Africa Travel in January
Many Africa destinations in January enter their “Green Season”. The rains arrive and animals disperse as water and food are readily available.
Despite this, if you want to travel to Africa in January, some destinations offer outrageously great game viewing or a perfect combination of safari and scenic, food & wine experiences.
Tanzania
- Max Day Temp: 29°C
- Min Night Temp: 16°C
- Avg Rainfall: 90mm
Our pick in January is the Northern Circuit, where the Serengeti and Ngorongoro areas in particular offer outstanding game viewing.
The Great Migration is usually in the Southern Serengeti/Ndutu region at this time of year. This is the area where the wildebeest calve. There will be some young that drop early, but the majority are typically born in the first weeks of February.
No surprises predator sightings are also extremely good over this time – especially cheetah.
Kenya
- Max Day Temp: 27°C
- Min Night Temp: 10°C
- Avg Rainfall: 55mm
Kenya is beautiful in January and in the Masai Mara calving will be underway attracting the resident predators.
With its good flight connections to other African countries and internationally, Kenya can be very busy over the January holiday season.
Uganda
- Max Day Temp: 28°C
- Min Night Temp: 18°C
- Avg Rainfall: 50mm
It is the short-dry season in Uganda. It is one of the hottest months and a great time for gorilla and chimpanzee treks. Days are generally fine and sunny, though do prepare for afternoon showers.
Vegetation is typically less dense making game viewing rewarding in the National Parks. For birders, January is a brilliant time to enjoy spotting many of the migratory species.
South Africa
- Max Day Temp: 29°C
- Min Night Temp: 19°C
- Avg Rainfall: Kruger 105mm, Cape Town 24mm
Sun and sand are the orders of the day with South African’s flocking to the beaches of Cape Town and coastal areas along the Garden Route.
East Cape Private Game Reserves offer malaria-free game viewing. Combine with Cape Town, The Winelands and an inland exploration of the Karoo.
Kruger and the Greater Kruger Reserves which includes the famed Sabi-Sands offer outstanding game viewing year-round though prepare yourself for some rain.
India Travel in January
- Max Day Temp Delhi: 20°C
- Max Day Temp Mumbai: 31°C
- Max Day Temp Kochi: 32°C
- Max Day Temp Kolkata: 26°C
January is a peak month for travel throughout India and we recommend reservations are made well in advance. It is not a month for trekking as most of the Himalayas are covered in snow.
In India in many places, daytime temperatures are pleasantly warm to hot but overnight it can get very cold particularly in northern states.
Travel plans may be disrupted by a persistent fog that grounds planes and cancels train services. The fog, in particular, affects Delhi, Agra and other central areas and we take this into account when planning an itinerary.
South India is our pick for the month of January, the weather is perfect, and you will never be cold! If you don’t like crowds, Goa is best avoided. Instead, there are some beautiful quieter coastal areas that can be visited.
