Where to safari in April

April in southern Africa is known as the shoulder season. It is a great time of year to travel as you’ll get the best of both worlds – the lush beauty of the wet season is still evident, but you won’t experience the rain and the heat. Keep in mind that certain areas can get busy during the school holidays and Easter.

In South Africa, it is autumn in the Cape with temperatures cooling from previous months. In general, the days are still nice and warm, but the evenings and mornings are chilly. April is undoubtedly one of the best months for a safari in South Africa, the weather is mild in the Kruger National Park and the lack of rain and drying vegetation makes for fantastic game viewing.

Botswana is a fantastic destination in the shoulder season as its still relatively quiet, prices remain competitive and the weather is great. Large herds of elephant are beginning to congregate around the Chobe River, and the Delta’s waters are on the rise marking the start of great boat and mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) activities.

In the Makgadikgadi Pans and the Kalahari, there’s still a good carpet of lush green grass, but elements of the magnificent and iconic parched desert are starting to make themselves visible too. The annual zebra migration from the Makgadikgadi Pans to the Boteti River starts during this time and large herds can be seen moving through the area.

During April the Zambezi River is starting to flood and Victoria Falls is at its peak, both from Livingstone and Victoria Falls Town. The mighty waterfall is in full flood with enormous clouds of spray rising up to the sky, making for a phenomenal sight. It’s high-water season on the Zambezi so there is a wide range of adrenalin activities available for the adventurous at heart.

April sees the start of the big rains in east Africa and travelling in some areas can become challenging. The herds of the Serengeti ecosystem are now on the long grass plains of the south western section of the park, making their way north to the Grumeti River.

The table below indicates the locations which we rate as the best and good in April