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North Luangwa National Park

Weather & Climate

Expert

By Philip Briggs

Philip is our Zambia expert and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.

Climate Chart North Luangwa National Park – 569-1,296m / 1,867-4,252ft

North Luangwa National Park has a Wet and Dry season and a hot climate with reasonably uniform temperatures throughout the year. The park is very seasonal and all the camps in the wilderness area are closed during the Wet season.

Dry Season –May to October

There is practically no rainfall in the Dry season. It is hot during the day, but cool at night. The camps are usually open for visitors from June to October.

May – There is still a lot of water around at the start of the Dry season. This is not a good time to visit the park as roads are still waterlogged. Most of the semi-permanent camps are still closed.
June & July – The rain has finished, and the bush is drying out. These are the coolest months. Temperatures during the day reach 26°C/79°F, with mild nights at around 13°C/55°F. Warm clothing for early mornings is essential.
August & September – September has an average temperature during the day of 30°C/86°F. There is no rain, and the bush looks parched. Mornings are getting warmer too.
October – Although the exact timing is unpredictable, the first rain usually falls at the end of this month. Temperatures keep increasing to an average of 33°C/91°F, although they can peak much higher. Morning temperatures are around 21°C/70°F.

Wet Season –November to April

During the Wet season, afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common. All the camps in the wilderness area are closed and access during this time is very hard and not recommended. There are no tours available to North Luangwa in the Wet season.

November – If rain hasn’t started in late October, it usually comes in November. The bush is very hot with average daytime temperatures about 33°C/91°F. Rain doesn’t fall every day, and it mostly comes in afternoon thunderstorms.
December, January, February & March – Rain rarely lasts the whole day, although it falls on most days during the wettest months. Daytime temperatures average 32°C/90°F, while at nighttime the average is a balmy 19°C/66°F.
April – The landscape is lovely and green during April, and it rains less regularly.