The best time to visit Zambia is during the dry season between June and November. The skies are a beautiful cobalt blue, the days are hot, and the nights are cool. Temperatures are typically anywhere from the mid 70°s F to the upper 90°s F across the country. Wildlife-spotting opportunities are abundant during this time too, as animals gather around the limited water sources. A Wet season safari (November to April) is mus more challenging, as most parks and camps shut down because of heavy rain. The exception is the Mfuwe section of South Luangwa National Park, which has a small circuit of all-weather roads.

Victoria Falls makes a great option to combine with a safari, but can be visited on its own when the camps are closed briefly in the wet season between January and February. This is when the ‘smoke that thunders’ lives up to its name. This name was coined by the Kalolo-Lozi people, who could see the enormous clouds of mist and spray from a distance.