There is no single best time to travel in Africa, because the best time depends on what you want to see. For gorillas, almost any month works, though the drier months of June to September and December to February make trekking easier. For the Great Migration river crossings, July to October is the classic window in Kenya and northern Tanzania, while January to March is wonderful for calving in the southern Serengeti. For Cape Town and the Winelands, November to March is warm and sunny, and for the Kruger region, the dry winter months of May to September are best for game viewing. Victoria Falls is most powerful from February to May and most accessible for swimming at the edge from around September to December.
The seasons are one factor, but availability is another. Australian school holidays, particularly December and January and the July break, coincide with some of the busiest times in Africa, so early planning is essential for the best camps and the scarcest permits.
