Pretty much all travel guides talk about seasonal attractions, but we’re safari experts so this booking advice is about what safaris to book during the months of May and June to ensure that you can have the best lodges, guides and locations on your vacation, whether you’re travelling now or the coming year.
If you want to see the best of Africa on your safari then you need to know when to book which activities and destinations to make sure you get front-row seats, whether you want to witness a natural spectacle, like the wildebeest migration, or a natural wonder, like Victoria Falls in full flood.
Here’s our guide to what you should book in the months of May and June to see the best of Africa in three, six or 12 months’ time.
PS This blog is about booking in May and June: you’ll find all the other months of the year in our blog series titled ‘Book now for’.
Three months from now: travelling between July and October
If you’re booking now for July to October in East Africa, you’ll need a pinch of luck to book a front-row seat to see the wildebeest migration in Tanzania. Since the mega herds follow seasonal rainfall, you may well catch the last of the annual Grumeti river crossings in July, which is shoulder season. This is high season in Southern Africa, which makes it tricky to book the best. Most popular in this travel period is combining the natural wonder of Victoria Falls in full flow with the exceptional game viewing on offer in Botswana, Zimbabwe or Zambia.
July to October safari travel packages:
This 8-day Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe safari's highlights include Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Poolswith exceptional game viewing on drives, river cruises, canoes and guided walks, with accommodation in authentic luxury camps. This is an ideal safari for returning visitors to Africa – crowd-free with activities that make the most of Africa’s natural beauty and wildlife.
Six months from now: travelling between November and February
We believe in great value, especially if we can offer you affordable luxury in Africa’s most popular game-viewing destinations. If you’re booking in May and June for travel in January and February next year, we recommend booking a Green Season safari in either East or Southern Africa in top destinations like Botswana, Tanzania or Kenya.
In addition to offering great value, the Green Season offers excellent crowd-free game viewing, including wildebeest migration action in Tanzania, superb bird watching, adorable baby animals from zebra foals to impala fawns and lion cubs, and lush grasslands instead of dusty plains. There are some downsides: expect heat and humidity, an abundance of bugs, and afternoon thundershowers.
November to February safari travel packages:
The 11-day Kenya Green Season safari goes off the beaten track into the Mara North Conservancy, and Shaba and Meru National Parks for action packed game drives, guided walks, rafting and fishing with cultural encounters and diverse wildlife.
This 8-day Botswana Family safari delivers thrilling, crowd-free game viewing in the lush, pristine wilderness of the Kalahari and Okavango Delta.
12 months from now: traveling May – June next year
If you are ready to book your safari in May and June for travel in 12 to 18-months’ time you get to choose the very best of Africa’s high season. In East Africa, book now for the river crossings – the biggest attraction in Africa’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Migration. In Southern Africa, book now for a spectacular sun-drenched Christmas and New Year in Cape Town.
With plenty of time to tailor make every aspect of your vacation, we recommend you activate your personal safari planner today – if you don’t have an Africa Safari Expert already, click here and we’ll match your preferences to the right expert.
Now you know what to book in May and June to give yourself the best seats to Africa’s top attractions and make the most of seasonally affordable luxury. If you want to travel in months other than the ones we’ve highlighted, simply pop your details onto this form and we’ll be in touch.
We may not control seasonal events or how fast the best lodges become fully booked, but we are independent experts who know how to fulfill your ‘when, what, where and why’ with an itinerary that’s as individual as you are.