Is summer too busy on safari?

The famous crossing points are busy at peak times. We use private conservancies and private vehicles, and we time drives to avoid the crowds.

Can we do a summer safari with young children?

Yes. South Africa's malaria-free reserves are ideal for under-6s, and many lodges welcome older children on game drives. Ask us about each lodge's minimum age.

Mornings and evenings in southern Africa are cold in June–August, and the days are warm. East Africa is milder. Pack layers.

How long should we go for?

Seven to ten nights covers one country well. Twelve to fourteen lets you combine, for example Kenya and Tanzania, or Kruger, Cape Town and Victoria Falls.

Can we combine a safari with Israel or Europe?

Yes. Many families fly on from Johannesburg or Nairobi, and we plan the connection around Shabbat.

Summer Kosher Safari 2027 | June–August Glatt Kosher Safaris

Your summer holiday falls in Africa's dry season, and that's when most of the best safari moments happen. The bush thins out, the animals gather at the rivers and waterholes, the skies stay clear, and in East Africa the Great Migration is at its peak. We plan private, glatt-kosher safaris for families, couples and groups across June, July and August, with a dedicated mashgiach, your own chef, and Shabbat built properly into the plan from the start.

Summer is also when the best lodges fill first. If you're thinking about summer 2027, now is the time to plan it.

Why June–August is the best time for a safari

Easier sightings. It's the dry season in East and southern Africa. The grass is short, the trees have lost leaves, and animals gather around water, so you see more and see it more clearly.
The Great Migration. From July the herds move into Kenya's Masai Mara and Tanzania's northern Serengeti, and the river crossings people dream about happen through August and into September.
Comfortable weather. Days are warm and dry. Early-morning drives in South Africa and Botswana are cold (often single digits °C), so pack layers. We'll send you a family packing list.
Lower malaria risk. It's cooler and drier, so there are fewer mosquitoes, and we can also build a fully malaria-free trip in South Africa for families with young children.
It fits school holidays. US camps and schools break from late June, UK schools from late July, and Israeli families have July and August, with bein hazmanim after Tisha B'Av.

Where to go, month by month

June 2027. Start after Shavuot (11–12 June). The migration herds are in the Serengeti's western corridor, and Kruger and the Sabi Sands are coming into their best months. A quieter, slightly better-value month before the July rush.

July 2027. River crossings usually begin in the Masai Mara. Botswana's Okavango Delta is in flood, which brings mokoro rides and elephants wading through the channels. This is the classic family month.

August 2027. The migration is at its peak in the Mara and northern Serengeti. Victoria Falls is still roaring, and South Africa's private reserves are at their driest and best for game.

Not sure which country? Read Kenya vs Tanzania, East Africa vs South Africa and Serengeti vs Masai Mara, or just tell us your dates and who's coming, and we'll suggest two routes.

A kosher summer, done properly

Your own mashgiach and chef, a kosher kitchen set up for your group, and glatt-kosher meat with chalav Yisrael dairy available. No airline-style packaged meals.
Shabbat planned into the route. In the southern winter, Shabbat comes in early: candle lighting in Johannesburg on Friday 9 July 2027 is 5:12 pm, and Havdalah is 6:08 pm. Near the equator in Kenya it's about 6:20 pm all year. We plan the drives around it, so Shabbat is a real rest day in a beautiful place and not a lost one.
The Three Weeks and the Nine Days. 17 Tammuz falls on 22 July 2027, the Nine Days run from the evening of 3 August, and Tisha B'Av is 12 August. If you're travelling then, tell us your minhag and we'll plan menus and activities around it.
Minyan and davening. We coordinate minyanim where the group allows, and we plan dawn drives so you can daven first. Many families also add a Shabbat with the Johannesburg, Cape Town or Nairobi communities.

Family-friendly by design

We build summer safaris around the children: private vehicles so you can stop when the little ones need to, family suites or exclusive-use lodges, shorter drives for younger kids, and a chef who'll make schnitzel and chips after a morning watching lions. Many of our summer families add a celebration: a bar or bat mitzvah safari, a milestone birthday, or three generations travelling together (multi-generational safaris). More in our family safari guide.

What a summer kosher safari costs

Every trip is bespoke, but as a guide (all-inclusive, international flights extra):

Classic, 5–7 nights: about $5,000–$8,000 per person
Premium, 8–12 nights: about $8,000–$14,000 per person
Ultimate, 12–21 nights: $14,000+ per person

June to September is peak season in southern Africa (June to October in East Africa), so rates run 20–40% above the green season. Groups and longer trips bring the cost per person down, because the mashgiach, vehicles and flights are shared. See full pricing.

When to book summer 2027

The best-located camps in the Mara and northern Serengeti, and the exclusive-use lodges larger families need, are the first to sell out for July and August. We suggest:

By December 2026: choose dates and destinations and hold lodges
30% deposit to confirm, balance 60 days before departure
Spring 2027: flights, final rooming, menus and Shabbat plan

Send us your dates, ages and wish-list, and we'll come back within 48 hours with a day-by-day proposal and exact pricing.

Summer Kosher Safari 2027: June to August in Africa