The Guide's Tale Blog.

When to go on an African safari tour is probably one of the first questions asked by anyone starting to plan a safari vacation.

The answer is not simple though, and depends on where in Africa you want to go and what your priorities are. In this article we try to cover this question of when to go on an African safari without getting too bogged down in details.

In November this year we were back in Tanzania, on the famous 'Northern Circuit', comprising Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Nogorongoro Crater, Ndutu and the Serengeti.

And it sure lived up to expectations! Easily the most impressive safari destination we visit, in terms of sheer scale and numbers of animals. Seeing huge numbers of animals in giant landscapes is an incredible experience. Add in some great birding 'on the side', wonderful accommodation (as in very comfortable, but not 'over the top' in terms of unnecessary luxury) and fantastic people, and you have what is arguably one of the top safaris we offer...

In August 2024, we ran the wildlife version of our Essential Namibia Safari series, and the 13-day tour once again showed off some of the best of Namibia.

This safari comprises a Windhoek-to-Windhoek itinerary, covering Sossusvlei and the Namib Naukluft National Park; Swakopmund on the Atlantic Coast; the Twyfelfontein region of Damaraland; Etosha National Park; and the Erongo Conservancy.

Plenty of diversity, amazing landscapes, loads of incredible animals, and some unique birds.... that's Namibia for you!

For this blog post we’ll be looking at Owls, and more specifically the owls of Kruger. If taxonomy is your thing, you’ll know then that we are actually dealing with two Families here – Strigidae, or ‘true or typical Owls’; and Tytonidae, the Barn Owls, though the differences are mainly internal. Kruger has 11 of the 12 Owls occurring in Southern Africa (the only one that isn’t present is Cape Eagle Owl). With a warm and dry-ish climate, Kruger supports a good invertebrate and small vertebrate population, which allows for a rich diversity of predatory species, owls included (though Verreaux’s Eagle Owl doesn’t just stick to small vertebrates!). Night drives can produce some great owl sightings, though one doesn’t necessarily have to be out at night to see them. Hard work and good observational skills can produce some great day time sightings, though in my experience at least two of the species seem to be declining in numbers, or at least not being seen as regularly. Read on to find out more.

Our Eastern South Africa Endemics birdwatching safari tour took place late last year, delivering a fantastic overall birding and wildlife experience, with over 400 birds species seen, as well as a decent number of mammals. Read the safari trip report below.