Ethiopia

The best time to travel to the northern part of Ethiopia starts in September. One of the major festivals in Ethiopia – Meskel (Finding of the True Cross) – falls in September. This coincides with carpets of yellow meskel flowers during September and October making the central highlands and northern circuit a must see during these months.

Kenya

The clearing skies signal the start of hot, dry weather with little chance of rain – and fewer visitors – making the latter part of this month a good time for a quieter safari.

Often the migration is still in the Masai Mara.

Tanzania

September is the dry season and temperatures are high except in the highlands in southern and northeastern Tanzania where it is relatively cool and pleasant due to altitude. September is “spring” in Tanzania and bushes and trees are blossoming. The plains are still golden and migratory animals in Serengeti are around Mara River – most having crossed over to Kenya in search of water and greener pastures. All the game parks offer great game viewing with high concentration of wildlife including predators along river systems, which provide surface water. Tarangire and the southern and western game parks are at their best in September with lots of game along the river systems. All the game parks offer excellent bird watching of resident species. The coast and islands are dry and sunny and September – March is excellent for big game fishing (marlin, barracuda, sailfish, tuna) off Mafia, Zanzibar and Pemba. September is shoulder season in northern Tanzania and the islands but it is peak season in southern and western Tanzania.

Mafia Island

Hump back whales might still be around and turtle nests continue hatching on the eastern beaches of Juani Island

Mafia’s “winter” is over. The winds change to blow from the North and the days get calmer as the dry season begins. Blue skies and sunny days

Zanzibar

Kilimanjaro & Mt Kenya

September, January and February are the best months for climbing although you can climb throughout the year. September is cool and has completely clear days with cloud belt usually running around the mountain above the forest and moorland. The summit can be totally clear and the successful climber looks down on a vast sea of clouds with views of distant mountain peaks.

Rwanda

September is dry in Rwanda – the country’s main tourism event takes place during September which is the Gorilla Naming Ceremony or “Kwita Izina”. It is a week of events focusing mainly on conservation that culminate in a huge celebration to name the gorillas that were born during the previous year. This events attracts people who are interested in conservation from all over the world.

Uganda

September is one of the best times to visit Kidepo Valley National Park in the north of the country as the park is dry and wildlife is attracted to the more permanent water sources. Elsewhere in Uganda September is start of the wet season.

South Africa

Head to: The Overberg – particularly Hermanus, Gansbaai, De Hoop Nature Reserve – to see the Southern Right Whale that makes the shores of the Western Cape its breeding ground. The Whale Coast is the strip between Cape Town and Still Bay that includes the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and towns such as Rooiels, Betty’s Bay and Gansbaai – beautiful at this time of year. Hermanus offers the best landbased whale watching.

Avoid: It’s Spring – one of the best times of the year to be anywhere in the country!

Botswana

The optimum time to fish for Tiger Fish is during the annual catfish runs (“barbel runs”) which generally occur from September through to November. This spectacle draws avid fisherman from all around the world to the Panhandle area of the Okavango Delta, where it is more concentrated.

Madagascar

September is dry season in Madagascar and marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Plants, flowers and trees are flowering and the days are long, sunny and warm with good light. Jacaranda trees are flowering and the rice fields and vegetation are very green. September is a good time to see reptiles, amphibians and photographic opportunities are excellent due to good light. It is still possible to enjoy whale watching in Sainte Marie, Anakao, Ifaty and Fort Dauphin. Plan ahead for your visit to Madagascar in September – hotels and flights get fully booked as it is high season!

Malawi

Flocks of Lillian’s Lovebirds continue to congregate in Liwonde National Park. On the Northern Lakeshore, swarms of adult lake flies (which look like dense clouds of smoke) can be spotted hovering over the lake. The fly larvae live on the bottom of the lake where they feed, once they form pupae, they float to the surface and hatch in giant swarms. The swarms attract fish and many species of birds. Winds often blow them to the shore where women from the local communities will catch them and prepare a local delicacy (burger like, lake fly patty which is deep- fried).

August and September remain relatively warm and are pleasant times of the year for game-viewing.

Mozambique

Namibia

Fish River Canyon hike is open

Great game viewing in the Etosha National Park, including Elephants, Rhino and plains game

Dry, winter season. Less vegetation. Naturally occurring waterholes dry up, so animals congregate around boreholes and man-made waterholes

Virtually no clouds, so great for star-gazing

Starts warming up after winter

Zambia

Lion action heats up with multiple sightings and daily kills. The carmine bee eaters are also still around.
Nights still mild, but days getting warmer.
The sausage trees drop all their leaves and have bright green new growth. Antelope are usually found underneath eating the magenta flowers.

Zimbabwe

Ultimately some of the best game viewing time of year, sparse bush and game heading for waterholes putting pressure on water suplies. Temperatures pleasant but climbing.

September is a wonderful time to visit Zimbabwe – the nights are still cool but the days are lovely and warm. Game viewing is also at its best during this time in all National Parks. Migratory birds start to arrive.

Republic of Congo

Sightings of the smaller primates increase, especially Mangabeys and Colobus around Lango and Putty-Nosed and Moustached monkeys at Ngaga. The sky will summon up a few big rains a week, but seldom changes an experience. The thunderstorms are something to behold while sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

Bhutan

Monsoons start receding and the weather becomes more pleasant and dry – welcoming the peak season again in Bhutan. Temperature ranges from 27°C to 11°C.

September, October and November are peak months with many festivals scheduled – autumn in Bhutan is very pleasant with warm days and cool nights and all the trekking routes will open.

India

Although the monsoon is almost over by the 10th September many of the parks remain closed. The lodges start repairing and preparing for the upcoming season. Monsoons are almost over – temperature ranges from 37°C to 30°C.

After the monsoons the grass is flowering and it is a fantastic time for those who are interested in insects and spiders including dragonflies, butterflies and moths

Nepal

The monsoon lasts till late September, however temperatures during the morning and evening can be pleasant but the afternoons will be hot and humid with temperature ranging from 37°C to 30°C.

After the monsoons the grass is flowering and it is a fantastic time for those who are interested in insects and spiders including dragonflies, butterflies and moths.

Sri Lanka

In the month of September, many numbers of elephants can be observed at Udawalawe while numbers peak in Minneriya national park during the afternoons as the dry-season intensifies. The open terrain in Minneriya / Kaudulla national parks provide better opportunities for observing elephant behaviour.

Good month for viewing leopard in Yala as conditions should be predominantly dry.  More sightings can occur around the waterholes.  Encounter rates in Wilpattu should also be good around the villus.  Chance encounters are also possible at Kumana where there are hardly visitors however the leopards may be less habituated.  It is however likely that Yala may be closed during September to mid-October.

 At Wilpattu sightings of sloth bear on the main road increase as the dry season intensifies between May – early October. Chance encounters in Yala and Kumana are possible in the early mornings or late afternoons.

Concentrations of mugger crocodiles in the waterholes peak due to low water levels in  Yala and Bundala – Not uncommon to see 30+ individuals at Buttuwa wewa or Koma wewa. Chance encounters of estuarine crocodile is also a possibility in Bundala. It is however likely that Yala may be closed during September to mid-October.

Chance blue whales and dolphin encounters possible in Trincomalee however sea may start to get rough during September. Mirissa is not accessible due to south west monsoon

Birds – a good variety of resident species can be observed in most of the larger dry-zone national parks.

Seychelles

The South Easterly winds are still blowing steadily during September. This means that it is pleasantly cool with temperatures averaging about 27 celsius.

The slightly breezier conditions make it ideal for hiking, surfing and windsurfing. Although out to sea can start to be a little choppy, Island hoping between the islands is still very popular. Around the islands themselves the seas should still be fairly calm making for good snorkling, diving, fishing and island hoping between the 115 islands.

May – September is also the nesting season for Sooty terns and they can be seen by the thousands on Bird Island at this time of the year – during September the chicks start to fledge.

Maldives

Temperature between 26-30 degrees Celsius approximately

Moderate winds, slightly rough waters with a Moderate/High chance of rain

Wildlife to be spotted: Turtles / Reef Sharks / Eagle-Sting Ray / Manta Rays + Whale Sharks once again more sightings possible

Mauritius