Spending Christmas or New Year on safari means bush dinners under the stars, herds on the move and a beach to follow. It is also the busiest fortnight of the safari year, with its own rates, minimum stays and booking terms. This guide covers where to go and how to plan it.
The short answer
Go to East Africa, book a year ahead, and expect peak rates from December 15 to January 5. Kenya and Tanzania are at their best for a festive safari, Cape Town is in its summer season, and December opens the drier window for gorilla trekking. Southern Africa’s big safari countries are green and quieter. If your dates are flexible, the first two weeks of December are among the best-value of the year.
Where to go over Christmas and New Year
| Destination | Late December | Why go | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Usually drying again after the short rains | Excellent game viewing, private conservancies, and Diani for the beach | Festive minimum stays at many camps |
| Tanzania | Herds typically back on the southern plains | The southern Serengeti and Ngorongoro, with Zanzibar to follow | Calving begins in the new year |
| Rwanda and Uganda | The drier December-to-February window opens | Gorilla trekking on firmer trails | Permits are limited; secure them first |
| Cape Town and the Sabi Sand | Summer: Cape Town at its peak; warm in the bush | City, Winelands and a Big Five safari in one trip | December and January are Cape Town’s busiest weeks |
| Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe | Green season | Lush landscapes, birdlife and fewer visitors | Game is more dispersed and some camps close |
For the beach, Zanzibar, the Kenyan coast and Mauritius are in season in December. Our safari by month guide and the when to go planner cover each country in more detail.
How the festive season works
- The dates. Camps and our own terms treat December 15 to January 5 as the festive season.
- Rates and minimum stays. Peak rates apply, and many camps set minimum stays over Christmas and New Year.
- Booking early. The best camps are small and fill first; we recommend holding them twelve months or more ahead. See when to book your safari.
- Payment terms. Festive-season bookings require a 50% non-refundable deposit, with the balance due 120 days before the trip start date, as set out in our terms and conditions.
- The celebrations. We ask each camp how it marks Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, so you know before you book, and we can add a private dinner or a sundowner of your own; see celebration safaris.
A family Christmas on safari
School holidays make the festive weeks a natural time for a family safari, which is why family suites and private houses go first. Book them as early as you can. For younger children, malaria-free reserves in South Africa and short flights between camps keep the trip easy. Our family safaris page and the guide to a safari with toddlers cover ages, activities and private vehicles.
The quieter dates either side
Early December is one of the quietest, best-value windows of the year, with the short rains easing in East Africa and the camps not yet full. Just after the festive season, January brings the start of calving in the southern Serengeti. Traveling a week before December 15 or after January 5 can give you much of the festive-season magic with standard booking terms.
What a festive safari costs
Every journey is priced to your budget. As a guide, luxury safari camps and lodges typically run from about $1,000 to $3,000 or more per person per night, and festive weeks sit at the peak of each camp’s rates. Private, tailor-made journeys begin at approximately $12,000 per person, excluding international flights, and festive itineraries sit above that starting point. Our safari cost guide explains what moves the total.
Christmas safari questions
Where is the best place for a Christmas safari in Africa?
Kenya and Tanzania are our first choices. Kenya is usually drying again in December and pairs well with the beach at Diani, while in Tanzania the herds typically return to the southern Serengeti. Cape Town is in its summer peak, and December opens the drier window for gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda.
How far ahead should I book a Christmas safari?
Twelve months or more. The best camps are small, many set minimum stays over the festive weeks, and they are the first dates of the year to sell out.
Is December a good time for a safari?
Yes, in the right places. East Africa is excellent in December, and early December is one of the quietest, best-value windows of the year. In Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe it is green season: beautiful, but the game is more dispersed and some camps close.
What are the payment terms for a festive-season safari?
Any booking with travel between December 15 and January 5 requires a 50% non-refundable deposit, with the balance due 120 days before the trip start date. Our terms and conditions set out the full schedule.
Can we combine a Christmas safari with the beach?
Yes. Zanzibar, the Kenyan coast at Diani and Mauritius are in season in December. Mauritius carries cyclone risk from January to March, so we keep beach stays there to the drier weeks.
Written and reviewed by Evance & Jennifer · Published 22 October 2026
