> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.travel-info.co.zw/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Best Time for a Safari in Zimbabwe > When to go on safari in Zimbabwe: dry versus green season, month by month and park by park, with closures, prices and what changes through the year. **The best time for a safari in Zimbabwe is the dry season, from about June to October, and the peak for game viewing is August to October, when animals crowd around the last water.** June and July are cooler and best for walking safaris. The green season, from November to April, is hotter and wetter, with lush landscapes, migrant birds and lower lodge rates, but game is harder to find and Mana Pools and Gonarezhou close for part of it. **Written by [Bryan Fawcett](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/about-this-guide.md).** > [!NOTE] > > **Last reviewed: 25 October 2026** against the World Meteorological Organization's climate normals for Zimbabwe, the official ZimParks 2026 tariff and park pages, the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, the Save Valley Conservancy, Painted Dog Conservation and published 2026 lodge rates. Seasons shift from year to year. Check park opening dates with ZimParks or your lodge before you book. ## Dry season versus green season | Season | Months | Game viewing | Weather and comfort | Prices | | - | - | - | - | - | | **Early dry** | May | Good and improving. Grass is still long in places | Warm days, cool nights. Almost no rain | Shoulder rates at some lodges | | **Cool dry** | June to July | Very good. The bush thins and animals drink at permanent water | Mild days, cold mornings (about 5°C in Hwange). Best for walking | High season | | **Late dry** | August to October | The best. Animals gather at waterholes, pans and rivers | Hot, reaching about 32–35°C in October in the low-lying parks | High season | | **Green season (early rains to end of rains)** | November to April | Harder. Water is everywhere, so animals spread out. Many antelope give birth, and migrant birds arrive | Hot and humid with afternoon storms. Heaviest rain from December to February | Lowest rates | **What changes in the dry season:** grass dies back and many trees drop their leaves, so you can see further into the bush. Seasonal pans dry up, and animals have to come to permanent water, often to the pumped waterholes in Hwange or the rivers and floodplains of the Zambezi Valley and the lowveld. **What changes in the green season:** the first storms usually arrive between November and early December. The bush turns green within days, and many animals give birth. Roads in remote parks get muddy or impassable, and some camps close. ## Month by month Temperatures and rainfall below are the long-term averages for Hwange Main Camp (WMO station 965). Kariba and Mana Pools, in the Zambezi Valley, are hotter: daytime highs are about 2–3°C higher, and nights are much warmer. See [weather by month](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/essentials/weather-by-month.md) for other areas. | Month | Hwange high / low | Rain | Safari conditions | | - | - | - | - | | January | 29°C / 18°C | 145 mm | Green season. Lush, hot and wet. Mana Pools largely closed. Gonarezhou closed from 10 January | | February | 29°C / 18°C | 129 mm | Green season. Good birding. Gonarezhou and most of Mana Pools closed | | March | 29°C / 17°C | 57 mm | Rains easing. Gonarezhou reopens on 1 March. Mana Pools usually still closed | | April | 28°C / 13°C | 20 mm | End of the rains. Green bush and long grass. Lowveld peak season begins | | May | 26°C / 9°C | 3 mm | Dry season starts. Pleasant days. Painted dog denning begins in some areas | | June | 24°C / 5°C | 0 mm | Cool and dry. Good walking. Pans start drying | | July | 24°C / 5°C | 0 mm | Cold mornings, clear days. Excellent walking and painted dog denning | | August | 27°C / 7°C | 1 mm | Prime game viewing begins. Waterholes busy | | September | 31°C / 12°C | 2 mm | Hot and dry. Peak game viewing | | October | 32°C / 16°C | 21 mm | The hottest month. Superb game at water, but very hot in the valley parks | | November | 32°C / 18°C | 56 mm | First rains. Migrant birds arrive. Some remote camps start to close | | December | 30°C / 18°C | 126 mm | Green season. Many antelope have young. Mana Pools largely closed | ## Park by park | Park | Best months | Open in the rains? | Why go when | | - | - | - | - | | [Hwange](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/hwange-national-park.md) | May to October | Yes. Lower rates, newborn animals and migrant birds | Pumped waterholes draw huge elephant herds from August to October | | [Mana Pools](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/mana-pools.md) | July to October | Largely closed, roughly mid-November or December to March | Floodplain game and walking peak in the late dry season. May, June and November are quieter | | [Gonarezhou](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/gonarezhou.md) | April to September | Closed 10 January to 1 March. Remote camps close from late November | The best camping conditions, according to the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust | | [Matusadona](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/matusadona-national-park.md) | May to October | Yes, but the road in gets harder and storms can make the lake rough | Elephant and buffalo come down to the Lake Kariba shoreline | | [Zambezi National Park](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/zambezi-national-park.md) | May to October | Yes, but some park roads can be muddy | Animals come to the river to drink | | [Matobo](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/matobo-hills.md) | May to October | Yes. Afternoon storms are common from December to February | Easy rhino tracking on foot in cool weather | | [Save Valley and Malilangwe](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/save-valley-and-malilangwe.md) | April to September | Yes, both reserves are open all year | Save Valley's peak season. Painted dogs den from May to July | | [Chizarira](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/chizarira-national-park.md) | June to October | Open, but the dirt roads up the escarpment can become very difficult | Roads are passable and animals gather near the springs | | [Umfurudzi](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/umfurudzi-park.md) | May to October | Yes. Check gravel roads with the park | Cool weather for walking, and game near the rivers and dams | > [!WARNING] > > ZimParks sets Mana Pools' rainy-season closure each year. Confirm opening dates with the Mana Pools office before you plan a trip between November and April. ## Best time by interest * **Big game and predators:** August to October. See [where to see the Big Five](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/wildlife/big-five-in-zimbabwe.md). * **Painted dogs:** the denning season, roughly May to September. See [painted dogs](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/wildlife/painted-dogs.md). * **Walking safaris:** June to October, when the grass is short and visibility is good. See [walking and canoe safaris](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/planning/walking-and-canoe-safaris.md). * **Canoeing the Zambezi:** trips run most of the year, but June to October is best for wildlife. * **Birding:** November to April, when migrant birds arrive and many residents breed. See [birding in Zimbabwe](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/wildlife/birding-in-zimbabwe.md). * **Photography:** the green season gives dramatic skies and green landscapes. The late dry season gives dust, golden light and animals at water. * **Victoria Falls at full flow:** March to May. A safari in May can combine both. See [Victoria Falls](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/victoria-falls.md). ## Prices and seasonality **Park fees don't change with the seasons.** The ZimParks 2026 tariff sets one conservation fee for each park all year, such as US\$24 a day for international visitors at Hwange and Mana Pools. See [park fees 2026](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/essentials/park-fees.md). **Lodge rates do.** Private camps usually charge the most from about June to October and the least in the green season. As an example, the 2026 published rates for one tented camp in Hwange run from **US$630** per person sharing per night in December to **US$1,390** from June to October, more than double. Rates and season dates vary by camp, so get quotes directly. * **Book early for July to October.** Small camps and popular ZimParks sites, such as Mana Pools' Nyamepi riverfront and Chitake, fill up months ahead. * **Shoulder months save money.** April, May and November often bring lower rates than the peak, but check that your camp is open. * **Green season deals** suit repeat visitors, birders and photographers who don't mind heat and rain. ## Related guides > **[Weather by month](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/essentials/weather-by-month.md)** > > Temperatures and rainfall across Zimbabwe. > **[Park fees 2026](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/essentials/park-fees.md)** > > Official ZimParks fees for every park. > **[Safari planning](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/planning/safari-planning.md)** > > Choosing a park, a safari style and a budget. > **[National parks and reserves](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/wildlife/national-parks-and-reserves.md)** > > Compare Zimbabwe's parks. ## Sources * [World Meteorological Organization — World Weather Information Service: Zimbabwe (Meteorological Services Department, 1961–1990 normals)](https://worldweather.wmo.int/en/country.html?countryCode=113), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) — De-Gazetted Tariff 2026 (PDF)](https://www.zimparks.org.zw/media/2026/02/De-Gazetted-Tariff-2026.pdf), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) — Mana Pools National Park](https://www.zimparks.org.zw/mana-pools-national-park/), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) — Chizarira National Park](https://www.zimparks.org.zw/chizarira-national-park/), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Gonarezhou Conservation Trust — Home](https://gonarezhou.org/), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Save Valley Conservancy — Home](https://www.savevalleyconservancy.org/), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Painted Dog Conservation — FAQ](https://www.painteddog.org/faq), accessed 25 October 2026 * [Safari.com — Somalisa Camp, Hwange: 2026 rates (from the operator's published rate sheets)](https://www.safari.com/somalisa), accessed 25 October 2026 * Our reviewed park guides to [Hwange](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/hwange-national-park.md), [Mana Pools](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/mana-pools.md), [Gonarezhou](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/gonarezhou.md), [Matusadona](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/matusadona-national-park.md), [Zambezi National Park](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/zambezi-national-park.md), [Save Valley and Malilangwe](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/save-valley-and-malilangwe.md) and [Umfurudzi](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/destinations/umfurudzi-park.md), and our [walking and canoe safaris](https://www.travel-info.co.zw/planning/walking-and-canoe-safaris.md) guide Premium booking partner Plan your Zimbabwe safari trip with a local Moses Adventures builds tailored Zimbabwe trips and has visited every destination they sell. 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