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Gosheni Safaris

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Travel by Month

August: River Crossing Drama

Dry Season · Crowds: Very High

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Africa's Leading Tour Operator 2024 · World Travel Awards Winner

22°C

Average Temperature

29°C

Daytime High

10mm

Monthly Rainfall

2

Rain Days

Browse by Month

August is the headline month of the safari calendar. The Mara River crossings reach full intensity as the mega-herds surge between the northern Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara, thundering, chaotic, crocodile-run crossings that many consider the greatest wildlife show on earth. Predator densities in the Mara are at their annual high.

The weather is dry, sunny and cool at night, and every major park from Amboseli to Kruger to the Okavango is in top form. It is also the busiest month of the year: secure river-facing camps and gorilla permits well in advance, and consider the quieter northern-Serengeti side of the river for fewer vehicles at the crossings.

Climate

Weather Across Africa in August

13 destinations shown for August.

Serengeti

22°C
Low 16°High 29°
10 mmDry

Rain on about 2 days

Ngorongoro

16°C
Low 12°High 20°
19 mmLow rain

Rain on about 6 days

Tarangire

22°C
Low 16°High 28°
2 mmDry

Rain on about 2 days

Kilimanjaro (Moshi)

21°C
Low 17°High 26°
16 mmLow rain

Rain on about 4 days

Zanzibar

25°C
Low 21°High 29°
44 mmLow rain

Rain on about 17 days

Masai Mara

21°C
Low 15°High 29°
24 mmLow rain

Rain on about 6 days

Amboseli

21°C
Low 15°High 28°
4 mmDry

Rain on about 2 days

Volcanoes NP (Rwanda)

9°C
Low 6°High 13°
80 mmSome rain

Rain on about 17 days

Bwindi (Uganda)

16°C
Low 12°High 21°
110 mmSome rain

Rain on about 14 days

Kruger (Skukuza)

20°C
Low 14°High 28°
7 mmDry

Rain on about 3 days

Okavango (Maun)

21°C
Low 12°High 29°
0 mmDry

Rain almost unheard of this month

Chobe (Kasane)

22°C
Low 14°High 30°
0 mmDry

Rain almost unheard of this month

Cape Town

13°C
Low 10°High 17°
91 mmSome rain

Rain on about 11 days

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · 5-year daily averages (2019-2023)

Best Time to Go

What August Is Like

Peak migration river crossings in the Masai Mara. The herds cross the Mara River in massive numbers, creating the most dramatic wildlife action of the year. This is widely considered the single best month for safari in East Africa.

August
Dry Season

Peak migration river crossings in the Masai Mara. The herds cross the Mara River in massive numbers, creating the most dramatic wildlife action of the year. This is widely considered the single best month for safari in East Africa.

Migration crossingsMasai MaraWildlife photography
Wildlife
Crowds
December to March
Green Season

Calving season on the southern Serengeti plains: thousands of wildebeest born daily, dramatic predator action, lush scenery and strong value at the lodges.

Calving seasonPredator actionValue pricing
Wildlife
Crowds
March to May
Long Rains

The quietest, best-value months. Landscapes are at their most dramatic, birding is exceptional, and gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda stays superb.

Best valueBirdingGorilla trekking
Wildlife
Crowds
November to December
Short Rains

Brief afternoon showers repaint the plains green. Migratory birds arrive, the herds head south, and shoulder-season pricing returns.

Lush landscapesBirdingShoulder-season value
Wildlife
Crowds

Why Gosheni

Why Visit in August

01

Migration crossings

The Mara River crossings are at their most intense.

02

Masai Mara

Kenya's Mara hosts the migration at full strength.

03

Wildlife photography

Action-packed sightings from dawn to dusk.

Highlights

Wildlife This Month

Most dramatic river crossings

Most dramatic river crossings

The mega-herds surge across the Mara River in the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.

Masai Mara at its best

Masai Mara at its best

Kenya's Mara hosts the migration at full strength beneath enormous dry-season skies.

Superb predator sightings

Superb predator sightings

Lion, cheetah and crocodile action peaks around the crossing points.

Where to Go

Top African Safari Destinations

Whether it's your first safari or your twentieth, our Africa Safari Experts can tailor-make any vacation to make it the trip of a lifetime.

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Money Matters

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Curated Journeys

Safaris for August

Hand-picked journeys that shine this time of year.

6 Days Best Northern Tanzania Safari
From $3,095
6 days
Featured

6 Days Best Northern Tanzania Safari

Serengeti National Park game drives. Ngorongoro Crater descent. Big Five game viewing. Tarangire elephant herds

Tarangire National Park | Arusha | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | Serengeti National Park | Lake Manyara National Park
From
$3,095 - $5,200
per person
Request a Quote
5 Days Serengeti Great Migration Safari
From $3,570
5 days
Featured

5 Days Serengeti Great Migration Safari

Great Wildebeest Migration. Mara River crossings. Predator-prey action

Arusha | Ngorongoro Crater | Serengeti National Park | Ngorongoro Conservation Area
From
$3,570
per person
Request a Quote
5 Days Luxury Kruger Safari
From $3,832
5 days
Featured

5 Days Luxury Kruger Safari

Big Five in Sabi Sands. Private game reserve. Luxury bush lodge

Johannesburg | Sabi Sands Game Reserve | Kruger National Park
From
$3,832 - $4,800
per person
Request a Quote
5-Day Tanzania Low Season Safari
From $1,620
5 days
Featured

5-Day Tanzania Low Season Safari

Same camps and guides as the peak season, with far fewer vehicles at the sightings. Low-season rates for November 2026 and May 2027, from US$1,620 per person. A full day of game driving in Tarangire. Two nights in Central Serengeti, with a full day on the Seronera plains. A morning on the Ngorongoro Crater floor, with lunch by the lake. Your own Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, on-board Wi-Fi and a private guide. Starts from your hotel in Arusha, so it fits after a Kilimanjaro climb or a night in town

Arusha | Tarangire National Park | Serengeti National Park | Central Serengeti | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | Ngorongoro Crater
From
$1,620 - $2,175
per person
Request a Quote
12-Day Signature Great Migration Calving Photographic Safari
From $6,820
12 days
Featured

12-Day Signature Great Migration Calving Photographic Safari

Four nights on the Ndutu calving plains, not a single overnight stop. A maximum of four photographers per private vehicle, for real access to the windows and pop-up roof. A full day inside Ngorongoro Crater, descending early while the light is still soft. Three nights in Central Serengeti for leopard, lion and cheetah photography. A scheduled Seronera to Arusha flight, so the last day is spent shooting rather than driving. Vehicle refrigerator, charging points and Wi-Fi where network coverage permits

Arusha | Ngorongoro Crater | Ndutu Area | Central Serengeti
From
$6,820 - $10,830
per person
Request a Quote
12-Day Signature Great Migration River Crossing Photographic Safari
From $6,500
12 days
Featured

12-Day Signature Great Migration River Crossing Photographic Safari

Four nights in Northern Serengeti, so the safari never depends on one afternoon at the Mara River. A scheduled flight straight to Kogatende, saving a full day of overland transfer. A maximum of four photographers per private vehicle, for real shooting space. Three nights in Central Serengeti for leopard, lion and cheetah photography. A full day inside Ngorongoro Crater, descending early into soft light. A final Arusha night to back up files and repack equipment before flying home

Arusha | Serengeti National Park | Central Serengeti | Ngorongoro Crater
From
$6,500 - $10,420
per person
Request a Quote
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