August is a prime time for safaris all over East and southern Africa. The wildlife viewing is as good as it gets throughout the region. While never completely dry, the rainforests in Rwanda and Uganda also experience a drier spell that’s perfect for gorilla trekking. However, when visiting South Africa on a general holiday, you might prefer the warmer summer months from October to April.
See below for an overview of the best parks to visit in Africa by country. Please note that the listings focus on the most popular parks only and are not comprehensive.
August is in the Dry season and wildlife viewing is good throughout. With careful planning, you might even be able to tap into some seasonal safari highlights. Here are a few ideas of where to go on an African safari in August.
Wildebeest Cross the Mara River Between Tanzania and Kenya
Although the exact timing is unpredictable, August is a good month for catching the famous wildebeest crossing of the Mara River. Leading up to this, you’ll see thousands and thousands of wildebeest, accompanied by smaller herds of zebras, gathering at the river’s edge. The pressure builds until one brave animal takes the plunge, setting in motion an avalanche of animals scrambling frantically across the water. Massive crocodiles snap up what they can and hungry lions often lurk around to take advantage of this chaotic event as well.
African Wild Dog Denning Season in Nyerere (Selous), Tanzania
Nyerere NP, in southern Tanzania, is one of the best places to see African wild dogs. With less than 5,000 individuals left in the wild, these energetic pack animals are rapidly becoming one of the most sought-after predators by Africa enthusiasts. As they don’t have territories and they may travel more than 50km/30mi per day in search of prey, sightings are often fleeting and unpredictable. The only time they settle down is when denning – usually around July to August. Be prepared for some cuteness overload when the pups start playing outside the den.
Every year around mid-August, the semi-desert in the remote northwestern coastal region of South Africa transforms into a spectacular wildflower display. After sufficient winter rains, multihued carpets of daisies, violets, aloes and other flowers brighten up the area known as Namaqualand for just a couple of weeks. Namaqua National Park, Goegap Nature Reserve and Skilpad Wild Flower Reserve protect this biodiversity hot spot, but the flowers are literally everywhere. A drive along the charming little towns, so typical of the Northern Cape, is equally rewarding.
Elephants Gathering on the Chobe Riverfront, Botswana
As the Dry season progresses in Botswana, migratory elephants start to gather around the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers. Chobe NP is known to have the largest elephant population in the world. And while it might not feel that way when visiting the park in the Wet season or even at the start of the Dry season, by August the Chobe riverfront and floodplains are just teeming with these safari heavyweights. Take a boat trip to really enjoy watching them drinking, playing and maybe even swimming across the river.
