in April, or have great beach weather in Cape Town in July, but there is always something happening somewhere. Our travel experts are here to help guide you, and give you the very best wildlife experience…

Here is a Month by Month guide for The Best Africa Wildlife Experiences

Our Top Wildlife Tips for January

Calving season is taking place during the Great Wildebeest Migration in late January in Tanzania’s Serengeti.
Best-time of year for game viewing in Botswana’s Central Kalahari, the now-green desert, attracts predators, prey, and plenty of migrant, and resident, birds.
Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans plays host to large concentrations of zebra and flamingo.
Turtle hatching takes place on the Indian Ocean seaboard.
Good birding in southern Africa with migrant summer visitors.
Tanzania’s Tarangire and Ngorongoro National parks see a short break from the rains in January.
Diving in the Quirimbas Archipelago Mozambique, as there are near-perfect conditions with excellent visibility.
Zanzibar is an island off the Indian Coast of Tanzania, and offers exceptional reef diving, along with the islands of Pemba and Mafia island.
Ideal time for Trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda or Volcanoes National park in Rwanda. January generally coincides with a short dry spell, making it easier and more comfortable to trek because there is less rain and mud.
A perfect time to visit Cape Town, the winelands & the Garden Route in South Africa.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for February

The Great Wildebeest Migration in early February in Tanzania’s Serengeti is still calving season.
Botswana’s Central Kalahari attracts predators, prey, and plenty of migrant, and resident, birds when the desert become green.
In Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve, the vegetation comes to life, with a chance to see endemic species in this region, which comprise of the endangered Grévy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, and gerenuk – look out for the babies.
Large concentrations of zebra and flamingo in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans.
Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique offers excellent diving, and snorkelling, as there are near-perfect conditions with excellent visibility.
Snorkelling, and diving, on Fregate, Denis, Praslin, and Mahé Islands in the Seychelles. Also Turtle hatching, black parrots, and giant tortoises can be found.
Southern Africa is in good birding season, with many migrant summer visitors.
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania offers some of the most superb Big 5 game viewing in the world, and a quieter time for safari goers: more space and better rates.
Exceptional reef diving, and whale sharks generally tend to be at their highest in February around Chumbe, Mnemba, Pemba, Mafia, and Thanda Islands, off the Indian Coast of Tanzania.
It’s peak gorilla trekking season in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, or Volcanoes National park in Rwanda.
Visiting Cape Town, the winelands, and the garden route in South Africa, as this is the perfect time.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for March

Excellent leopard and rhino sightings in Big 5 country of the Sabi Sands private game reserve within Kruger National Park, South Africa.
March to mid-May has a reputation as the best time to see chimpanzees in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park, and Uganda’s Kibale National park.
Great gorilla trekking still in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, or Volcanoes National park in Rwanda.
Predators and prey are plentiful in Botswana’s Central Kalahari.
Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana has large concentrations of flamingo and zebra.
Turtle hatching can sometimes still be seen in the Seychelles.
Still good birding in southern Africa with migrant summer visitors.
You may still see the tail-end of the birthing season during the Great Wildebeest Migration in early March in Tanzania’s Serengeti, as the Wildebeest begin to move northwards.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for April

The Okavango Delta in Botswana begins to flood with some safari locations accessible.
Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls are in peak flow, and it’s the start of the safari season.
Great Safaris in South Africa’s Kruger national Park, the private reserves offer the best experiences.
The Gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda tend to be at lower altitudes feeding on young bamboo shoots.
Good time to combine your safari with a deserved beach extension in Mozambique, Mauritius, or Seychelles.
The rains are starting across East Africa, as the wildebeest are on the move, passing through the Seronera area in long columns, attracting the attention of big cats. This is a great time, and place, to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
Great time for Malaria free Cape Town safaris. Combine this with Wine tasting in Franschhoek, or Stelenbosch, and visiting the African penguins at Boulders Beach.
The National Parks in Namibia offer Spellbinding landscapes at Sossusvlei, and rewarding game watching in Etosha.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for May

Namibia offers spellbinding landscapes, and fabulous game watching, at low season prices.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is still flooding, and most safari lodges offer great value as they begin to open. A water-based safari is highly recommended.
Zimbabwe offers great safaris in Hwange, Lake Kariba is a must, and the Victoria Falls are still in peak flow.
The migrating wildebeest are arriving in the western corridor of the Serengeti and begin crossing the crocodile infested Grumeti River.
Sabi Sands in Kruger National park, South Africa offers a wonderful safari experience.
The Gorillas tend to be at lower altitudes feeding on young bamboo shoots in Uganda and Rwanda.
Mozambique, Mauritius, or Seychelles offer a great beach extension at this time of the year, to combine with your safari.
The Eastern Cape of South Africa is a great place to end a Garden Route self-drive or go on a ‘beginner’s safari’. The climate is temperate and the whole area is malaria-free, ideal if you’re travelling with young children or grandparents. Spot the great white sharks, and southern right whales, in season.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for June

The Serengeti and Masai Mara national reserve in Tanzania and Kenya offers classic game viewing, without the massive crowds.
The snapping crocodile-infested Grumeti River crossing takes place, as the wildebeest continue their annual migration around the Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is in peak flood, and it is best to explore the fantastic game from a Mokoro (dugout canoe) – highly recommended.
Southern Right whales can be seen off the southern coast of South Africa.
Fabulous game viewing safaris in Namibia and Zambia.
The Sardine run can be seen off South Africa’s KwaZulu/Natal coast.
The famous Ngorongoro Crater moves into peak season.
Superb gorilla trekking in this drier month in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
In Mozambique there’s the chance of seeing humpback whales and dolphins.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for July

The migration moves into the western Serengeti and, from here, heads north towards Kenya’s Masai Mara.
River crossings are at their peak, and it’s an excellent time to see big cats mopping up, as wildebeest, wildebeest, and more wildebeest, pass through!
Southern Right whales can be seen off the southern coast of South Africa between Cape Town and Plettenberg bay.
In July in Mozambique you should see groups of dolphins and humpback whales.
The Okavango Delta is in its peak, and safaris here are highly recommended for some perfect photography.
Great White shark-watching season opens in False Bay, South Africa, the sardine run continues off South Africa’s KwaZulu/Natal coast.
Gorilla trekking at its best in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
The Seychelles is a great beach extension with its golden beaches and warm waters.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for August

Big pods of Southern Right whales can be seen off the southern coast of South Africa, between Cape Town and Plettenberg bay, on their annual migration from the Antarctic.
Wildebeest migration is resident in Kenya’s Masai Mara and the northern Serengeti in Tanzania. You can expect great sightings of predators in action, such as big cats, hyenas, and perhaps even wild dogs.
In southern Africa, Carmine and White fronted bee-eaters start nesting.
Gorilla trekking is good in Uganda and Rwanda in August, and it combines well with a safari in Kenya.
Great conditions for pelagic tours off the southern Cape of South Africa, and Humpback whales off the East coast.
North of Cape Town, the desert-like Namaqualand region has the most extensive displays of luminous, coloured, flowers covering the landscape this month.
The perfect time for safaris in Zambia, north South Africa in the Kruger region, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
It’s the perfect weather on the Mozambique coast and its islands – reassuring for those honeymooners!
Lake Malawi – Malawi offers a ‘beach holiday’ with a difference, with sandy beaches and crystal-clear water for snorkelling, without big waves or strong tides. This is a fantastic spot to unwind after a high-season safari, gorilla trek, or Kilimanjaro climb.
South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, offers perfect for a multi-day walking safari and is still a ‘safari secret’, so relatively uncrowded.
A great option is to take a road trip in Namibia, staying in Sossusvlei, Damaraland, & the skeleton coast.
Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania, offers spectacular, peak-season, game viewing in a massive national park, without the crowds.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for September

September really is prime game viewing across most of Africa. Take your choice from safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa (in the north Kruger region), Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
In the Seychelles you will see turtle nesting and egg-laying.
Good gorilla trekking in Rwanda, and Uganda.
Migrating birds travel southwards, through East Africa to Southern Africa, in large numbers.
Heronries start becoming active in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
Zambia South Luangwa is home to some of the best walking safaris.
Good time to visit Mauritius, Mozambique, and Seychelles, for a beach extension.
Along the Western Cape and Garden Route in South Africa, stunning wildflowers are coming into bloom, with swathes of purple, orange, yellow, and white blossoms. Along the southern coast, the whales are still at play, while to the east, wildlife reserves are gearing up for warmer weather.
You will encounter herds, and herds, of wildebeest grazing on the Mara’s lush and plentiful grasses in Kenya.
Ruaha and Katavi National Parks, Tanzania, offers superb game viewing, and birding, in Tanzania’s less well-known national parks.
Elephants are concentrating at Chobe River and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and in Zambia’s lower Zambezi.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for October

October is another prime game viewing month across most of Africa. Take your choice from safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa (in the north Kruger region), Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Turtle nesting and egg-laying in the Seychelles.
Good gorilla trekking in Rwanda, and Uganda.
Migrating birds from Europe, and Asia, travel southwards through East Africa to Southern Africa in large numbers.
In Botswana’s Okavango Delta, heronries start becoming active.
Mauritius, Mozambique, and Seychelles are fabulous beach extensions.
Along the Western Cape and Garden Route in South Africa, stunning wild flowers are coming into bloom with swathes of purple, orange, yellow, and white blossoms. Along the southern coast, the whales are still at play, while to the east, wildlife reserves are gearing up for warmer weather.
You will encounter herds, and herds, of wildebeest grazing on the Mara’s lush and plentiful grasses in Kenya.
Ruaha and Katavi National Parks, Tanzania, offers superb game viewing and birding in Tanzania’s less well-known national parks.
Elephants are concentrating at Chobe River and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and in Zambia’s lower Zambezi.
October is when enormous, majestic, whale sharks arrive in Mozambique.
In Etosha National Park, Namibia, many animal species gather around one waterhole as others dry up, you really won’t know where to start looking!
Hwange in Zimbabwe and Sabi Sands, Kruger national park, South Africa it is their driest time, when the animals are at their greatest concentrations around water, easy targets for big cats and wild dogs.
In the lower Zambezi national park, Zambia, you can experience 4×4 game drives, nature walks in the morning, and boating and canoe safaris in the afternoon.
Linyanti, Savute & Chobe in Botswana will surprise you with their game viewing sightings.
Odzala National Park in the Congo is another great location to trek for Gorillas. Whilst it is less accessible, the gorillas are in the lowlands, so you avoid trekking at altitude.
Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, is one of those fantastic and rewarding safari gems, but not as famous as the Masai Mara.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for November

Turtle nesting and egg-laying in the Seychelles.
Many mammals drop their young with the onset of the rains (not wildebeest). So, plenty of lions, leopards, wild dogs, spotted hyenas and cheetahs can be seen hunting.
Orchid flowering in Malawi’s Nyika Plateau after onset of the rains.
Greater straw-coloured bat migration into Zambia’s Kasanka National Park, whilst tens of thousands of wildebeest make the most of fresh grazing at Liuwa Plains.
Wildebeest migration travels south through the Serengeti.
Good birding in southern Africa, with migrant summer visitors.
In South Africa’s Cape Town, climb Table Mountain, see the African penguins, and try some of the great wine as well as seeing the Big five in action!
A post-safari stop in Zanzibar Tanzania is just one of the Indian Ocean’s most beautiful islands.

Our Top Wildlife Tips for December

The migration of wildebeest continues to travel south through the Serengeti.
Southern Africa sees good birding, with migrant summer visitors.
Turtle nesting and egg-laying continues in the Seychelles.
Other mammals drop their young.
At Malawi’s Nyika Plateau, orchid flowering is happening.
The greater straw-coloured bat migrates into Zambia’s Kasanka National Park.
Cape Town is such a great place to visit at this time of year, with stunning scenery and great ‘malari free’ game viewing.
A post-safari stop in Zanzibar Tanzania, for some R and R, should be on the agenda.
This is the best time to see new-born seal pups at Namibia’s skeleton coast.
Plenty of lions, leopards, wild dogs, spotted hyenas, and cheetahs can be seen as thousands of zebras arrive to feast on the fresh grass, as well as hundreds of wobbly new-born springbok, impala, wildebeest, and buffalo In the Kalahari Desert, Botswana.
In Mahale Mountains, Tanzania, it’s a great time for Trekking habituated chimpanzee families in the Mahale rainforest.