Best places to travel in Africa this Heritage Month
IF YOU’D like to witness the great wildebeest migration in East Africa, experience a Big Five safari in the Kruger National Park or spend your honeymoon in the Seychelles, then travelling in September is your best bet.
According to go2Africa.com, here is a list of four places to consider exploring to take advantage of Africa’s best travel season.
Grand Baie, Mauritius
It’s spring and the average temperature is 27ºC. Spend your day at the beach enjoying all sorts of water sports and lounging outdoors in the sun.
Grand Baie is the liveliest part of Mauritius and great for couples and families who like to have plenty to see. Mauritius is also a popular honeymoon destination and an easy add-on to so many peak-season safari destinations.
Western Cape & Garden Route
At this time of the year, the average temperature sits at 18ºC. It’s the beginning of spring and everything is slowly blooming along the West Coast.
Spring wildflowers start blooming, covering the ground with swathes of purple, orange, yellow and white blossoms.
This is an incredible stretch of coastline to drive as the Garden Route is dotted with gems like Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and the famous Cango Caves.
Why not start in Cape Town and end in Gqeberha, enjoying good roads and excellent value-for-money accommodation along the way?
Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
With cool spring temperatures sitting at 20ºC, you’ll be able to encounter mega-herds of wildebeest grazing on Mara’s lush and plentiful grasses without the scorching African sun on your back.
With the “National Geographic drama” of the river crossings now largely over, the wildebeest must replenish their energy, especially the females that are pregnant. The Mara has a significant collection of big cats, particularly lions and leopards, lying in wait hoping to make a killing.
September is still considered peak season so it’s best to get your enquiry in at least six months in advance to have the first choice of accommodation.
Ruaha & Katavi National Parks, Tanzania
At this time of the year, Tanzania’s national parks offer superb game viewing and birding, all in the comfort of cool spring temperatures.
Ruaha and Katavi may not be as famous as the Serengeti and certainly don’t have millions of wildebeest hurtling through for several months a year but both have rustic charm.
These national parks are home to all the big cats, wild dogs, massive herds of buffalo and elephant, and at least 500 bird species.
If you’re a procrastinator or last-minute, spontaneous traveller then Ruaha and Katavi should be able to accommodate you.