Is October the best safari month?

When is the best time to go on safari?

Several of our safari experts view October as the best month for a safari in Africa. Their reasons include:

• in Southern Africa, it’s the height of the dry season, with the first short rain season only commencing in mid-November. This means the vegetation is sparse - so wildlife is easier to see. Also, there is little or no standing water - meaning that animals are forced to gather near permanent water sources like rivers and waterholes, making them easier to find. Predators wait at the few remaining water sources, so this is your best chance to see lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas making a kill. Wild dog (painted wolf) puppies have recently left the safety of their dens and are more easily found nearby as they gain fitness and confidence to range with the pack. October is often hot and dusty, but the wildlife viewing can be exceptional - making the discomfort well worth it.

• the enthralling Mara River crossings during Great Wildebeest Migration in Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara are ongoing, AND the crowds of the peak safari season have left, meaning that you have a better chance of fewer vehicles affecting your experience. Although these are the final weeks of this great annual river-crossing spectacle, the crossings season frequently extends beyond mid-October. This safari report-back was from a safari in the second half of October.

• Victoria Falls - the smoke that thunders - still has enough water dropping 100m to the chasm below to create a scenic spray - but not the drenching thick mist of the high water season that obscures the view from the ground of this iconic natural wonder. Courageous visitors to Livingstone Island (Zambia) can swim out to Devil’s Pool (late August-December) to enjoy a thrilling view from the lip of the Falls. Vic Falls is the ideal short vacation or add-on to your October safari. There is never a bad time to visit Victoria Falls!

• October is in the middle of the dry season in Congo-Brazzaville, making that lowland gorilla trekking safari top of the list for many at this time of year. The true safari connoisseur will also search the Odzala-Kokoua forests, plains and river systems for forest elephants, bongos, dwarf crocodiles, huge flocks of grey parrots and green pigeons, and other iconic wildlife encounters.

• high October temperatures make this an ideal month for a bush-and-beach combo safari. Imagine soaking away the safari dust at a coastal or inland white-sand beach as you kick back and relax under an umbrella, your favourite beverage in hand.

• October is a relatively low-risk month for malaria because of the lack of standing water, although precautions should still be taken.

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Which of our ready-made safari trips are at their best during October?

The list below provides a few examples of our many ready-made safaris at their best in October every year. If none meets your wishes, start the discussion with one of our safari experts to find your October safari of a lifetime.