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Gosheni Safaris

Award-Winning African Safaris Since 2009

Travel by Month

September: Herds in the Mara

Dry Season · Crowds: High

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

23°C

Average Temperature

30°C

Daytime High

25mm

Monthly Rainfall

5

Rain Days

Browse by Month

September keeps the dry-season magic going with a touch less pressure. River crossings continue in the Masai Mara and northern Serengeti as the herds shuttle back and forth, waterholes reach their busiest as the land dries, and Botswana's Chobe riverfront hosts elephant herds hundreds strong.

The Okavango's floodwaters remain high for mokoro safaris, and southern Africa's clear skies make it a superb month for multi-country itineraries. Crowds thin slightly from the August peak while conditions stay essentially perfect.

Climate

Weather Across Africa in September

13 destinations shown for September.

Serengeti

23°C
Low 17°High 30°
25 mmLow rain

Rain on about 5 days

Ngorongoro

17°C
Low 12°High 23°
19 mmLow rain

Rain on about 5 days

Tarangire

23°C
Low 18°High 30°
2 mmDry

Rain on about 1 day

Kilimanjaro (Moshi)

22°C
Low 18°High 28°
20 mmLow rain

Rain on about 5 days

Zanzibar

25°C
Low 22°High 30°
44 mmLow rain

Rain on about 16 days

Masai Mara

22°C
Low 15°High 29°
44 mmLow rain

Rain on about 8 days

Amboseli

22°C
Low 16°High 30°
6 mmDry

Rain on about 3 days

Volcanoes NP (Rwanda)

9°C
Low 6°High 13°
156 mmRainy

Rain on about 25 days

Bwindi (Uganda)

16°C
Low 12°High 21°
206 mmVery rainy

Rain on about 24 days

Kruger (Skukuza)

22°C
Low 16°High 30°
24 mmLow rain

Rain on about 3 days

Okavango (Maun)

25°C
Low 16°High 33°
0 mmDry

Rain almost unheard of this month

Chobe (Kasane)

25°C
Low 17°High 33°
0 mmDry

Rain almost unheard of this month

Cape Town

14°C
Low 11°High 18°
58 mmLow rain

Rain on about 8 days

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

Best Time to Go

What September Is Like

Migration continues in the Masai Mara with ongoing river crossings. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is at peak flood, offering incredible mokoro (dugout canoe) safaris. Excellent conditions across southern Africa.

September
Dry Season

Migration continues in the Masai Mara with ongoing river crossings. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is at peak flood, offering incredible mokoro (dugout canoe) safaris. Excellent conditions across southern Africa.

Mara crossingsOkavango DeltaMulti-country safaris
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 September

01

Mara crossings

Late-season crossings continue in the northern plains.

02

Okavango Delta

Peak flood turns the delta into a mokoro paradise.

03

Multi-country safaris

Ideal conditions align across East and Southern Africa.

Highlights

Wildlife This Month

Migration in the Masai Mara

Migration in the Masai Mara

The herds work the Mara grasslands, crossing and re-crossing the river as the grazing shifts.

Concentrated wildlife at waterholes

Concentrated wildlife at waterholes

The driest weeks of the year pull every species to the remaining water.

Elephant super-herds in Chobe

Elephant super-herds in Chobe

Botswana's Chobe riverfront gathers elephant herds hundreds strong.

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 September

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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