Africa - Sub Sahara

Africa is vast, six times the size of Europe and covers nearly 12 million square miles.

The variety is astounding - from Cape Town’s striking Table Mountain backdrop, the enchanting vineyards, the boundless expanse of the Kalahari Desert and the pristine beaches of the Seychelles, there really is a holiday for everyone.

For a wildlife adventure, choose from fully-catered camping on a Botswana safari, a hotel-based South Africa Holiday or a tailor-made, luxury lodge safari in Kenya with private guides and experts on hand.

Many parts of Africa can be a challenge for the independent traveller, but with the expert guidance of an AITO specialist, even the most untamed of landscapes can be explored with confidence.

Southern Africa holiday ideas

Whether you have a week or six months, you’re certain to want to experience some of the following:

• Take the train from Pretoria to Cape Town on a South Africa holiday adventure and follow the Garden Route along the beautiful coastline of the Western Cape.
• For an African tour with a difference, why not try a horseback safari, in Kenya or take in the breathtaking views from a hot air balloon
• Get up close and personal with the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, or witness the famous wildebeest migration on the endless plains of the Serengeti
• Spot the ”big five” - lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros and leopard - on a tailored wildlife holiday in Botswana, safari in Kenya or holiday in South Africa
• Gasp at the spectacular Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, canoe the Zambezi or tackle the world’s largest free standing mountain, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Weather conditions in Sub Saharan Africa

Botswana safari holidays, Namibia - summer rainfall from late October to early April; cool to warm dry sunny winter days from May to early October. September and October generally have excellent weather for a Botswana safari

Safari in Kenya - summer from December to March and winter from July to September, with long rains from March to May and short rains between November and December

Holidays in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia - summer is from around December to March and winter in Malawi from June to July; in Tanzania from March to May; and in Zambia from April to August. All three countries have long rains from November to April

Holidays in Mozambique - summer from October to March and winter from April to September, with high summer humidity and showers between September and April

South Africa holidays - summer from September to April and winter from May to August, with summer rainfall in the north and winter rainfall in the south.

If you're planning to visit national parks and beaches on your South Africa holiday, remember that they often become crowded during the School holidays. South Africa's most crowded times of year are therefore mid April to mid May, and mid June to mid September.