Africa’s Best Destinations For The USA Holiday Season

Africa’s Best Destinations For The USA Holiday Season

For many US travellers, a vacation to Africa is a giant step into the unknown, with many questions which need answering – which are the best places in Africa to visit? where is the best safari in Africa? how long should I go for? where should I stay?

Well there are many, many options and places to visit in Africa to choose from as it is a continent brimming full of extraordinary cities, wonderful wildlife reserves and beautiful beaches, however if you are limited by only being able to take your African holidays during the US Holiday Season - which typically refers to the period from Thanksgiving in late November right through to New Year's Day, - then your options are more limited if you want to maximise your game–viewing and enjoy some quality beach time on your holiday in Africa.

It is crucial to know which are the best countries to visit in Africa as some African vacation spots are really not to be recommended during this period! It is pouring with rain in November in a selection of the best countries to visit in Africa, so speak to Africa Travel and discover the best places to go in Africa during the US Holiday Season.

We have decades of experiencing in arranging travel to the finest tourist destinations in Africa. Knowing when is the best time to visit Africa is crucial, and could make or break any vacation, so we thought we would provide a quick rundown of what we consider to be our top, must-not-miss places to visit in Africa in the months of November, December & January.

Where to visit in Africa during the US Holiday Season – monthly guide

November
Southern Africa begins to get wet in mid-November so either squeeze in a visit to Botswana, head for the Kruger National Park in South Africa, or follow the Migration in Tanzania as the herds return to the Serengeti.

December
Christmas + safari = East Africa. Southern Africa can be very hot and very wet, so for some festive fun, Kenya & Tanzania should be at the top of everybody’s Christmas wish list. Cape Town & South Africa’s Cape region are both incredibly popular places to travel to in Africa during this month.

January
This is prime time to go on safari in East Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. As the weather is dry the animals congregate in large numbers around the permanent sources of water, with the migration – of wildebeest and zebra, found in the northern areas of Tanzania.

Where to avoid visiting in Africa during the US Holiday Season

The best months for viewing wildlife in Botswana are during the dry season from May to September. For visiting the Okavango Delta, it is best to travel from June to October as at this time it is flooded. Wildlife viewing is good year-round, but this can differ for some parks.

Peak season for game-viewing in Zambia is from June to October, when the weather is at its best. Many areas and safari lodges are closed during the wet season from November to April – however the mighty Victoria Falls can still be visited and viewed year-round and, being very well connected by plane, road and even rail on the luxurious Rovos Rail, a visit is easy to combine whether you are on safari in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia or Zimbabwe, or spending time in South Africa.

Zimbabwe is only to be really avoided between November and March - instead safari goers should aim to visit in the dry season months of June, July, August, September & October

The best months for viewing wildlife in Malawi are during the dry season from May to October, with period between November to January to be avoided.

Travel in the off season

Even though you may now know when the best time of year to visit Africa is, don’t completely disregard the off season. There are some massive benefits to visiting countries outside the peak season - reduced rates and fewer crowds being two obvious pluses, and in terms of a safari experience, the wet season might mean more chance of you getting wet, but it might also mean a better chance of getting up close to the wildlife and enjoying the green landscape.

The best vacation spots in Africa during the US Holiday Season

South Africa
South Africa is home to over 20 National Parks, but none is more famous and well-known than the Kruger. Originating out of the Sabi Game Reserve and proclaimed a National Park in 1926, the modern-day Kruger is nowadays home to a phenomenal range of wildlife, including the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino & buffalo), and all of the usual suspects.

Kruger National Park safaris offer a wide choice of accommodation from tented camps to some seriously luxurious safari lodges and, in addition to seeking out the wonderful wildlife on open game vehicles with an expert guide, there is the chance to have some unforgettable experiences such as walking safaris and treetop sleepouts. The Kruger is also the perfect location for those who ask when is the best time to go on safari in Africa, as it can be visited year-round. Even in the wet season from October to April, the scenery is green and beautiful and the rain falls only in short afternoon showers.

Perhaps enough of a reason on its own as to why you should travel to Africa from the US during the Holiday Season, the majestic city of Cape Town is situated on the south-western tip of Africa, and is the meeting point of the cold Atlantic and the warm Indian Oceans. It is one of South Africa’s premier tourist attractions and is home to the famous Table Mountain, vast wine lands, magnificent beaches, gourmet cuisine and the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. Known as ‘The Mother City’ and a destination in itself, Cape Town enjoys one of the world’s finest settings and is regularly voted amongst the best cities on the planet. The city’s many attractions include Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for so many years, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the stylish Camp’s Bay beach and Table Mountain, whose summit can be reached either on foot or by aerial cableway.

Further afield visitors can explore Cape Point, soak up the sun from one of the many stunning beaches, go whale-watching, enjoy the rich floral kingdom or simply immerse themselves in the city’s world-class galleries, museums, restaurants & boutiques. The tourist to South Africa could easily spend two or three weeks in The Cape, but that would mean missing out on so much more….



Kenya
At the top of any list of the best places to visit in Africa during the US Holiday Season just has to be the Masai Mara Game Reserve, where safari really began, with the first pioneers leading expeditions into the region as long ago as 1919. Located in the south-west of Kenya bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, the Masai Mara is a justifiably world-renowned game reserve famed for its big cats and as a stage for one of the planet’s greatest wildlife spectacles; the annual wildebeest migration. The Mara is a haven for large numbers of animals and a quite staggering variety of species including Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, topi, eland, impala, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, elephants, and black rhinos.

The wildlife viewing throughout Kenya is good all year-round, however, it can differ from park to park. During the US Holiday Season, also consider heading to the coastal resorts of Mombasa, Malindi & Lamu which are at their best at this time of year.



Tanzania
When researching which places to visit in Africa, the safari-goer should always consider the Serengeti National Park. Tanzania's iconic Serengeti National Park covers nearly 6,000 square miles of Northern Tanzania up to the border with Kenya's Masai Mara. The topography of the park is generally flat, characterised by huge open grassland plains where the herds of wildebeest graze during the annual Great Migration. The Migration is what draws most visitors on Serengeti National Park holidays and offers the chance to see herds of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest grazing and moving through the park as they search for fresh grasses. The fact that this is an annual cycle means that holidays to the Serengeti can be almost year-round, and Africa Travel can recommend the best camps to see the migration during the US Holiday Season.

Perhaps the best vacation destination in Africa for some serious R&R and beach time has to be the almost mystical island of Zanzibar – the "Spice Island".

What better way to round off a safari adventure through Tanzania than to spend some time relaxing on one of Zanzibar’s beautiful white sand beaches. The emphasis when at the beach is very much on relaxation, enjoying the fantastic food (especially seafood) and sunbathing, however Zanzibar offers plenty to do for those looking to be more active. Diving schools cater for beginners looking to learn the basics right the way through to the experts and there are some fantastic dive spots to enjoy. For a more sedate way to enjoy the ocean, snorkelling is offered as are activities such as stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and walks along the beach.



Rwanda
One of the more unusual African travel destinations to aim for should be Rwanda. Just a few degrees south of the equator, this top destination is a jewel of a land, from the deep emerald of its forests to the brilliant sapphire of its lakes. Rwanda holiday packages will almost invariably focus on the endangered Mountain Gorilla. Many visitors come to Parc National des Volcans for gorilla trekking adventures but because the number of permits to view these gentle giants is strictly limited, these need to be arranged well in advance. The gorillas are a magnificent sight and one which is certainly unforgettable. In the park, you can also admire the dramatic chain of seven volcanoes which provide a border with both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Park is also home to golden monkeys and to a scenic string of volcanoes.

The best time to visit is from June to August, and from December to February during the US Holiday Season. This is the dry season when gorilla trekking is at its easiest. Avoid in March, April & May when roads and tracks are often impassable.



Namibia
A dry, year-round destination which can be easily visited at any time. Often voted one of the best places to travel in Africa, Namibia is most famous for the huge red sand dunes of Sossusvlei, an iconic sight. The vlei, or pan, is found in the heart of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. This is one of Africa’s largest parks and incorporates the dunes, river courses and mountains of the Namib desert said to be the world's oldest. It is most famous for the massive, slowly shifting sand dunes that are most accessible around Sossusvlei and whether climbing the dunes, exploring the skeletal trees at nearby Dead Vlei or flying above them in a hot air balloon the views are incredible. The coastal resort of Swakopmund is an extremely popular destination during the US Holiday Season, and busting the myth that National Parks are all about open grass plains and lush, thick vegetation is Etosha - Namibia’s iconic and flagship reserve. Dominated by a large and extinct salt pan, the landscape is almost other-worldly, and is a sanctuary for the endangered black rhino.

Travelling from the USA to Africa during US Holiday Season

A common question asked by those planning a trip to Africa is – how I do travel to Africa from the USA? Well during the US Holiday Season there are direct flights to Kenya as well as South Africa from the USA.

New York has non-stop links to Nairobi in Kenya, (with Kenya Airways, who operate a daily direct 13½ hour flight from JFK, and who have a vast onward network to all areas of Africa), and to both Johannesburg & Cape Town in South Africa, (operated by United from Newark, with the journey taking a little over 14hrs).

Direct flights to South Africa from the USA are available from Atlanta with Delta Airlines, who serve Johannesburg & Cape Town non-stop whilst United Airlines are the only carrier to offer a direct service between Washington Dulles and Cape Town, perfect for those on the East Coast planning a trip to South Africa.

The massive benefits of flying directly from the USA to Africa – less journey time, less stress, less hanging around, less chance of missed connections or lost luggage – should never be dismissed, but with relatively few non-stop options, for many it will mean taking at least a one-stop trip. Domestic connections to New York, Atlanta & Washington will allow the American traveller heading for Kenya or South Africa the chance to hop onto one of the direct services, but for those bound for other parts of Africa, the options are many!

There is Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s oldest and most respected airlines, who fly directly from Newark, JFK, Washington, Atlanta and Chicago to their hub in Addis Ababa, and onwards to the continent’s largest range of destinations. The Middle East is a region that is blessed with a vast number of flights to Africa, with Qatar Airways, regularly voted the World’s leading airline, flying from US destinations as varied as Seattle, San Francisco & Los Angeles on the West Coast, Dallas Fort Worth, Houston & Miami in the south, and Washington, Boston & JFK on the East Coast, via Doha to a multitude of African hotspots.

Running Qatar Airways a very close second are Emirates, whose simple-to-use Dubai base is linked to 14 major US cities, as well as a myriad of African destinations.

Consider travelling with Turkish Airlines and breaking your journey in exotic Istanbul. Turkey’s national carrier links major American cities such as Chicago, New York, LA, Dallas, Atlanta & Washington with African destinations spread far and wide. Flights to Africa from the USA can follow many routes - Europe has always been a great drawcard for the American traveller, and those travelling to Africa can make an easy stop in Paris, Amsterdam or London en-route to their African vacation.

Africa Travel have decades of arranging the cheapest flights to Africa from the USA, so if you are wondering how to plan a trip to Africa during the US Holiday Season contact the experts at Africa Travel and let us help you with the very best flight deals and options to Africa.

Why Book your Vacation to Africa with Africa Travel?

Now that you know which are Africa’s best destinations for the USA Holiday Season, it is time to contact Africa Travel. With almost 40 years’ experience in creating tailor-made and bespoke holidays to the best destinations in Africa, there is no one more qualified to organise an unforgettable vacation in Africa than Africa Travel. We are able to advise on the best country to visit in Africa, the best cities to visit in Africa and where to go in Africa, and we have a wealth of specialist resources to help you book your perfect vacation. We are trusted by more and more customers to create a memorable experience which is not just another holiday, but rather the finest trip possible to Africa.

All of our staff have travelled extensively and you can trust that our personal recommendations will deliver the African holiday that you have always dreamed of. We organise exclusive and private tours, and arrange for the finest guides to escort you.