Best time to visit Zimbabwe

• “The ideal time to visit Zimbabwe for game viewing is during the dry winter season, which runs from May to October.” jewelsafaris.com
• “Best for Safari: May – October – the rains have stopped” farandwild.travel
• “The best game viewing time is in the dry season, May to October” africaendeavours.com

5 of the 9 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January79°F / 60°F · 17 rainy daysChecking fares…Middle of the rainy green season; rain comes in short bursts and many camps are closed, especially in Mana Pools.Wettest month: about 258mm of rain over 26 rainy days.
2. February79°F / 60°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…Still rainy and lush; many camps closed, with green-season rates at the ones open. Game is harder to find.Lowest crowds and cheapest travel of the year per one guide.
3. March79°F / 58°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Rains ending but afternoon showers likely; Hwange camps open, Mana Pools still closed; Falls flow starts to rise.Victoria Falls at full flow from March to May.Victoria Falls at peak flow
4. April78°F / 55°F · 5 rainy daysChecking fares…Victoria Falls is in full flow; rains have mostly stopped and Mana Pools camps start to open.Falls most dramatic in April and May, at the end of the summer rains; pack layers and waterproofs.
5. Best timeMay75°F / 49°F · 2 rainy daysChecking fares…All camps fully open and walking safaris return as the green bush dies back.Peak season at Victoria Falls with higher rates; book up to a year ahead.Driest cool window: highs about 23°C and 2mm of rain.
6. Best timeJune71°F / 44°F · 1 rainy daysChecking fares…Widely regarded as the best safari month; waterholes shrink and herds gather. Good for rhino tracking at Matobo Hills.
7. Best timeJuly71°F / 44°F · 0 rainy daysChecking fares…Winter brings cold nights and crisp mornings; wildlife viewing superb and good for canoe safaris.July to October is the high season with the highest prices and game viewing.
8. Best timeAugust75°F / 47°F · 1 rainy daysChecking fares…Clear days and the heart of the dry season; camps fill quickly. Prime time for white-water rafting at Victoria Falls.Dry with cool conditions: mornings in the mid 50s F, afternoons mid to upper 70s F; lower Falls water and less spray.
9. Best timeSeptember83°F / 53°F · 1 rainy daysChecking fares…Annual game count in Hwange National Park, where visitors can join rangers at waterholes.Heat builds again from September; Devil's Pool is swimmable from September at low water.
10. Best timeOctober84°F / 58°F · 5 rainy daysChecking fares…Zimbabwe's hottest month as the dry season ends; elephant viewing remains excellent at waterholes.High-season crowds before the November rains.
11. November82°F / 60°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Unpredictable: late rains leave October's heat, on-time rains make it very wet. Quiet and good for birdwatching as migrants arrive.Peak crowds at Victoria Falls in November and December.
12. December79°F / 60°F · 16 rainy daysChecking fares…Summer rains and lush landscapes suit birdwatching; the Falls are reduced to a trickle, so Jewel Safaris advises skipping them.Wettest stretch begins; heavy rain from December to February.Victoria Falls Carnival

Weather: Harare averages (1961 to 1990 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Victoria Falls at peak flowVictoria FallsEvery March to May
• Victoria Falls CarnivalVictoria FallsEvery December

When not to visit Victoria Falls?

One guide advises against December, when flow is reduced to a trickle. Another says the Falls thin out from September, though that suits swimming at Devil's Pool.

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