There is no single best month. There is a best month for what you want to see. Here is the honest version, month by month, for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The short answer
July to October. The Great Migration in the Maasai Mara, river crossings, dry weather and excellent game viewing. Also the busiest and the most expensive. Book camps by March.
January to March. Dry, short grass, big cat sightings and far fewer vehicles. Calving season in the southern Serengeti, which means predators. Our favourite months for value.
June. The rains have finished and the crowds have not arrived. A quiet window that most people miss.
April, May and November. The rains. Some camps close, roads get difficult and prices fall hard. The parks are green and almost empty. If you can handle a wet afternoon this is the best value in the year.
Month by month
January and February. Hot and dry. Excellent in the Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo. Calving in the southern Serengeti from late January.
March. Dry early, then the long rains begin. Prices start to drop in the second half.
April and May. Long rains. Lowest prices of the year. Gorilla trekking is harder going but permits are easier to get.
June. Drying out. Herds begin moving north through the western Serengeti. Good value.
July, August, September. Peak. The herds are crossing into the Mara. Book everything well ahead.
October. The herds begin to drift back south. Still excellent, slightly quieter.
November. Short rains. Brief afternoon storms rather than all day rain. Green, quiet and cheap.
December. Dry again and busy over Christmas. Prices spike for two weeks and then settle.
Gorilla trekking timing
Uganda is trekkable all year. June to August and December to February are drier and the trails are easier. Permits in those months sell out months ahead, so the permit date usually decides the trip, not the other way round.
Kilimanjaro timing
January to mid March is warmer and quieter. June to October is driest and busiest. April, May and November are wet and hard going. See Kilimanjaro climbing cost.
Common questions
When is the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara? Roughly July to October, with the Mara River crossings usually from late July. Nature does not keep a calendar, so treat any exact date as a guide.
Is the rainy season worth it? For photographers and for anyone on a budget, yes. Green backgrounds, dramatic skies, low prices and empty parks. For a once in a lifetime first safari, go in the dry season.
How far ahead should I book? Six months for July to October. Two to three months for the rest of the year.
Plan around your dates
Tell us your dates on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly what you will and will not see. Or browse every safari we run.
