If you are already dreaming about escaping autumn and winter for sunnier climes then this might just be of assistance to you. Temperatures in Africa vary quite a bit as does the rainfall so it is important to know when is the best time of year to travel before you book.
Right now in Cape Town it’s spring and the flowers are blooming on the fynbos. The temperature today is a wonderfully hot 28 degrees and it is the perfect time for whale watching as both mating and birthing are happening just off the shores. You may get the chance to see a mother and calf whale and you are highly likely to see dolphin pods playing in the surf. Cape Town is a coastal city so the temperature does vary quite a bit but most of the year it is pretty pleasant with hot summers and warm spring and autumns. The winters can be cool and damp but not bitterly cold. Johannesburg and the area to the north such as the Kruger National Park are nearer to the Equator and therefore are warmer and have less seasonal variety in temperature. At the moment the temperature is a pleasant 25 degrees centigrade.
In Botswana it is is the tail end of the cool, dry season. Temperatures and humidity are starting to build up over the autumn and winter is the hot, wet season in Bots. Right now temperatures are around 30c during the day and 20c at night and it is dry. The rainfall over the winter months will flood the Okavango Delta by next spring and create the unique natural environment that Botswana is for famous for.
In Malawi it is 27c average daytime temp and 12c at nighttime. Again temperatures will rise as will the rainfall as Malawi heads into the warmer, wetter winter months.
In Namibia it is currently a hot 33c max during the day time. The dry summer is coming to an end and the rainfall levels will start to rise for the wet season over the winter months. The Namib Desert will still be sporting its famous sand dunes at Sossusvlei no matter what the weather!
In Kenya and Tanzania it is currently 25c in Nairobi and sunny with mild overnight temps. During our summer months it is dry but cold on safari and you must dress warmly for those early morning game drives. However the summer and early autumn are the best time to view the annual migration as the animals are on the move in search of better grazing. In Zanzibar it is a hot 30c as it should be for those enjoying some time on the spectacular beaches of this exotic Spice Island.
In Mozambique it is around 30c during the day and 20c at nighttime. The temperatures tend to remain the same throughout the year but sometimes reaching highs of 35c. Our summer months are the dry months and our winter (Nov – March) is the wetter season. Exploring the stunning archipelago is best done in the drier months – not least because travel is done by light aircraft and small speedboat.
In Uganda this week it is 27 C during the day and 20 c at night time making it nice and hot. This near to the Equator the temperature rarely changes unless you are up in the Highlands gorilla trekking where it can be cold at night and cooler during the day. It also tends to have quite high rainfall which is great for the rainforest and its inhabitants – but visitors should be prepared and properly kitted out.
In Zambia it is a hot 35 degrees during the day and around 20 at night time. Again it is the start of the hot, wet, winter season (Nov – Mar) and the rainfall and temps are starting to build. The water levels at Victoria Falls will be very low now and will need sometime to build back up. Going over the winter months is the best time to see the Falls. If you go in late spring/early summer the Falls can be in full spate and surrounded by a spray mist so dense you can’t always see it!
