When To Go

Best Time to Visit
The best time for game viewing in Zambia is during the dry season, May to October when animals congregate around the rivers and waterholes. During the wet season, from November to April, dirt roads in the parks can become impassable and most parks and camps close down. The Mfuwe sector of South Luangwa NP has sandy soil and all-weather roads, making it accessible year-round. The best time to see Victoria Falls is from June through September.

Best Time to go on Safari
Zambia is an excellent safari destination and most of the high profile animals are relatively easily seen. South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Kafue are particularly good for leopard sightings, but wild dogs and cheetah are harder to see. The black rhino is only present in North Luangwa and white rhino only in Mosi-oa-Tunya.

The best game viewing time coincides with the dry season (May to October) when water is scarce and animals congregate to waterholes and rivers. The bush is less lush at this time, and animals are easier to spot. From October until the rains, it can be unbearably hot. Some roads become impassable during the wet season (November-April) and several parks and camps close at this time.

Zambia has many interesting, endemic sub-species including Thornicroft’s giraffe, Cookson’s wildebeest and Crawshay’s zebra. The Kafue lechwe and the black lechwe are specials in specific swampy areas.

Best Time for Bird Watching
Zambia offers over 750 bird species, of which 120 or so are not found south of the Zambezi. It has only one endemic and one near-endemic. It is, arguably, the best place to search for one of Africa’s most desired specials: the African pitta. Zambia is also a good place to look for the famous Shoebill. Migratory birds are present from October to April.

From October to April, the migratory birds are present and this is the best time for birding in Zambia. This is also the time when the bird’s food is most abundant and birds are nesting. It is the most difficult time to visit remote areas of the county and roads could be difficult to navigate. Wildlife viewing, however, is better in the dry season, from May to September.