Victoria Falls
If getting a spectacular view of Victoria Falls is top of your list then March and April are the time to travel. The Zambezi River is full after the rainy season and the might of the river is at its most impressive.
The best time to visit Zambia is during the dry season between May and October. This is the optimal period for wildlife viewing as many of the water holes have dried up pushing the animals to congregate around large pools and lakes. However, be prepared for high temperatures over 40ºC if you are going towards the end of this period.
If getting a spectacular view of Victoria Falls is top of your list then March and April are the time to travel. The Zambezi River is full after the rainy season and the might of the river is at its most impressive.
For fabulous game viewing in Zambia the dry season is the time to travel. June to October is a great time to explore the Lower Zambezi National Park and South Luangwa when you can head out of walking safaris and open-topped vehicle game drives.
There are three seasons in Zambia – the cool, dry winter season, the hot, dry summer season and the rainy season, which is in fact even hotter. It will depend on your activity preferences and the destinations in Zambia you are travelling to as to the best time to visit the country.
Similarly to January, February will experience heavy rainfall throughout the country. Some destinations and accommodation will be open to a variety of outdoor activities, but it should be noted that the majority will remain closed.
Throughout the winter months, it can be a perfect opportunity for bird watching although some wildlife may be more difficult to spot with the thick vegetation flourishing after the rainy months. You can expect temperatures of 23°C with heavier rainfall at the start of the month.
As the rainy season comes to an end, both April and May are the best months to visit Victoria Falls, where temperatures are marginally cooler, averaging 21°C and there is less rainfall than previous months.
Zambia will experience the cool, dry winter season from May until September making it the best time to travel to Zambia as the wildlife is in abundance. Temperatures are pleasant at the beginning and end of this season and there is considerably less rainfall.
For the best game viewing in Zambia, it is suggested to travel from June to October although safaris are an all-year-round activity. In June temperatures will average 25°C during the daytime and remain cooler through the evening.
July is one of the peak months to travel to Zambia as temperatures range from 22°C to highs of 30°C. Zambia will experience the least rainfall during July and all accommodation and destinations throughout the country will be fully open, with opportunities to partake in all the activities.
From June to September, Zambia will experience its peak season as it can be one of the best times to visit the country when both travelling for the wildlife viewings and to see Victoria Falls. It is a popular time to travel to Zambia and so accommodation should be booked well in advance.
During the month of September, temperatures will begin to rise and can reach highs of 28°C in certain regions of the country. Like July and August, September can be an ideal month for safaris in Zambia, with higher chances of regular wildlife viewings on game drives.
During the months of October and November, Zambia will experience the hot, dry season, particularly in the river valleys of the Zambezi and Luangwa where it will become very hot. Game drives during the day can sometimes become uncomfortable due to the humidity and high temperatures.
As early as August, these pink and blue migratory birds begin to arrive in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. But their numbers build over the next couple of months, making October the best time to see them. Taking advantage of the dry weather, they burrow into dry river banks to build their nests, congregating in colourful colonies as they flit back and forth from their nests.
As the dry season comes to an end in the months of October and November, water levels are low and so can be an ideal time to visit Zambia to see the magnificent rock formations yet not the most ideal time to visit Victoria Falls, which is better viewed in April and May.
In November, the skies above Kasanka National Park in Zambia fill with a strange sight. More than eight million fruit bats flood into the park, descending upon the forest to feed on wild fruits. This is the largest mammal migration in the world and, for a couple of months, the area heaves with bats, tree branches sagging under their weight.
From the month of December until April, Zambia experiences the rainy season, which is in fact much hotter than the summer months of October and November. Temperatures can rise to highs of 28°C in December and as rainfall becomes more regular, Zambia will start to experience the lush, green vegetation – harder for spotting wildlife!
Drag the slider to see monthly temperature and rainfall.
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The Kafue National Park
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The Lower Zambezi National Park
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Lusaka
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North Luangwa National Park
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South Luangwa National Park
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Victoria Falls
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