Best time to travel to Africa

While looking into planning your trip to Africa, you need to first decide what it is that you’d like to do while you are there. Depending on what your interest’s are, should determine which time of year you decide to plan for your destination. The interests can range from the wildlife, fly-fishing, kayaking, photography or even horse-riding.
If you are looking to travel to South Africa, you want to look to plan your trip during the dry months of the year. These months fall anytime during June and October. These months are excellent for game viewing as well as hiking and other outdoor activities like whale watching.
The biggest attraction for East Africa is that it’s a safari destination. Although it is much less expensive to travel during the rainy season here, the better times for safaris are when it is a bit dryer, sometime in November or December. Game viewings as well as road conditions are better during this time. Also, game tends to congregate around water sources, so when these are limited you will have a better chance of finding animals to view.
North and West Africa’s tourism rates are low, with the exception of Egypt and Morocco. October through March are the best months to travel to these spots, when the weather is moderate and warm. If you were to wait until the summer months, the weather is simply too hot too enjoy your time there. Overall, no matter where you travel in Africa, the people there have extraordinary hospitality and are sure to make you feel welcome and at home during your stay.

Climate of Africa

Generally speaking, Africa is known to have a uniform climate. This is due to the position of the continent being in the Tropical Zone, cool ocean currents, and the absence of mountainous climatic barriers.
The central continent and the eastern coast of Madagascar have a tropical rain forest climate as well as an average annual rainfall of about 1780 mm. Guinea’s coast climate is equatorial like , except that the rainfall is concentrated in one season with no months going rainless. To the north and south is savannah climate zone which covers about one-fifth of Africa. Here there is a wet season during the summer months and a dry season during the winter months. Total annual rainfall varies from 550 mm to more than 1550 mm. Once you look away from the equator, to the north and south, you can find the drier steppe climate zone. Average annual rainfall varies between 250 and 500 mm here, and takes place in one season. Africa has a larger area in arid or desert climate zones than any continent except Australia. In the Sahara, daily and seasonal extremes of temperatures are likely, causing all different ranges of temperatures.
In the highlands of eastern Africa, particularly in Kenya and Uganda, rainfall is well distributed throughout the year, and temperatures are equable. The climate on the high plateau of southern Africa is known to be temperate. The movement of a high pressure belt that circles the globe between 25º and 30º south latitude during the winter, and low-pressure systems that occur during summer, vary the temperature and rainfall patterns of South Africa. Average temperatures from south to north are similar. Maximum temperatures often exceed 32ºC in the summer, and reach 38ºC in some areas of the far north. The country’s highest recorded temperatures, close to 48ºC, have occurred in both the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.
There is a small area in the northwest region of Africa that has a desert climate. Although most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. Rainfall generally occurs during summer, which is during the months of November through March. In the southwest, around Cape Town, rainfall occurs in winter months June to August. Temperatures change due to variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
Africa is the continent that will suffer most under global warming. Past history has shown that periods of drought have nearly wiped out large populations due to epidemics of bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest and small pox. Events like this are going to become more common in the future, and we need to be ready for them as they come.

Best time to travel Morocco

There are a variety of good times of the year to go to Morocco, mostly depending on what your interests are. If you are looking for nice weather, the Northern Shore can be enjoyable all year round. Beaches in the south are known for their summer months, where there is often fog. This happens quite a bit because the desert heat unites with the chill of the Atlantic Current. The colder months of October through April can be extremely popular among tourists. This time of year is generally comfortably warm, at around 30*C, and cooler at night, around 15*C. Winter can be the perfect time for skiers to travel to this area, with great ski hills to choose from, their ski season last from December through March.

Best time to travel to Nigeria

Nigeria is larger than the state of Texas in the United States; temperatures are hot countrywide year round. These temperatures peak at about 35*C (95*F) during the spring months, the moisture in the air is also continuous year round. The warmest time of the year in the North is from late spring through the summer, with temperatures peaking at 45*C (113*F). Once October rolls around, the temperatures drop at the arrival of the dusty harmatten winds. These winds last until sometime in January and them in May the wet season starts and last until October. There are a few small wet season to look out for on the shore and inland. The longer of the two lasting from March to July, then the shorter just lasting in September and October.

Best time to travel to South Africa

South Africa is yet another location that you can travel year round. The winter months of June through September supply cooler, drier temperatures, which provide for the perfect hiking weather and outdoor activities, or even catching a glimpse at wildlife.
Take the time to consider the school holidays when planning a trip to this area. During the holiday season, people visit from the area, as well as from Europe and North America, adding to the congestion of people. If this is the still the time of year you’re looking to come, make sure that you book your travel accommodations well in advance, otherwise the prices can more than double. These summer months, although busy, do offer great festivals including the Cape Town New Year Carnival as well as Swaziland’s Incwala Ceremony.

Best time to travel Tanzania

The typical tourist seasons in this are in July and August, when the weather is cooler, and the dry season in parks like Iarangire are at their peak. Also in December and January, when the weather is warmer. With this said, Tanzania can be visited through all the seasons. Keep in mind that in order to catch the Serengeti at its finest, you want to keep away from the height of the dry season; this is when practically all the animals go to Kenya. If you are heading to the wet season during March through May, many roads on the south coast can be very wet to drive on. Inland on the highlands you’ll find that rain doesn’t happen often, and that temperatures may drop slightly, but will still be comfortable.

Best time to travel Zimbabwe

Upsides to traveling in the winter months from May though October are that they are the most comfortable temperature wise, the downside being that you’ll miss out on the green countryside that comes into bloom during the warmer and wetter months of the summer season which take place from November until April. The winter months have evening temperatures that can drop to below freezing; on the other hand the days during this time are the ultimate time to view wildlife, because the animals tend to assemble close to water holes. During the South African school holidays the National Parks are tremendously crowded with seasonal travelers. To avoid this rush, try to avoid the months of mid April through mid May, as well as mid July through mid September.

Best time to travel Tunisia

If you are looking for affordability, the low travel season in this area is in January and February, when the weather is cool and rainy. During the warmer season from June until August, the hotel rates are much higher, and it can be hard to find car rentals, and most places are infested with a high rate of tourists. The coastal towns are at their livliest during this season, and the Tunisian authorities plan and prepare numerous festivals in the old Roman sites. One of the most excellent times to travel is from the middle of March until mid May, when the spring days a warm and the scenery is at it’s prettiest. November can be the best time for sight-seeing the Saharan south, when long expeditions deep into the desert can be possible. The prices are also cheaper at this time, when the date harvests have just ended.

Best time to travel Mauritius

You’ll find that Mauritius encounters a hot and humid summer during the months of December through April, and a cooler drier phase from May until November. The weather does tend to vary significantly across the island. On the shoreline, the temperatures range from 25*C to 33*C (77-91*F) during the summer months, and from about 18*C to 24*C (64-75*F) during he winter. You will find the highland areas to be fairly cooler; the high grounds are also the wettest part of the island, because it rains all through the year. If it isn’t raining, there will be regular low clouds in the area. The southeasterly winds cause the east cost to experience cooler and soggier temperatures than the west. The winds are stronger during July and August, and it can be gusty on the east coast. The breezes do bring a great relief during the summer moths. The cyclone season lasts from December through March, and even though direct strikes are extremely uncommon, cyclones out at sea can produce days of blustery rains in the area.

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