The single most important decision you will make. Here is how Africa's wildlife calendar really works, month by month.
The right month depends on where you are going and what you most want to see. Southern Africa rewards the dry winter for game viewing and the green summer for birding and photography. East Africa is all about the Great Migration, where being in the right place at the right time changes everything.
I spent eight years guiding in the Sabi Sands and as Head Ranger at andBeyond Phinda, watching these seasons turn over and over. The two tables below are the ones I keep coming back to when I plan a trip. Use them as your starting point, then get in touch and we will pin down exact dates around your wildlife wish list.
Roughly two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle move in a continuous clockwise loop across the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. The herds follow the rain and the grass, so their position is broadly predictable, even if the river crossings never are. Peak months are highlighted in gold.
| Month | Where the herds are | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January | Southern Serengeti & Ndutu | Calving season begins on the short-grass plains. Predators gather. |
| February | Southern Serengeti & Ndutu | Peak calving. Thousands of calves born daily and intense predator action. |
| March | Southern Serengeti | Calving tails off. Herds begin drifting north and west. |
| April | Central Serengeti | The long rains arrive. Quiet, green and good value, with fewer vehicles. |
| May | Central & Western Serengeti | Long marching columns form. Rutting season as the herds near the Grumeti. |
| June | Western Serengeti, Grumeti River | Dry season starts. First river crossings at the Grumeti. |
| July | Northern Serengeti | Herds reach the north. The first Mara River crossings begin. |
| August | Northern Serengeti & Masai Mara | Peak Mara River crossings. Herds spread across the Kenyan border. |
| September | Masai Mara | Crossings continue. Excellent game viewing on the Kenyan side. |
| October | Masai Mara & Northern Serengeti | Last crossings. Herds start moving south as the short rains approach. |
| November | Eastern Serengeti | Short rains arrive. The herds turn south through the east. |
| December | Southern Serengeti | Herds return to the calving grounds as the plains green up. |
The river crossings, July to October, are what most people travel for. The calving season, January to February, is quieter but just as dramatic. For the full detail on positioning, camps and how to plan around herd movements, read our complete Great Migration guide.
In the Sabi Sands, Kruger and the other Lowveld reserves, the year splits into a dry winter and a green summer. Each has a clear personality, and neither is a bad time to travel. For how the two compare across Africa, see our green season vs dry season safari guide.
| Season | Months | Conditions | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry / Winter | May – September | Cool and dry. Thin bush, cold mornings, mild days. | Best game viewing, leopard and predators, first-timers. |
| Shoulder | October & April | Warm and changeable as the bush greens up or dries out. | Fewer crowds and better value, still strong sightings. |
| Green / Summer | November – March | Hot, lush, with afternoon thunderstorms. | Birding, photography, impala lambing, lower rates. |
For a full month-by-month breakdown of weather, game viewing and rates, read our guide to the best time to visit the Sabi Sands. If malaria is a concern, several of South Africa's best Big Five reserves are completely malaria-free and good year-round.
Tell us what you most want to see and roughly when you can travel. We will line your trip up with the wildlife calendar and build it from there. Every itinerary is planned from scratch, with no set packages and no booking fees.
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