Mfuwe weather in November
November in Mfuwe: sweltering, a little rain, with clean air — not the time — 38°C afternoons.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Mfuwe · #1336 of 1413 destinations to visit in November · comfort 43/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 36°C
- Nights
- 24°C
- Wet days
- 11
- Sun
- 11.1 h
- Humidity
- 48%
- Daylight
- 13 h
Traveller notes on Mfuwe in November
Other months in Mfuwe
Mfuwe-forum trip reports on a February visit describe this as genuinely deep green season, posters naming daily thunderstorms with short bursts of rain between otherwise clear skies as the standard pattern. Regulars call birdwatching genuinely excellent this time of year, several posters naming migratory European species as a real draw alongside many animals having young. Posters call general wildlife viewing genuinely harder in February, several regulars naming thick vegetation as the reason sightings take more effort than in drier months. Regulars call camp rates genuinely cheaper in February, several threads naming this a real tradeoff against being largely restricted to the Mfuwe area itself. Posters recommend Mfuwe Lodge or Mushroom Lodge specifically, several regulars naming both as reliably open year-round even when other camps close for the season. The record: 29.3C days, 22.2C nights, an extraordinarily high 200.7mm across 21 days and 82 percent humidity.
Mfuwe-forum threads on an October visit describe this as genuinely peak dry season, posters naming a parched, brown landscape and real intense heat as conditions some visitors find hard to cope with. Regulars call Mfuwe Lodge's location a real draw, several posters naming its spot on a historic elephant path leading to fruiting mango trees as the reason elephants walk straight through reception. Posters call the immediate lodge area genuinely more crowded than other park sections, several regulars naming this the tradeoff for such reliable elephant activity on site. Regulars call wildlife viewing genuinely excellent by October, several threads naming concentrated animals around shrinking water sources as the reason dry season peaks here. Posters recommend real sun protection and serious hydration, several regulars calling this standard given how intense midday heat gets. The record: 36.9C days, 23.2C nights, 6.7mm across under 2 days and 34 percent humidity.
Mfuwe-forum trip reports on a March visit describe the bush as genuinely transformed this time of year, posters calling the landscape wet, dense and green compared with the look most visitors expect from safari photos. Regulars call several camps still closed in March, several posters naming only two of one operator's six lodges open, others waiting until mid-May. Posters call walking safaris genuinely limited in March, several regulars warning boggy soil off the main roads keeps many camps from running them until conditions firm up. Regulars call wildlife sightings genuinely still solid despite the season, several threads describing close encounters with elephants on foot even in wetter months. Posters recommend checking which camps are actually running before booking, several regulars calling this standard given how much operations vary here. The record: 29C days, 21.7C nights, an extraordinarily high 149.6mm across nearly 19 days and 81 percent humidity.
Mfuwe-forum threads on an August visit describe South Luangwa as genuinely one of the strongest safari destinations in Zambia, posters naming the dry season, April-October, the real window for maximizing wildlife odds. Regulars call August daytime readings genuinely cooler than later in the dry season, several posters describing morning drives as fantastic since big cats stay active longer before the heat sets in. Regulars call walking safaris a real defining feature of this park, several threads naming this alongside night drives, among Africa's finest, as what sets it apart. Posters call Mfuwe Lodge a real standard start or finish point, several regulars noting the area stays accessible year-round given its central location. Posters recommend booking camps and guides well ahead, several regulars calling this genuinely necessary given how popular the dry season here has become. The record: 31.3C days, 17.3C nights, effectively no measurable precipitation and 41 percent humidity.
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Mfuwe climate normals — November
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Mfuwe in November
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Quietschool holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Mfuwe's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherMfuwe's weather peaks May–July, best around June.
November coincides with Malaria season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Mfuwe in November
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Elephants at Mfuwe Lodge
20 Oct – 15 Dec · usuallyWildlife seasonA resident elephant family walks straight through Mfuwe Lodge's reception each year to reach an old wild mango tree fruiting in the courtyard, a route the same matriarchal line has used for at least three generations. It runs from late October into mid-December. Source ↗
- Closure
Green season camp closures
1 Nov – 31 Mar · usuallyFlat cotton soils and rising rivers cut off much of the park once the rains set in, so most of South Luangwa's remote bushcamps shut for some or all of the wet season while Mfuwe Lodge itself stays open year-round. What remains open leans hard into birding and newborn game over the classic drive-and-walk safari. Source ↗
- Hazard
Malaria season
1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyInsects & diseaseThe Luangwa Valley is one of Zambia's highest-risk malaria areas, with transmission perennial but peaking during the rainy season from November to April. Prophylaxis alongside nets and repellent is standard advice, especially outside the cooler, drier months. Source ↗
Where is Mfuwe?
Mfuwe in November — FAQ
- Is November a good time to visit Mfuwe?
- November in Mfuwe: sweltering, a little rain, with clean air — not the time — 38°C afternoons. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Mfuwe on SeasonMap's comfort score (43/100).
- What is the weather like in Mfuwe in November?
- In November, Mfuwe averages a daily high of 35.8°C and a low of 24.4°C, with about 60.4 mm of rain over roughly 11 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Mfuwe in November?
- Mfuwe has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in November.