Best time to visit South Luangwa National Park
The best time to visit South Luangwa National Park is May–July, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
South Luangwa National Park, Northern Province, Zambia
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28.6 °C / 83 °F | 21.6 °C / 71 °F | 351 mm / 13.8 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 29 °C / 84 °F | 21.5 °C / 71 °F | 252 mm / 9.9 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 28.8 °C / 84 °F | 21.1 °C / 70 °F | 191 mm / 7.5 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 19.8 °C / 68 °F | 47 mm / 1.8 in | good month |
| May | 28.1 °C / 83 °F | 17.5 °C / 64 °F | 5 mm / 0.2 in | best month |
| June | 26.7 °C / 80 °F | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 1 mm / 0.1 in | best month |
| July | 26.5 °C / 80 °F | 14.7 °C / 58 °F | 1 mm / 0 in | best month |
| August | 29.3 °C / 85 °F | 16.5 °C / 62 °F | 1 mm / 0 in | good month |
| September | 33 °C / 91 °F | 19.5 °C / 67 °F | 0 mm / 0 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 35.4 °C / 96 °F | 22.6 °C / 73 °F | 9 mm / 0.4 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 34.8 °C / 95 °F | 23.7 °C / 75 °F | 70 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 31.1 °C / 88 °F | 22.6 °C / 73 °F | 236 mm / 9.3 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–July
- Good
- April, August
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: precipitation 47 mm / 1.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily high 28.3 °C / 83 °F, wet days 8.6 days, average daily low 19.8 °C / 68 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: feels like (high) 31.8 °C / 89 °F.
May · best
In its favour: precipitation 5 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, feels like (high) 29.8 °C / 86 °F, wet days 0.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 28.1 °C / 83 °F, average daily low 17.5 °C / 64 °F, relative humidity 62%.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.1 °C / 81 °F, precipitation 1 mm / 0.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, average daily high 26.7 °C / 80 °F, wet days 0.2 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 57%.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.4 °C / 80 °F, precipitation 1 mm / 0 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, average daily high 26.5 °C / 80 °F, wet days 0.1 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, average daily low 14.7 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 54%.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 1 mm / 0 in, share of daylight that is sunny 97%, feels like (high) 29.6 °C / 85 °F, wet days 0.2 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, average daily high 29.3 °C / 85 °F, average daily low 16.5 °C / 62 °F, relative humidity 46%.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- June–July
Why these months
June · good
In its favour: precipitation 1 mm / 0.1 in, wet days 0.2 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 11.4 h, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
Against: average daily high 26.7 °C / 80 °F, feels like (high) 27.1 °C / 81 °F.
July · good
In its favour: precipitation 1 mm / 0 in, wet days 0.1 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, average daily low 14.7 °C / 58 °F, daylight per day 11.4 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
Against: average daily high 26.5 °C / 80 °F, feels like (high) 26.4 °C / 80 °F.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is אתר סקי הר החרמון, Mount Hermon ski resort, Centro de esquí Monte Hermón, 5169 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 33.8 °C | 34.4 °C | 33.8 °C | 31.8 °C | 29.8 °C | 27.1 °C | 26.4 °C | 29.6 °C | 33.6 °C | 36.5 °C | 37.3 °C | 35.5 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 14.1 days | 9.4 days | 6.2 days | 1.1 days | 0.1 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0.2 days | 2.4 days | 8.9 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 pm | 3 pm | 9 pm | 9 pm | 9 pm | 11 am | 11 am | 11 am | 10 am | 5 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 8.7 h | 9.4 h | 10.4 h | 10.9 h | 11 h | 10.7 h | 10.7 h | 11.3 h | 11.6 h | 11.7 h | 11.6 h | 10.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 83% | 83% | 82% | 74% | 62% | 57% | 54% | 46% | 38% | 38% | 51% | 72% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 7.7 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 6.7 µg/m³ | 5.6 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 13.2 µg/m³ | 17.1 µg/m³ | 15.6 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 5.7 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.3 µg/m³ | 11.1 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 13.1 µg/m³ | 19 µg/m³ | 25.7 µg/m³ | 24.9 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.