CLIMATE:
Our Southern Africa sub region has two main ‘seasons’ – wet and dry. The temperature varies as you can see in the graph below, but the most important factor to consider is the rain. Also, when reading about the weather in our region, remember that we are in the southern hemisphere, our seasons are the reverse of those living in Europe and North America.
Our rainy season begins in November and extends through March.
Our dry season begins in April and continues through October. Now like anywhere else, the beginning and end of the seasons can differ by a couple of weeks. In recent years, there has been slight shifts backwards and forwards by a month’s margin. In El Niño years, the rainy season delays well into late November and ends in April. Inversely in La Niña seasons the rains start as early as October but end in February.
As a rule, game viewing is better between May and October. The reason is that the vegetation dries out and the animals are easier to spot. What’s more, some waterholes dry up so the animals congregate in a smaller area. However, birdwatching is somewhat better during the rainy season months of January through March and more young mammals are born during our summer months.
If you are coming to our Africa, you want both the wildlife viewing and the falls to be at their best. Victoria Falls are at their height between March and May. But extremely high falls are not necessarily the best viewing for everyone. The volume of water is almost incomprehensible -- 5.7 million liters (1.4 million gallons) of water per second explode over the falls. You will not be able to walk the paths near the falls without getting soaked no matter what type of waterproof clothing you wear. An umbrella won’t do you any good as much of the water comes up at you from the bottom of the falls 100 meters below. The water also makes the rock walkway slippery. Don’t misunderstand, walking the falls at this time of year is a wild experience, but may not be for everyone. The falls are at their lowest from the middle of August to December.
So, what’s the best compromise? Considering temperature, game viewing, the falls and you’re your comfort, the best time to visit is from the middle of April until the middle of October. Now, if you are coming to us for a special interest or special occasion, send us an email and we make specific recommendations.
