June is the start of the peak season over East and Southern Africa. The rains have stopped and the dry season has really started to kick in. Zambia sees its camps reopen, as does Zimbabwe and the Southern reserves in Tanzania. In contrast, the Okavango Delta is flooding which attracts a plethora of animals and birds. Game viewing is fantastic in many destinations.
Where to go in East Africa in June?
June is generally a fantastic time to be anywhere in East Africa. As the long rains have just finished, the landscape is luscious and beautiful, and as the beginning of dry season the wildlife can be exceptional. One thing which is not so good in June is seeing the Great Wildebeest Migration as this is a very transitional month for them.
Zanzibar in June
This is the start of the drier season in Zanzibar, the temperature is perfect for spending days on the beach or frolicking in the ocean. The rains have been long forgotten and the humidity levels have dropped. Scuba diving is great from June onwards, the seas are clear and tranquil making it easy to spot the variety of vibrantly coloured fish that live amongst the coral reefs.
Rwanda in June: Volcanoes National Park
June signals the start of the long dry season in Rwanda and this is a great period for gorilla trekking. The dry and sturdy paths make trekking and tracking easier. The forest starts to become less dense as the month progresses making the gorillas easier to spot and photograph.
Where to go in Southern Africa in June?
Botswana in June: Okavango Delta
Botswana is perhaps the anomaly here, but June sees the start of the floods in the Okavango Delta. The rain fallen in nearby Angola causes the Okavango River to swell, sending a cascade of water towards the Delta. The flooding results in a multitude of birds and animals converging in a landscape that is utterly transformed. This is one of the world's truly awe-inspiring wildlife spectacle and is not to be missed. The best way to explore on safari is by boat, however walking and vehicle safaris are also available. Although this is considered as peak-season, visitor numbers in the Delta are generally very low, this exclusivity is due to the low volume, high value tourism strategy set by the government.