The perks of doing an East African safari in the Green or Low Season?

Going on safari in Kenya and Tanzania during the off-peak seasons is an excellent option for many reasons. Surprisingly, low season travel does NOT spell game viewing disappointment and bad weather.

In fact, travelling to East Africa in the low seasons - the long rains from March to June and the short rains from October to December - is an enticing option. As the Lonely Plant’s Best in Travel 2016: The Best Trends, Destinations, Journeys & Experiences, puts it:

"...venturing out on a safari in the rainy season offers more than shaving off money and crowds. The wet seasons (March to June and October to December) also have luminous sunsets and plenty of animals nurturing their young – excellent reasons to brave the rain (which, by the way, is patchy rather than perpetual downfall)." 

Maasai Mara in June by Make it Kenya

The shoulder seasons which fall between the low and peak periods offer similar advantages to the low seasons. Falling at the start and end of the rains, the shoulder seasons are often the best times to go on safari in East Africa in terms of balancing cost, game viewing, visitor numbers and weather. The shoulder season between the long and short rains - from January to March, is actually considered by some safari veterans to be the best time to go game viewing in Kenya and Tanzania. 

To view East Africa Safaris travelling during the shoulder seasons browse our calendar listings for upcoming safaris departing from Nairobi in Kenya and safaris departing from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and filter the tour results by your low season dates.

Zebras in March by SarahTz

5 Reasons to go on Safari in East Africa in the Low Seasons

1. Save Money in Off-Peak Times

East Africa is not the cheapest of African regions to visit. As the traditional heartland of African wildlife safaris, the prices in East Africa are higher than most Southern African countries.

These higher costs can put budget conscious travellers off, but the good news is that prices drop during the off-peak times of the year, bringing these classical safari destinations within reach. One of the reasons prices fall is because mainstream travel advice is to avoid the rainy seasons and aim for winter as game viewing is best. Also, most travellers tend to travel during the northern hemisphere's summer holidays and over Christmas and New Years.

You can save between 20 to 40% on safaris outside of the high and peak season.

It's not just the safari packages that are cheaper in low season, the accommodation rates drop saving you money on pre and post tour accommodation. Activities are also offered at reduced prices, as are day trips. If you're travelling independently in East Africa during low season you also have more leverage for bargaining and negotiating better deals too. Flights are also cheaper, due to lower demand! All-in-all an otherwise too expensive African safari becomes affordable out of peak season.

2. Escape the Crowds 

Masai Mara in early December by Weldon Kennedy

One of the main drawbacks of going on safari in East Africa is that the world-renowned safari destinations of Tanzania and Kenya are often crowded. The legendary Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania are considered Africa's ultimate safari destinations (traditionally), which means that tourist traffic is high.

By travelling in the atypical months (low and shoulder times) you can avoid getting stuck in a game viewing traffic jam and having to compete for space at wildlife sightings. 

Masai Mara in December by Weldon Kennedy

Travelling in the less-crowded rainy season makes for a more authentic experience - one that allows you to connect more personally with the wild places and local people of East Africa. 

Maasai woman by Daniel De Lapelin Dumont

In the low seasons when there are fewer travellers at the game lodges and on the game drives. This opens up more time and space to appreciate the wildlife and savannahs in peace and engage with your guides and the local people you encounter.

3. Low Season is Ideal for Watching Baby Animals & Birdlife

Masai Mara cubs in April by Matt Biddulph

Many animals give birth in the wet seasons when food and water are plentiful. This is a great time to see wobbly-legged fawns, foals and calves, and playful cubs and pups.

Gazelle and foal in Masai Mara by Erin Ustun

Elephant and calf in Amboseli by Julian Mason

This is also when flocks of migratory birds arrive for the wet summer season. The Great Lakes attract a bright and diverse array of birdlife - making the low season a magical time for bird watching enthusiasts! Lake Nakuru attracts over 400 migratory bird species from across the planet.

Lake Nakuru birdlife by Francesco Veronesi

4. Pretty & Photographic Times of the Year

The rainy seasons offer excellent conditions for photography in East Africa's top game parks, which come alive with the rains. In the wet seasons, the light is intense and moody, and the dramatic sunsets are spectacular. This is when the grasslands are green and the skies dramatic with billowing rain clouds. The showers settle the dust, leaving the air, landscapes and vegetation fresh, crisp and vivid.

Serengeti sunset in November by Anja Pietsch

During, in between and just after the wet seasons the scenery is at its most beautiful, as the dusty plains are transformed into lush grasslands. Photographic opportunities abound with frolicking young wildlife and migratory birds aplenty, as well as predators taking advantage of the abundance of prey.

Serengeti in shoulder season - January by tinman6

5. Superb Game Viewing & the Great Migration of Africa

The game viewing in East Africa is spectacular year-round in many destinations, including Serengeti and Masai Mara.

Mara lion in December by Weldon Kennedy

The good news is that with planning you can still see the Great Migration of Africa in action. The dates and duration of the seasons vary from year to year and so too does the timing and course of the Wildebeest Migration. In Tanzania, the migration can be seen at any time of the year, so catching the spectacle depends largely on knowing where to be at the right time. 

Serengeti migration in March by Colin J. McMechan

Over the past few years, the massive herds of the migration have been arriving earlier and staying later in southern Kenya, which means that the Great Migration of Africa has been witnessed by out-of-season travellers. Catching the world-famous spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration comes down to getting expert advice about timing and the right places to go, as well as luck. 

Serengeti migration in November by Vince Smith

Finding the Balance

During the wet summer months, the weather is warmer, which is worth considering if you don't cope well with the heat. It does not typically rain continuously, but rather in short downpours that clear up after brief afternoon thundershowers.

To escape the crowds, try to avoid the peak seasons from the start of July to the end of October and over the Christmas holidays.

If you're not convinced about the perks of low-season travel then aim for the shoulder seasons which can offer the best conditions - all factors considered.

Low Season Crowds in November by Vince Smith

How to get to East Africa for your safari

The easiest and most direct way to travel to East Africa is to fly into Nairobi in Kenya. Nairobi is the most popular starting point for East African Safaris hosting many international flights from various destinations in Europe, Africa and Asia. From Nairobi, you are spoilt for choice with a huge selection of tours departing from the capital. You can browse our upcoming tours starting in Nairobi here.

You can also start your low-season safari to East Africa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. To search for safaris from Tanzania's most popular starting point view our upcoming safaris departing from Dar es Salaam. Alternatively, to cut down on your overland travelling distances and save time, browse our tours departing from Arusha, near the Northern Safari Circuit of Tanzania.

Our Private Group Tours are also ideal for taking advantage of lower off-peak prices, especially if you are travelling in a big group. A tailor-made safari enables you to customize your tour itinerary to maximize your chances of witnessing the Great Migration and avoiding the crowds. You get to choose exactly when and where to travel, giving you the chance to head off the beaten track in any season, at a reasonable price.

Need help making your dream East African Safari a reality? Talk to our team of budget travel experts to keep your planning quick and easy.

[Please note that is the updated version of our blog post first published in Feb 2016]