Eat, Sleep, Repeat!

The most effective way to get the best wildlife viewing is to spend as much time as possible in the bush. You cannot expect to see everything in one visit to a national park. Sometimes a game drive can provide some stunning encounters, but on the flip side you can visit a national park and not see much at all.

Don’t put unrealistic expectations on your visit to a national park. You are not visiting a zoo and wildlife will not come out into the open to say ‘Hi” to you. You have no control as to what you will see on your visit into a national park. However, you can increase your chances by considering a few factors.

The time of day is important. When the temperature gets hot animals will seek out shade. When animals rest in the shade spotting them will be made much harder. This also means the activity levels are low. An animal moving is much easier to spot that one resting in the shade. Taking that into consideration it is better to explore a national park in the early morning and late afternoon, when the temperature is lower and activity levels higher.

The time of year is also important. As we know the weather fluctuates with the seasons and this will affect your ability to see wildlife and possibly your ability to get into a national park. The time of year and weather also affects the vegetation. The thicker the vegetation the harder it is to view animals. To make the most of your time in Africa to look for and at wildlife it is best to visit when there is a lower chance of rain and the vegetation has thinned out. The dryer months of the year will offer a better chance of seeing wildlife.

For most people visiting Africa is a once in a lifetime dream. Make the most of you time in Africa by picking the right time of year. Head into the national park in the early morning and late afternoon and do that as many times that you can. Even though there are no guarantees in seeing wildlife, taking these factors into consideration will offer you the best opportunity to see the most animals.