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Where to Go in 2026: My Picks
My 2026 picks: Uganda, Kenya, Australia and Zambia, plus Guyana and Northern Albania. Places that cap visitor numbers and still feel wild if you plan them well.
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You can go on safari in any month, but each month shows you something different. For the Great Migration in Kenya, gorillas in Uganda, walking safaris in Zambia, or a trip paired with Australia’s southern-hemisphere seasons, timing shapes the trip more than anything else.
Below: the dry, green and shoulder seasons, and when each region peaks.
Safari regions run on three seasons, not four:
East Africa (Kenya, Uganda) and Southern Africa (Zambia) fall into these windows differently.
Kenya works year-round because of its range of ecosystems, from the Maasai Mara to Samburu to the Chyulu Hills.
Highlights:
Best for: Signature Kenya itineraries, Mara conservancies, photography.
Kenya's slowest stretch. Some camps close, roads turn to mud and storms can be heavy, but the country is green and the birding is excellent.
Best for: Value travelers and photographers after green-season skies.
Best for: The migration buildup without peak crowds.
The Mara's headline season.
What to expect:
Best for: Big Five itineraries, romantic safaris, family travel.
Best for: Good wildlife at better prices.
Uganda follows rainforest weather, not savanna patterns.
Best for: Travelers who'll take some mud in exchange for a quieter forest.
Few African countries swing as hard between seasons as Zambia.
Best for: Signature Zambia, classic itineraries, first-timers.
Best for: Photographers, return visitors, value seekers.
Victoria Falls changes completely with the water level:
Best for: Adding to a Zambia itinerary; also pairs well with the Mara and Uganda.
Pick the month by what you most want to see. If you're weighing dates, get in touch and I'll help you choose.
Every itinerary begins with a 20-minute planning call. From there, a $250 planning fee, credited in full toward your booked trip and non-refundable if you don’t book. I brief the property before you arrive — that's what the fee funds.
Plan your trip
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