The best places to go for a safari during Africa's wet season

The wet season means a lush landscape, fascinating migrations and cheaper travel
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Between June and October each year, East Africa experiences its dry season.

These tourist-heavy months are when visitors flock to the continent to catch a glimpse of the 'Big Five' - the rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo.

The dry season is often thought of as the best time to go on an African safari, as there are limited supplies of water causing animals to crowd around watering holes which can lead to some stunning sights.

This means the wet or 'green' season, between November and April, is often overlooked. Yet, with lush landscapes and cheaper travel, it could actually be the perfect time to book your safari.

According to SafariBookings.com, the wet season also means fewer tourists, an abundance of migratory birds arrive making it perfect for birdwatching and the short downpours of rain often make way for clear skies and intense cloud formations that can offer stunning sunsets.

Below are five of the best destinations to visit during Africa's wet season.

Kenya

A herd of elephants gather around a watering hole during the wet season
Mike Kenrick

In Kenya, there are two types of green season: the long rains and the short rains. The best time to visit is during the short rains which fall in November and December and offer an average of four to six hours of sunshine per day.

Stay in the Maasai Mara Nature Reserve where the rain transforms the dry grounds into a rich green landscape abundant with antelope, zebra and gazelle.

Kenya's wet seasons: March - June, November - December.

Where to stay: Best visited in January and February to avoid the heavy rains of November, Arijiju can only be booked exclusively so best to visit with your nearest and dearest. Located on the Borana Reserve in Laikipia, Kenya, you will have access to your own private reserve with large lion and elephant populations. On-site you'll find five double ensuite bedrooms, wellness facilities, a home cinema and yoga deck and the rates include five hours of spa or beauty treatments per day. While the camp can sleep 10 people, booking it out exclusively costs £7,000 per night for up to six guests and £615 extra per night for every additional adult.

Tanzania

A lion sits on the Serengeti plains
Mike Kenrick

Tanzania is similar to Kenya in that it experiences both the long and short rains. The short rains fall from October to December and the long rains fall from March to May. During the short rains, you can witness the wildebeest migration across the southern Serengeti - a stunning spectacle which will draw in smaller crowds during the wet season.

The wet season also means there will be a number of lodges open at discounted prices, where you can witness the same animals at a much lower cost.

Tanzania's wet seasons: March to May, October to December.

Where to stay: December is the best time to stay at &Beyond Klein’s Camp in Tanzania which is situated on a 10,000 hectare concession that borders both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. The luxury lodge offers panoramic views of both destinations which also play host to the Great Wildebeest Migration. Perched on the edge of the Kuka Hills, you'll be hard-pressed to find better views in East Africa- and the five-star lodge is the icing on top. Cottage rooms start from £647 per person, per night with meals, drinks and game drives included.

Zambia

The South Luangwa Valley during the green season
Mike Kenrick

In Zambia, visit the South Luangwa Valley during the green season to see the afternoon and nighttime rain transform the park into a vivid emerald oasis filled with rain-made lagoons where water birds play.

Watch out for storks and carmine bee-eaters. Wild dogs are also aplenty, as are adorable newborn lions, buffalos, elephants and leopards.

Zambia's wet season: November to April.

Where to stay: Mfuwe Lodge is an award-winning safari lodge set in the lush valley of South Luangwa. It is one of the only lodges in Zambia open year-round making it perfect to visit during the wet season. The lodge's 18 air-conditioned chalets are set beneath a canopy of mahogany trees and giraffe, hippos, buffalo, antelope, and crocodile are constant visitors to Mfuwe Lodge's lagoon. Price on request.

South Africa

A giraffe in Krugersdorp, South Africa
Unsplash

No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to Kruger National Park. Here, you can tick the 'Big Five' off your bucket list and see plenty of incredible animal interactions. The rainy season usually begins in October which means November is the best time to visit to see newborn animals.

December and January are the height of the rainy season so best avoided if possible but after January the humidity makes way for cooler autumnal evenings.

South Africa's wet season: late October to early May.

Where to stay: The Outpost in Kruger National Park is a secluded architectural beauty that offers 12 luxury ensuite rooms perched on a hill overlooking the Luvuvhu River. With two game drives per day, optional in-room luxury spa treatments and walking safaris available for the adventurous, staying here will create memories for a lifetime. Rooms from £785 per night.

Botswana

Wildebeest in Okavango Delta, Botswana
Unsplash

Botswana famously has 300 days of sun per year and the heaviest rains fall during January and February meaning March will offer a lush landscape for all your wildlife viewing.

Botswana is also home to the world's largest zebra migration from the Okavango Delta to Makgadikgadi Pans in December. The herds then make the return journey in late February when the rains begin to clear.

Botswana's wet season: November to March.

Where to stay: Follow the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' footsteps and stay at Meno a Kwena. Located on a rocky clifftop above the Boteti River, the nine no-frills tents at Meno a Kwena offer the perfect vantage point for game viewing right from your camp - with herds of elephant and zebra visiting the river bed. Tents begin at £334 per night, per person.

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