Zimbabwe Hunting Season Dates
[Official season dates, and when each of our areas opens and closes]
Month-by-Month Guide
April–May: Early Season
The rains have ended and the bush is still green and thick, with long grass. Days are warm and nights start to cool. Game is spread out because water is still everywhere.
June–August: Mid Season
Southern hemisphere winter: cold mornings, mild sunny days and almost no rain. Leaves fall and grass is burnt or grazed down, so visibility improves week by week.
September–October: Late Season
Hot and very dry. Natural water is scarce, so animals gather at rivers, pans and waterholes, and the bush is at its most open. October is usually the hottest month.
November–March: Rainy Season
Heat, storms and green growth. Heavy rain usually falls from December to February. It's a beautiful time for birds and young animals on a photographic safari.
[Hunting pros and cons for each period, and which months ATB hunts]
Best Time by Species
| # | Species | Best months |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cape buffalo | [Months] |
| 2. | Elephant | [Months] |
| 3. | Leopard | [Months] |
| 4. | Sable and kudu | [Months] |
| 5. | Tigerfish (Lake Kariba) | June to Nov |
Fishing on Lake Kariba is not allowed for seven days around each full moon: three days before, the day of the full moon and three days after.
Weather and Temperatures
[Climate table: average high and low temperatures and rainfall per month for our areas]
Victoria Falls Water Levels
The Falls are fullest from about April to June, when the spray can hide the view, and lowest late in the year, when more of the rock face shows.
Photographic safaris