Best destinations to visit in June in Africa
Best destinations to visit in June in Africa
June is one of the best months to visit parts of Africa, even as other regions head into their coolest, wettest stretch of the year.
East Africa's dry season is well underway by June, and this is also around when the wildebeest migration begins moving north from the Serengeta plains, drawing wildlife watchers hoping to follow the herds. Southern safari regions in Botswana, Zambia and South Africa's Kruger area stay deep in their dry season too, with excellent wildlife viewing, though early morning game drives can get surprisingly cold this time of year. Cape Town and the wider Cape region are in the middle of their wet winter by June, making it one of the region's quieter, rainier months. North Africa turns hot, building toward the peak of summer.
The destinations on our list for Africa reflect that same range, from prime safari season to a cooler, wetter Cape.
Lists by region
National Park in South Africa
Kruger National Park
Where Africa's Big Five Roam Free
The park stretches about 220 miles along the border with Mozambique. It is bigger than Lebanon. Winter is the dry season, so the bush is thin and animals are easy to spot. Elephants, lions and rhinos gather along the Sabie and Olifants rivers to drink in the heat of day.
Country
Tanzania
Wild safaris meet tropical beaches
Clove and cardamom scent drifts through the alleys of Stone Town on Zanzibar. June is dry, so beaches and mountain trails are at their clearest. Kilimanjaro rises 19,341 feet, the highest peak in Africa. Safari parks on the mainland add wildlife. The coast adds warm Indian Ocean swimming.
Country
Rwanda
Land of a thousand hills
This country is smaller than West Virginia yet has volcanoes, rain forest and savanna. June opens the long dry season. On the last Saturday of each month Rwandans join Umuganda, a day of community work that keeps streets spotless. Kigali is clean and easy to explore.
Nature Reserve in Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Nature's Untamed Sanctuary
June brings dry weather and cool mornings on the crater rim, which lies near 7,500 feet. The crater floor is about 100 square miles and 2,000 feet deep. It holds around 25,000 large animals, including black rhinos. Maasai herders still live in the surrounding highlands.
National Park in Namibia
Sossusvlei
Towering red dunes meet white clay
The Namib is thought to be tens of millions of years old, among the oldest deserts on Earth. Dead Vlei holds dark camel thorn trees that died centuries ago. Winter days are cool and skies are clear. Climb Dune 45 for sunrise over sand that glows orange.
National Park in Tanzania
Serengeti National Park
The Ultimate Safari Adventure
Wildebeest herds mass at the Grumeti River in the western corridor in June. Crocodiles wait in the water as the animals cross. More than a million wildebeest move through the park each year. Zebras and gazelles follow them. Hot air balloons float over the plains at dawn.
Town in South Africa
Hermanus
Whale Watching and Coastal Wonders
Southern right whales exhale with a deep boom that carries across Walker Bay. The whale season begins in June and lasts until November. A whale crier blows a kelp horn to announce sightings. The 12 kilometre cliff path gives views of the whales from shore.
National Park in Namibia
Etosha National Park
Namibia's Wildlife Sanctuary
A German colonial governor declared Etosha a game reserve in 1907. Today it surrounds a huge white salt pan. June starts the dry season, so elephants, lions and rhinos gather at waterholes. A floodlit waterhole at Okaukuejo camp lets guests watch animals after dark from a low wall.
Nature Reserve in Botswana
Okavango Delta
Africa’s Uncharted Water Wilderness
Guides pole narrow canoes called mokoros through the reeds, a traditional way to travel. Floodwater from Angola fills the channels as the dry season begins. Elephants, hippos and red lechwe gather at the water. UNESCO listed the delta in 2014 as a vast inland wetland that supports huge numbers of animals.
National Park in Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla Encounters in Ancient Forest
Gorilla treks start from four trailheads called Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. About half of the world's mountain gorillas live in this misty forest. June is in the dry season, so steep trails are less muddy. UNESCO listed the park in 1994 for its rare wildlife and ancient forest.
National Park in Rwanda
Volcanoes National Park
Majestic volcanoes rise over misty valleys
Five of the eight Virunga volcanoes lie inside this park on the border with Uganda and Congo. Dry June trails are firmer for gorilla treks. A hike up Bisoke ends at a crater lake. The grave of Dian Fossey lies in the forest near Karisoke.
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