32 places at their best in July
Serengeti National Park
Endless plains, big cats and the Great Migration year-round in different parts of the park.
Jan to Feb, Jun to Oct 3 to 4 nights
Ngorongoro Crater
A vast volcanic caldera packed with wildlife, one of the best places to see black rhino.
Jun to Feb 1 to 2 nights
Masai Mara
Kenya’s most famous reserve, with dense big cat populations and the migration from about July to October.
Jan to Feb, Jun to Oct 3 to 4 nights
Amboseli National Park
Big elephant herds with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop.
Jan to Feb, Jun to Oct 2 nights
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Ancient rainforest that is home to around half of the world’s mountain gorillas.
Jun to Sep, Dec to Feb 2 to 3 nights
Volcanoes National Park
Mountain gorillas and golden monkeys on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes.
Jun to Sep, Dec to Feb 2 to 3 nights
Murchison Falls National Park
The Nile forces through a seven-metre gap in one of Africa’s most powerful waterfalls.
Jun to Sep, Dec to Feb 2 to 3 nights
Zanzibar
Spice island beaches and the winding alleys of UNESCO-listed Stone Town.
Jun to Oct, Dec to Feb 4 to 7 nights
Mount Kilimanjaro
Africa’s highest mountain, a non-technical climb through five climate zones.
Jan to Feb, Jun to Oct 6 to 9 days
Kruger National Park
South Africa’s flagship park: Big Five, excellent roads and options for every budget.
May to Oct 3 to 4 nights
Okavango Delta
A vast inland delta where floodwaters arrive in the dry season, drawing wildlife from all around.
May to Oct 3 to 5 nights
Chobe National Park
One of the largest elephant populations in Africa, best seen from a boat on the Chobe River.
May to Oct 2 to 3 nights
Makgadikgadi Pans
Endless salt flats, meerkats and a zebra migration after the rains.
May to Mar 2 nights
Victoria Falls
One of the largest waterfalls in the world, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Feb to Nov 2 to 3 nights
Hwange National Park
Zimbabwe’s largest park, with big elephant herds at waterholes in the dry season.
Jun to Oct 3 nights
Mana Pools National Park
Walking and canoeing among elephants on the Zambezi floodplain.
Jun to Oct 3 to 4 nights
South Luangwa National Park
The home of the walking safari, and one of Africa’s best parks for leopards.
Jun to Oct 3 to 4 nights
Etosha National Park
A great white salt pan where animals queue at waterholes in the dry season.
May to Oct 2 to 3 nights
Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert
Some of the tallest sand dunes in the world, glowing red at sunrise.
Apr to Oct 2 nights
Skeleton Coast and Damaraland
Shipwrecks, seal colonies and desert-adapted elephants.
May to Oct 3 nights
Fish River Canyon
One of the largest canyons in the world, with a famous multi-day hike.
May to Sep 1 to 2 nights
Bazaruto Archipelago
Turquoise water, sand dunes and coral reefs in a protected marine park.
May to Nov 3 to 5 nights
Tofo
A laid-back beach town famous for diving with manta rays and whale sharks.
Apr to Nov 4 to 6 nights
Andasibe-Mantadia
Rainforest where the indri, the largest lemur, sings each morning.
Apr to Nov 2 nights
Avenue of the Baobabs and Morondava
A dirt road lined with giant baobabs, glowing at sunset.
Apr to Nov 1 to 2 nights
Le Morne and southwest Mauritius
A dramatic mountain over a turquoise lagoon, with kitesurfing and forest hikes nearby.
May to Dec 5 to 7 nights
Weather by region
Dry, cool mornings; migration arrives in the north.
Dry winter; superb game viewing.
Very hot inland.
Rainy.
Pleasant; whales off Madagascar.
Northern Serengeti and Masai Mara. The first Mara River crossings. The herds follow the rain, so this is the typical pattern, not a promise.
Month by month →Events and natural spectacles
- Mara River crossingsAbout July to October · Masai Mara, northern Serengeti
Festival dates can change, especially those set by religious calendars. Confirm before you book.
Countries in their best season
Countries where most governments advise against travel are left out.































