Where to go on Safari in April

Still off the beaten track, Sri Lanka offers something for everyone, with great wildlife throughout the parks of Yala, Wilpattu and Minneriya, the cultural highlights of Kandy and the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, and some great coastline to relax on. None of these however are reasons to travel during the month of April. The best reason to travel during the April (and even March) is to see (and swim with) the blue whales. During these two months of the year only, we are one of the only companies to provide access to swimming alongside these huge ocean beasts as they bathe off the coastline. 

Admittedly not for everyone, especially not basic level swimmers, you are accompanied throughout by one of the pioneering blue whale guides who has assisted with a variety of marine research throughout the region.

This is our favoured month for tracking the Royal Bengal Tigers of India in the wild. April provides high enough temperatures to provide perfect tracking conditions, but still not too hot to make it unbearable. April really does maximise your chances but our best advice is to ensure that you are staying in properties that have air conditioning or at least fans in order to escape the heat of the day.

Why not try something exotic and head to the beaches of colourful Costa Rica… During the months of December through to April, conditions are much drier with April being the end of the peak season (careful as this can mean that this fits with the US holidays as well making places rather busy). April however provides some of the driest months making a beach retreat a tempting prospect and is also a great month to spot leatherback turtles.

For those keen photographers out there, we often recommend the rainy months of March and April to track the gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda. This may seem bizarre, however the overcast conditions provide better conditions for photography rather than the glare of the hot sun during the drier months of the year which leaves little contrast when photographing your subjects against the tropical jungle background. For further information on gorilla tracking and our photography tips please view our free gorilla guide.

For a different species of primate April marks the start of the dry season in Madagascar offering the opportunity to see lemurs. 

If tropical islands and white sand beaches appeal then April is an excellent month for seeing the marine life of the Seychelles; water temperatures are high and visibility is generally excellent at this time of year.