Safari in June: Where to Go in Africa

Botswana’s Okavango Delta is the standout. Floodwater from rain that fell months earlier in Angola spreads through the channels, usually peaking around June to August, so mokoro trips glide through full lagoons while wildlife concentrates on the islands. Cold, clear mornings give way to warm days, and the bush is thinning.

In Tanzania, the migration herds usually mass in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor, where crossings of the Grumeti River can be dramatic, before heading north. Our Great Migration guide tracks the movement month by month.

The start of the dry season reopens some of Africa’s best seasonal areas.

Don’t go to the Mara River expecting crossings yet. The herds usually reach Tanzania’s northern Serengeti in July and Kenya’s Maasai Mara from about late July or August, so a June Mara stay means resident wildlife only: still excellent, but not the migration.

Also, don’t underestimate the cold. Desert and Kalahari nights can drop below freezing, and dawn drives in open vehicles are chilly, so pack layers, gloves and a warm hat.

Zanzibar’s dry season begins in June, with comfortable temperatures and lower humidity, an easy add-on after Tanzania. Mauritius enters its cooler winter, with breezier east coasts and calmer conditions in the west. In the Seychelles, the southeast trade winds can make some beaches choppy, so choose a sheltered coast.

Nine to twelve months for Botswana’s best delta camps and for gorilla permits; June marks the start of peak season, and the most popular water camps sell out first. Ask about early-June shoulder rates, which some camps offer before full high-season pricing begins.