Safari in March: Where to Go in Africa

Early March can feel like an extension of calving season in the southern Serengeti: the herds are often still on the short-grass plains, calves are growing fast and predators remain busy. As the month goes on, clouds build and the long rains usually arrive in late March or April, so go early in the month if East Africa is your focus.

South Africa is a strong alternative. In the Sabi Sand and Kruger, summer rains are tapering off, the bush is green and many antelope have young at foot. Malaria-free Madikwe works well for families over spring break.

It can be, especially for value. Botswana’s green season continues, with lush scenery, migratory birds and newborn animals, and rates at many camps are lower than in the dry months. Zebra and wildebeest may still graze the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan grasslands, depending on rain.

The Okavango’s floodwaters are only beginning their slow journey from Angola and take months to spread through the delta. Pair Botswana with Victoria Falls, where the Zambezi is rising toward its April–May peak and rainbows hang in the spray.

The month rewards careful choices, especially toward the end.

The Seychelles are warm, with seas often settling as the northwest monsoon fades toward the calm transition months of April and May. Cape Town is still summery, and the Winelands are in harvest season. Zanzibar is usually hot and sunny until the long rains arrive around late March, so go early in the month or choose another beach.

Three to six months is often enough outside US spring-break weeks, and you may find good-value offers in Southern Africa. Southern Serengeti camps for early March still book well ahead, and South African lodges fill around Easter when it falls in late March or early April.