African Safaris in February – African safaris in dry season – Where to go on safari in Africa?
African safaris in February – Africa in February sees summer in full swing. Rain has settled in across most of the continent, nourishing its vast savannahs and irrigating the tropical coastline through afternoon showers. But it’s not all grey clouds: choose the right destination and you’ll find yourself under Africa’s classic blue skies and gorgeous sunshine.
It’s a great time for both safaris and beach holidays if you know where to go in February, and you’ll be perfectly in time for some of the year’s biggest wildlife experiences. If you’ve ever wanted to snorkel with a 12-meter (40-foot) whale shark or encounter a rare mountain gorilla in its natural habitat, this is the time to do it. It’s time for cool wine cellars on sprawling estates in Cape Town’s magnificent wine lands and palm-thatched Bandas on endless tropical beaches.
Want to see blue skies overhead? Book a vacation in Africa in February. It might not be peak season in the most popular places, but it’s the perfect season for a little R&R under the African sun in these destinations:
Classic safari destinations are putting on a dramatic show Victoria Falls is almost in full flood in February and Ngorongoro is in calving season – and although you can probably expect a bit of rain on your safari, there is still good wildlife viewing in places from Botswana to the Masai Mara. You’ll also be able to take advantage of shoulder-season rates for accommodation as well as pay-stay deals where, for example, you pay for five nights but stay for seven.
And to compensate for the possibility of rain on safari, it pays to add on a beach holiday. Zanzibar is nice and hot at this time of year but if you’d prefer things as dry as possible then Cape Town is lying under sweltering blue skies in February – and with no big holiday crowds around, it’s a great time to visit.
Gorilla Tracking
You will need to choose between Gorilla tracking in Rwanda or Uganda; both have the same success rate at finding Gorillas daily (90%) so the decision is largely down to budget and time. Uganda tends to be the more affordable of the two, for example, whereas Rwanda offers a quicker all-round Gorilla experience.
You will need to be prepared for some rain on your Gorilla trek this is not the mid-year dry season but in general, the weather is much better than in the coming few months.