Hi Gloria,

African game viewing is quite logical really: the grass can be long in some areas after the rains; therefore, game viewing at these times can be difficult. In some areas, the wildlife will disperse during the rains due to the ample water supply, as they are not dependent on water holes. Therefore, Winter is generally the best time for game spotting on an African safari.

In Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi): Winter is the dry season (May-August) in the lowveld. Little rainfall means that animals converge around waterholes and the low brush is ideal for wildlife viewing. Summer months can be productive – especially for keen bird watchers, as the migratory species breed during this period, and the Okavango Delta, for example, becomes a paradise.

East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda): There are two rainy seasons in East Africa, the first, known as the long rains is from April to June and the shorter season from late November through to December. Many properties in the game viewing areas do close during April and May, mainly due to bad road conditions. This means that the months that don't coincide with the rains are the best time for game viewing. Enjoy your African Safari!

I am going to Cape Town on MARCH 28 2009 and will be ther until Aprip 10 2009. What are the safaris like at that time of years
thanks
FERGUS AT taxinfo@iol.ie

Well05 - yes, this is a pretty good time to visit. It is mid-summer so it will be warm but quite crowded with people. Book your accommodation well in advance.

what's your interests?
African safaris are always adventure filled and they always magical sites and experiences all year round,save for the extremely wet seasons when game drives and game viewing isn't pleasant owing to the muddy and wet conditions.
if adventures and young at heart,and want to experience all OF Africa in on safaris,visit EAST Africa b2in july and march.
S.A. avoid the winter months.
if going for mountaineering,hikes,golira sfaris and beach safaris East Africa is good all year in weather save for the wet months of April & May.
weather ,your budget and your interests dictates your best time of visiting.

if you travel and visit in the peak months rates accommodation ground transport and alll services are high,coppled with crowding.
if go choose off peak season greater fulfilment will greet your always and those memories.

Get hold of www.taxipeter.com - he will quote you a price, you might want to negotiate but not too hard.

The best time to visit Tanzania is in July to October December to Feb
This the time when you see lots of Animals
Info@tpssl.com
chakamaster

All what you do on a safari is to search for animals in the park using a car and there are some roads that you drive on. Animals are sometimes not disturbed by the presence of safari vehicles and can be as close as 2 meters from the car and sometimes can be a distance that you can not take a photograph.Even if there are far, you don't drive off the road as this can attract a big fine from the game rangers.In most parks, you are not allow to come out of the park in a place that is not designated to do so.Its advisable to read the rules and regulations at the back of your permit. But i can assure you that when you go into these game parks, you will come out of the park with good photographs.

someone - on safari the animals are literally RIGHT THERE. If you do a self-drive, like in the Kruger Park, the animals are not as close, but in a landrover with a guide etc you get realyl close and the animals seem completely indifferent the vehicle. I once had lions mating with 1 metre of me, they didnt seem to aware of us at all. They make a helluva noise and when they roared I nearly shat myself. When you see elephants up close it is also very impressive - they can be dangerous though as they sometimes charge the vehicles.

The best time of year to go on safari in Southern Africa would be between the months of May and end of October. This is the dry season making game viewing easier and the concentration of game is around the limited water sources available. But beware, October time, especially in Zambia and Botswana is extremely hot so lots of sun cream and a good hat is essential.

There's several things you can do on a safari. One thing you have to consider is that animals in the game parks are not like animals in the zoo. You are guaranteed to see lots of animals but not all the animals you want to see when you want to see them. However, for long safaris say three weeks through different national parks, you are bound to catch a glimpse of all the wildlife you are looking to see. The grass is usually higher in the rainy seasons and that falls between the months of April/May/June and September/October. The grass is shorter in the dry season. But then again you cannot say because its the dry season then i am guaranteed to see more wildlife. At the end of the day, take a safari and you will have a unique experience to talk about. Have a look at my website for safari planning to Uganda. http://borderless-travel.com

Just bear in mind that Cape Town and the surrounding western Cape province in South Africa is in a winter rainfall region. So, while it is true that Autumn through Winter and early Spring(May to September is the drier months as mentioned in some of the other posts, the same period is wet and cold in the Cape with snow on the higher mountains. Summer and autumn weather is best to visit Cape Town and surrounding areas and the drier winter months for the rest of Southern Africa.

Rins
http://www.magical-southern-african-safaris.com

I am really glad I asked my question over 2 years ago! There is some really valuable information posted here. Thanks.
Gloria
www.globalvillagetravels.com

Here's a fascinating read for anyone thinking of venturing into the heart of Africa: a first-hand account of a road trip through the Congo! Check it out here.

Hi Paul - there are no safaris in the western Cape, although there are some in the eastern Cape but they are more like large safari parks, although the animals do hunt and survive without much intervention but they are fenced in and there are normally two areas, one with big cats and elephants and one without (good for kids). We went to a place called Kariega - good fun for a couple of days as a first experience viewing game or if taking younger children and easy to get to (www.kariega.co.za). There are others which are similar and all have the advantage of being in a malaria free zone, but if you to experience the real thing head off the the Kruger or to some of the larger private game reserves in the north and east of the country.