All about East Africa’s two rainy seasons If you are thinking about visiting East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania), you are probably trying to figure out the best time to go while also trying to wrap your head around the country’s rather unusual climate? To begin, it is important to understand that weather conditions vary greatly across East Africa, month to month. There are two rainy seasons. Wind plays a significant role in determining these two rainy seasons. (i) The ‘long rains’ (March/April to May)(ii) The ‘short rains’ (October/November to December) The heaviest rains are brou ..read more

Caracal – The largest of the small cats in Africa …. A caracal’s most distinguishing feature is its long, black ear tufts, also known as tassels. There are numerous theories regarding the function of the ear tufts. By breaking up the outline of the cat’s head, the tufts may help keep flies out of the cat’s face or aid in camouflaging the caracal in tall grass. The most widely accepted theory, however, is that the cat twitches its ear tufts to communicate with other caracals. The caracal has a high tolerance for potentially harsh environments such as savannah, semi-desert, dry woodland, arid hi ..read more

How did the Secretary Bird get it’s name? There are a few points of view on this. One is that the secretary bird has quill-like feathers at the back of its head, light grey feathers that resemble a long tailcoat, and dark grey/black feathers that resemble britches. The other possible reason is a little simpler and may have its roots in Arabic. Secretary bird is pronounced similarly to the Arabic phrase saqr-et-tair, which roughly translates to “hunter bird.” This graceful, long-legged bird kills its prey by stamping on it repeatedly. The lower legs of Secretarybirds have large scales that prot ..read more

The secret to a great safari is having a great guide! It makes no difference whether you go on a small-group safari with a guide, stay in a budget-friendly camp, or pay top dollar for a luxury lodge. The most important aspect that will influence the overall quality and satisfaction of your safari is the quality of your safari guide. The safari guide is, without a doubt, the most crucial aspect of the entire safari experience. You will have an amazing safari regardless of the wildlife, the weather, or the resort if you have the right guide. As with any profession, there are a handful of truly e ..read more

Our guests often ask, ”When is the best time to go on safari?” Deciding when to travel to Africa is a great starting point for planning your safari. Knowing when you want to travel can narrow down your options regarding the best areas to visit for an African safari. In Africa, timing is everything. Below we have listed the benefits of travelling in low, shoulder and high seasons for East Africa and Southern Africa. These tables will help you choose the right region of Africa to travel to, depending on your time available. Seasons in Africa do not follow the same trend as they do in Australia ..read more

Elephants feasting on water lilies (known as ‘tswee’ in Setswana) on the Chobe River in Botswana. African elephants feed for up to 16 hours a day and can eat around 150kg of vegetation a day, grazing on bushes, fruits, grasses, trees and lilies. Lilies are like a sweet treat. Under the water, elephants use their feet to dig out the roots of the lilies. They shuffle their front feet while grabbing with their trunks, and then pulling up a clump of white roots. They thrash around the lilies to remove any sand in the roots, as over time this sand wears down their teeth. Elephants only have four mo ..read more

Exciting news!  The Kazungula Bridge is due for completion in December 2020.  Gone will be the days of depending on a pontoon ferry to cross the Zambezi River that runs between Botswana and Zambia will be a thing of the past. The 923m long bridge will incorporate One-Stop-Border facilities where Zambia and Botswana Immigration and customs authorities will exercise control under one roof on both sides of the border. In terms of safaris and tours, the bridge will be a game-changer. It will replace the ferry, which has, in recent years, become overwhelmed by the traffic and deteriorated ..read more

Botswana’s climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season, from November to March. Rainfall tends to be erratic, unpredictable and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour may occur in one area while 10 or 15 kilometres away there is no rain at all. Showers are often followed by strong sunshine so that a good deal of the rainfall does not penetrate the ground but is lost to evaporation and transpiration. ‘Pula’, one of the most frequently heard words in Botswana, is not only the name of Botswana’s currency, but also the Setswana word for rain. So mu ..read more

Tanzania’s climate is predominately tropical. Coastal areas are usually hot and humid, but on the  beaches a sea breeze cools the air considerably. The average day temperature is 30°C. Tanzania  has two rainy seasons – the long rains from late March to June and the short rains from November  to January. The long rains fall in heavy downpours, often accompanied by violent storms, but the  short rains tend to be much less severe.   The hottest time of the year is from December to March, before the long rains begin. The coolest  months are June, July and August ..read more

Namibia’s climate is generally dry so you can visit anytime through the year, but some months are better for viewing wildlife than others. Game viewing is best in the dry or high season when the animals gather at the waterholes and visibility is better.  However, if you are wanting spectacular vibrant scenery and bird watching then the wet or low season is the best time to go. Overall the best months to travel to Namibia would be from July to October.  The most challenging months would be November to February as it gets very hot. Namibia’s Safari Seasons HIGH (DRY) SEASON – July ..read more