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When is the best Season to go on a safari to Botswana?
Weather of Botswana
This is a question we get asked all the time and is a very tricky question to answer as every season in Botswana offers something completely different. Traditionally the rainy season starts in November and increases from December through to March. April and May are considered the shoulder seasons as things start to dry up with less rain. June through to October are considered the peak of the dry season and this is reflected in the rates charged by the safari camps. Weather aside, there are pros and cons to travelling to Botswana for a safari at different times of the year.
During the summer months starting in September through to March, temperatures can exceed 100 Fahrenheit. If it rains (November to March), the temperature can drop quite significantly that would require the use of a jacket or fleece. October is considered the hottest and most uncomfortable time of the year to travel as there is no wind to cool things down and temperatures can exceed 120 Fahrenheit. This is however the best time of the year for game viewing as there is little water for the animals and so they congregate in large numbers around the permanent waters of the Linyanti and Okavango Delta regions.
During the dry winter months from May through to July/August, daytime temperatures are comfortable, averaging around 70-80 Fahrenheit. Due to the fact Botswana is predominantly made up of the sands of the Kalahari Desert, night time temperatures can drop as low as 25 Fahrenheit. It is a dry cold and so requires warm clothing, hats and gloves for the morning game drives. Safari camps often supply warm blankets and hot-water bottles for the morning game drives. As the sun rises things quickly warm up and the days become comfortable enough for shirts and shorts.
Best time to safari in Botswana
The rainy season (December to the end of March) turns everything green and there is a feeling of new life in the bush. Many of the antelope have their young a couple of weeks after the first rains and so there are lots of baby animals around which in turn attracts predators. Migrant birds have flown to Botswana to breed and so are in their colorful breeding plumage. The rains that fall, wash all the dust and smog out of the air making the skies bright and vivid blue. When it does rain, it is often just a burst of heavy rain that last 30 minutes before clearing up to bright blue skies again. The storms can be dramatic and put on quite a show.
Being the "low season" there are often fewer people in the camps which means you can get a much more personalized safari experience, fewer people on your game drive vehicles and fewer people at the wildlife sightings. The rates and special offers at the camps can be up to 3 times cheaper during these months, when compared to the peak season. It is also often considered to be the best time for photography because the air is clear and the colors are vivid.
The rains bring life to the Botswana bush and this means it is thicker making it harder to spot the animals. Predators are territorial and so do not move out of the area, whereas buffalo, elephant and other herbivores migrate to areas where there is less competition. So game viewing can be rewarding, but generally when you find something of interest you spend more time with that animals as apposed to driving around ticking boxes of different animal sightings.
Down in the Makgadikgadi Pans, the raining season means new grasses sprout which in turn attracts large herds of zebra that migrate from as far as Chobe in the north of Botswana. Up to 60,000 zebra move into the Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi Pans National Parks.
So the rainy season is good for people interested in birding, wildlife photographers, people who have been on safari several times before and aren't looking to tick off many species of animals and then it is really good for people who want to experience the luxury of Botswana, but can't afford the price tag that comes with the peak season.
During the shoulder seasons of April and May you have less chance of getting rained on as Botswana heads into the dry season. The bush is still thick and green and there is still lots of surface water around, so the number of animals in the herds is still not as impressive as during the dry season, but the later in May you travel, the better your game viewing opportunities are as the surface water pans start to dry up and the animals start moving towards the permanent water sources. The rates at the safari camps increase to around 60% of the peak season and so still offer better value for money, but you will have to work harder to find the animals. This is the start of winter and because Botswana is predominantly made up of Kalahari Sand, temperatures can plummet in the evenings and mornings for your game drives, so very warm clothes are required. Safari camps and lodges often provide blankets and hot water bottles for the morning game drives. Once the sun rises, the temperature quickly increases to a comfortable temperature and shirt and shorts are possible.
From around April, the Okavango Delta floods start to push south towards Maun, reaching it's highest level around May/June time before it starts to recede again.
Peak season generally starts in June when the pans have started to dry and the animals that relied on them have to move to the permanent waters of the Linyanti and Okavango regions. The later into the dry season you travel, the larger herds of animals become. Along the fringes of the Okavango Delta and along the Linyanti where there is permanent waters the herds of buffalo, sable and elephants can be extremely impressive. If you can stand the heats of October, you will be rewarded with incredible game viewing. This is the season when the camp rates are at their highest.
During the busy months of July, August and September, availability in Botswana can be extremely tough to find and some of the best lodges get booked out a year in advance.
November is the start of the rainy season and is also the shoulder season when it comes to rates. For us, early November is the best time to travel as you are able to take advantage of shoulder season rates, yet the bush is still dry to offer incredible game viewing. It is risky though because as soon as the first rains start, the large herds of animals almost disappear overnight.
This is a question we get asked all the time and is a very tricky question to answer as every season in Botswana offers something completely different. Traditionally the rainy season starts in November and increases from December through to March. April and May are considered the shoulder seasons as things start to dry up with less rain. June through to October are considered the peak of the dry season and this is reflected in the rates charged by the safari camps. Weather aside, there are pros and cons to travelling to Botswana for a safari at different times of the year.
During the summer months starting in September through to March, temperatures can exceed 100 Fahrenheit. If it rains (November to March), the temperature can drop quite significantly that would require the use of a jacket or fleece. October is considered the hottest and most uncomfortable time of the year to travel as there is no wind to cool things down and temperatures can exceed 120 Fahrenheit. This is however the best time of the year for game viewing as there is little water for the animals and so they congregate in large numbers around the permanent waters of the Linyanti and Okavango Delta regions.
During the dry winter months from May through to July/August, daytime temperatures are comfortable, averaging around 70-80 Fahrenheit. Due to the fact Botswana is predominantly made up of the sands of the Kalahari Desert, night time temperatures can drop as low as 25 Fahrenheit. It is a dry cold and so requires warm clothing, hats and gloves for the morning game drives. Safari camps often supply warm blankets and hot-water bottles for the morning game drives. As the sun rises things quickly warm up and the days become comfortable enough for shirts and shorts.
Best time to safari in Botswana
The rainy season (December to the end of March) turns everything green and there is a feeling of new life in the bush. Many of the antelope have their young a couple of weeks after the first rains and so there are lots of baby animals around which in turn attracts predators. Migrant birds have flown to Botswana to breed and so are in their colorful breeding plumage. The rains that fall, wash all the dust and smog out of the air making the skies bright and vivid blue. When it does rain, it is often just a burst of heavy rain that last 30 minutes before clearing up to bright blue skies again. The storms can be dramatic and put on quite a show.
Being the "low season" there are often fewer people in the camps which means you can get a much more personalized safari experience, fewer people on your game drive vehicles and fewer people at the wildlife sightings. The rates and special offers at the camps can be up to 3 times cheaper during these months, when compared to the peak season. It is also often considered to be the best time for photography because the air is clear and the colors are vivid.
The rains bring life to the Botswana bush and this means it is thicker making it harder to spot the animals. Predators are territorial and so do not move out of the area, whereas buffalo, elephant and other herbivores migrate to areas where there is less competition. So game viewing can be rewarding, but generally when you find something of interest you spend more time with that animals as apposed to driving around ticking boxes of different animal sightings.
Down in the Makgadikgadi Pans, the raining season means new grasses sprout which in turn attracts large herds of zebra that migrate from as far as Chobe in the north of Botswana. Up to 60,000 zebra move into the Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi Pans National Parks.
So the rainy season is good for people interested in birding, wildlife photographers, people who have been on safari several times before and aren't looking to tick off many species of animals and then it is really good for people who want to experience the luxury of Botswana, but can't afford the price tag that comes with the peak season.
During the shoulder seasons of April and May you have less chance of getting rained on as Botswana heads into the dry season. The bush is still thick and green and there is still lots of surface water around, so the number of animals in the herds is still not as impressive as during the dry season, but the later in May you travel, the better your game viewing opportunities are as the surface water pans start to dry up and the animals start moving towards the permanent water sources. The rates at the safari camps increase to around 60% of the peak season and so still offer better value for money, but you will have to work harder to find the animals. This is the start of winter and because Botswana is predominantly made up of Kalahari Sand, temperatures can plummet in the evenings and mornings for your game drives, so very warm clothes are required. Safari camps and lodges often provide blankets and hot water bottles for the morning game drives. Once the sun rises, the temperature quickly increases to a comfortable temperature and shirt and shorts are possible.
From around April, the Okavango Delta floods start to push south towards Maun, reaching it's highest level around May/June time before it starts to recede again.
Peak season generally starts in June when the pans have started to dry and the animals that relied on them have to move to the permanent waters of the Linyanti and Okavango regions. The later into the dry season you travel, the larger herds of animals become. Along the fringes of the Okavango Delta and along the Linyanti where there is permanent waters the herds of buffalo, sable and elephants can be extremely impressive. If you can stand the heats of October, you will be rewarded with incredible game viewing. This is the season when the camp rates are at their highest.
During the busy months of July, August and September, availability in Botswana can be extremely tough to find and some of the best lodges get booked out a year in advance.
November is the start of the rainy season and is also the shoulder season when it comes to rates. For us, early November is the best time to travel as you are able to take advantage of shoulder season rates, yet the bush is still dry to offer incredible game viewing. It is risky though because as soon as the first rains start, the large herds of animals almost disappear overnight.
