About Zambia

Sara and John say...

Like many other parts of southern Africa, the climate of Zambia is being made more unpredictable by the effects of climate change, with downpours in the dry season and drought occurring when it should be raining.

However most of the wet weather takes place during the period from December to March, with northern areas seeing the earliest onset and slowest retreat. This is referred to as Zambia’s ‘Emerald Season’. The more mountainous eastern areas see most of the rain, when some camps are closed and roads can become impassable.

Through April and May, the country begins to dry out and the weather turns cooler, especially at night.

From June to August, Zambia reaches peak season. Days are largely dry, sunny and warm, while nights can get very chilly, with frost.

September and October provide further great game-sighting, especially around the dwindling watering holes. But temperatures are on the rise. Indeed the lower-lying rift valleys can get very hot indeed.

By November the weather become more mixed. Cloudier skies and occasional downpours become more common, but there are still some sunny days to be had before the wet season properly arrives in the following months.