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Best time of year to be in Southern Africa?? Best time of year to be in Southern Africa??
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
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  #1  
Old 3 Dec 2009
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Best time of year to be in Southern Africa??
Am planning a trip and will be heading to Southern Africa (S.A, Namibia, Botswana, then up Malawi to Tans and Kenya).

Currently I plan to be there in Jan/Feb/March. Is that a bad time of year.? What are the best months to be in these countries if you're camping and biking?
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Old 3 Dec 2009
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I started a 3 month trip in JoBurg on 31 December 2 years ago and travelled overland on a similar route to you. SA-Namib-Bots-Zambia-Milawi-Tanz-Rwanda-Kenya. Weather has great execpt for a few days here and there. 1 day storm on Zanibar flooded the place for 12 hours and Milawi ahd 3 days of steady rain in 1 stint.
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Old 3 Dec 2009
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Hi,

Having lived in Cape Town for many many years, the good time to be there in my opinion is beginning of October to beginning of April

of course, a month either side isn't going to hurt you, as it is still relativly warm, so too speak.

'vette
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Old 8 Dec 2009
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I'm pleasantly surprised by these comments. (Thanks for replying). I thought summer (Jan/Feb) might be too hot and even wet to be out camping and on a bike in SA. Namibia. Bots etc. looks like i was wrong. Brilliant.
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Old 9 Dec 2009
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My favourite months to visit southern Africa are February onwards. Jan usually is hot, although I once had temps soaring around 40°C in Namaqualand (Western Cape) in Feb. But usually temps are more moderate from then on.

These months are mostly dry - the more rainy season being August to Dec. That is except for the south western Cape which has mediteranean type weather: rain in winter (July).
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How about May and June in East South Africa (Joburg-Durban-Kruger)?
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Old 4 Feb 2010
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May and June are perfect for bike travelling, because there is hardly any rain to expect in these months. In June the nights can be crisp and cold in the highveld (Freestate, Johburg, Pretoria), but the eastern parts, esp. the coastal regions of Kwazulu-Natal and the Kruger Park are simply lovely. Additionally to that, in the dry winter months there is no need for anti-malaria medication in the Kruger Park area.
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Old 5 Feb 2010
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So here is skinny: January to March are the wettest, and also hottest months in South Africa. You can pretty much bargain on a thunder storm every day, but they only last a couple of hours at the most.

I have extensively traveled Southern Africa in every season and can honestly say that there is no time of year that it is impossible.

Riding a bike and camping, I'd say April to November is your safest bet as far as weather is concerned.

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Old 17 Feb 2010
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Namibia from December to march is getting the only rain in the hole year..
Is not a problem.. is never that much..
the country is beautifully green and there is very few tourist in this period.
temperatures 17 to 35 degree celsius

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