Apr - Jun - On Safari April to June
Many of the dry season parks - Tarangire, Ruaha and Selous in Tanzania, the Luangwa Valley in Zambia for example, are all but inaccessible in April. This, rather than what the animals are or aren't doing, is the main reason for not going there. However, there are one or two places, like the Gol Mountains in Loliondo on the edge of the Serengeti that are beyond compare during early April and May.
June is a stunning month. Rivers are still high after the rains and everything is green. One or two places are worth avoiding because of excessive Tsetse flies, but in Zambia and Tanzania this can be a great time to see animals in good condition before the onset of the harsh dry season. You may need to work a little harder to find game in some places, but others, like the Masai Mara in Kenya are just coming into their own.
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Best places in April and May: This can be one of the best times to visit parts of northern Tanzania. Do NOT be put off by the ill-informed who will quote the old conventional wisdom to the contrary. Yes it will be green, yes there is likely to be some rain around but its normally sporadic and, as the pros say in that part of the world 'rain means game'.
And on the southern Serengeti Plains and the Gol Mountains to the south east, you can expect a LOT of game and the plains to be alive with fabulous birdlife & flowers in particular. The air and the views should be crystal clear, typically with cloud building up dramatically through mid afternoon and sometimes sharp rain showers by late afternoon BUT best of all, there will be a fraction of the people normally around during the busier months. The worst downside you can encounter is possibly having to help push your vehicle out of a mudhole or perhaps close your game viewing roof hatch for half an hour during a downpour. Given all the advantages, just how bad can that be?
Its well worth considering Nomad's Ndutu Camp; Nduara Loliondo, Wilderness Mobile Camp or even a light mobile camp or Ndutu Lodge itself for the more budget conscious.
Exploring the edges of the Serengeti, Loliondo and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a wilderness mobile camp |
Best places in June:
Early season in the Lower Zambezi National Park
High water levels at the Victoria Falls
Cool and green in the Mahale Mountains in western Tanzania
The beginnings of the Loita migration in the Masai Mara in Kenya
The Serengeti Wildebeest Migration enters the Serengeti Western Corridor
For videos, articles, ideas and news from Africa:
Have a look at our blog at safarigeek.com
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