Best time to visit Africa

Last updated August 16th, 2023.

This guide may contain affiliate links. At no cost to you, they allow me to provide these free and, even if I do say so myself, expert guides based on almost two years of travel in Africa. For a broader view, don’t miss my complete guide to travel in Africa.

Individual national weather round ups are great (and you’ll find plenty appearing on the pages of these guides). However, regional breakdowns are also useful in the early stages of planning or if you’re considering a tour through multiple countries. In these instances, you’re going to need a broader look at the best time to visit Africa.

When is the best time to visit Africa for me?

When I started exploring Africa myself, I spent hours creating a simple chart (shared with you above). While not comprehensive, it remains my first port of call when considering my next trip.

There are two main points for considering what might be the best time to visit Africa for you. The first is your reason for visiting.

The second is what part of the continent you’ll be heading too. To some extent, these two points are linked.

For example, are you looking to head out on safari in east or southern Africa? Are you planning on hiking to the summit of West Africa’s Mount Cameroon, or settling down on the sands of a North African beach?

A further thing to take into account is that climate change is altering weather patterns across the continent. Increasingly, traditional dry and wet seasons are being exchanged for more mixed forecasts. In other words, it can be raining when it should be dry, and dry when it should be wet.

When not to visit Africa

The period from May until October is the most popular time for east and southern African safaris. By contrast, you’ll want to avoid the summer heat in north Africa, and possibly the mild but damp winter too.

When it comes to west Africa, there’s no doubting that you’ll want to stick to the dry season months of roughly November until April, to avoid the regular downpours to end all downpours ruining your trip.

North Africa

Whether you’re intending to enjoy a couple of weeks of nothing but enjoying a massage in Sharm el Sheikh, or want to explore the desert and imperial cities of Morocco, the best time to visit is going to be either spring or autumn.

During these months you can still expect pleasant temperatures and little troubling rain. Morocco and Sudan can suffer from the odd dust storm between February and April sweeping in from the Sahara Desert.

If it begins to get too hot, the coastal breeze is a help, although it can still be scorching in Algiers, let alone destinations in the depths of the Sahara such as Timbuctoo.

You absolutely must avoid the Sahara during the high summer, to the extent that no sensible guide will agree to take you anyway.

While winter is another possibility, places like Casablanca can be cloudy and damp, and you’ll get none of the Christmas ambience of home.

West Africa

The best time to visit west Africa is dominated by the climatic conditions on this part of the continent. It can briefly be broken down into a dry season and a wet season.

Roughly speaking, the dry season runs from the beginning of November until the beginning of April. During this period you’d be very unlucky to experience any significant rainfall, meaning bright skies ideal for beach escapes as well as wildlife and history tours.

By contrast, the rains of the wet season can be so heavy they divert flights. It can make it all but impossible to leave shelter, let alone head out to make the most of your stay.

Southern Africa

The dry season in southern Africa can be thought of as the reverse of that in west Africa, which makes sense when you consider each region’s position on opposite sides of the equator.

The southern African dry season therefore extends from around May until the end of September. Wildlife viewing is best between July and October in most of the region.

This is because the animals are congregated in the remaining waterholes, while temperatures aren’t quite as harsh for their human visitors.

East Africa

The same period – July until October – sees east Africa’s Grumeti and Mara Rivers in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara crossed by the annual Great Wildebeest Migration.

Beachgoers should avoid the region during the long rains of April and May. Treks to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro are also difficult during these months.

Ethiopia, meanwhile, is best visited in September and October, when the country erupts with new growth after the long rains which start in June or July.

The best time to visit Africa

In many ways, there isn’t a best time to visit Africa. And there isn’t a worst time to visit Africa either. It all depends exactly on where you’ll be heading, and what you intend to do once you get there.