October

In northern Namibia and Botswana, October and November heralds the start of summer and the chance of a small amount of rain and with it some greenery to the desert of the region.

Temperatures soar to around 33 degrees centigrade, although the Etosha, Makgadikgadi and Kalahari can be considerably hotter. The salt pans are at the dustiest and the animals concentrate around the available water sources, the banks of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers are teeming with wildlife.

The red chested cuckoo with its familiar “piet-my-vrou” and other migratory birds that have wintered in the northern hemisphere will be seen across Southern Africa again.

East Africa experiences a sporadic and short rainy season from October through to December and in our experience one of the more dramatic times to visit the region.

Itineraries suited to October

Safaris suited to October

Countries suited to October

Deserts and Delta

Botswana

From the verdant sparkling waterways of the Okavango Delta to the arid expanse of the great Kalahari, Botswana is a land of great contrast. This precious, peaceful country offers a plethora of luxury accommodation as well as exhilarating mobile camping and tranquil house boat accommodation.

The Source of the Mighty Zambezi

Zambia

Safaris in Zambia are popular for the abundance of wildlife, exceptionally high standards of guiding and the opportunity to visit Livingstone and the Victoria Falls as well as a world class walking safaris and less crowded national parks.

The Pearl of Africa

Uganda

Breathtakingly beautiful, Uganda stands out from its drier neighbours Kenya and Tanzania for its incredibly fertile crater lake landscape. In contrast to nearby savannah landscapes the lakes provide plentiful life-sustaining water to the flora and fauna and are topped up by two good rainy seasons each year.

A Thousand Hills

Rwanda

Rwanda is a gem of a country in central Africa, entirely land locked, it sits in the Great Rift Valley and is known as ‘the land of a thousand hills’. These rolling verdant hills are blanketed in part by one of Africa’s oldest remaining forests, Nyungwe, which is renowned for its remarkable array of orchids and huge troops of striking black and white Colobus monkey.

Kalahari Kaleidascope

Namibia

Famous for never-ending, pristine dunes, the white salt pans of Etosha, the ship wrecks along the Skeleton Coast, the dramatic Fish River Canyon and the gentle Himba people. Namibia is vast and sparsely populated giving you the space to be at one with nature and the spectacular landscapes.

The Rainbow Nation

South Africa

South Africa has wild, remote deserts, fertile valleys, world-class vineyards, vibrant modern cities, and exceptional game parks. The Kruger and Sabi Sand are the jewel in South Africa’s safari crown and offer some of the best game viewing in Africa while there are a host of other smaller parks and reserves in the Northern Provinces and Eastern Cape to explore.

A Step Back in Time

Egypt

Egypt has seduced travellers for millennia, situated in the North East corner of the continent it is intersected by the great Nile River which was once the most important trade route between the Mediterranean and East Africa. The ancient passage of people and produce introduced a wealth of religions, culture and cuisine that we find in Egypt today.

other Times of the year