The When’s The Best Time To Go For Game Viewing shows, at a glance, when you should go to see the greatest numbers or concentration of large mammals in the countries, parks and reserves of your choice.
In other words, how to be in the right place at the right time! For example, your vacation is in February and your primary interest is game viewing on a photographic safari. In this example, for instance, northern Tanzania would be an excellent choice. Use this chart as a general guideline because conditions vary from year to year. Timing can make a world of difference! In most cases, the best game viewing to the dry season. Wildlife concentrates around waterholes and rivers, and the vegetation is less dense than in the wet season, making game easier to find. Generally speaking, wildlife is best seen (game is most concentrated) in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda mid-December to March and June to mid-November.
Good game viewing in northern Tanzania and parts of Kenya can be found year-round. There are, however, parks and reserves that are actually better outside of the dry season. During the green season, the land is often luxuriously green and the air clear. The rainy season for the top wildlife countries usually involves occasional thundershowers followed by clear skies — not continuous downpours for days on end. People interested in scenery or who have dust allergies may want to plan their visits shortly after the rains are predicted to have started or soon after the rains are predicted to have stopped. Game may be a bit more difficult to find, but there are usually fewer travelers in the parks and reserves, which adds to the overall quality of the safari. Many camps and lodges offer low-season rates, making travel during those times economically attractive. The low season in Kenya and Tanzania for most camps and lodges is April and May (except for Easter), Another advantage of traveling during the low season, especially if you visit the more popular parks and reserves in Kenya and Tanzania, is that there will be fewer tourists. In fact for East Africa (April, May and November) the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania) and the Maasi Mara (Kenya). In summary, the best time for you to go may be a combination of the best time to see the wildlife that interests you most (large mammals vs. birds), the relative costs involved (low or high season), and when you can get vacation time.
