We are often asked about the best time of the year to visit Botswana.
There is no simple answer. It depends on your interests and likes or dislikes! Use this calendar for a better understanding of the natural events and Botswana climate throughout the year to settle on your perfect safari date.
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
January
Peak breeding time for many of the colourful migrant bird species. Excellent wildflowers, brilliant green foliage, and constant sounds from insects and birds day and night. The bush is alive! January is in the middle of the rainy season with spectacular afternoon thunderstorms and warm days (average 30˚C plus) and nights (20˚C plus). Game viewing is good, with active predators still chasing the fast-developing young of their prey species. An ideal photography month for all the colours and dramatic skies. The contrasts of the predators’ natural winter camouflage with the summer colours make for dramatic scenery. More easily spotted by their prey species, the predators must work hard while the prey experiences a time of plenty.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
February
Many species eat the ripe figs, including the fruit bats, which make interesting night sounds while feeding. Waterlilies are at a flowering peak, and the Okavango Delta is brilliant, noisy and alive. During the rainy season, all plants are growing actively; butterflies, birds, frogs and all the tiny creatures are at their most active and at their best. The rains continue in afternoon thunderstorms with dramatic skies and sounds. Temperatures range up to 40°C but average above 30°C with warm nights (20°C plus). You can have both wet and very dry spells within the month. The giant bullfrog emerges from months (and sometimes years) of hibernation to indulge in nocturnal feeding frenzies. The resident game species do not have far to go for water, and the young are almost as tall as the adults.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
March
The Victoria Falls are as powerful as they can be and very dramatic, truly one of the seven natural wonders of the world. In Botswana, the marula tree fruit attracts their attendant bull elephants, who wander from tree to tree for their favourite meals. This brings them right into Lagoon and Kwara camps daily. The start of the rutting season leads to the sleek and fat impala males snorting and cavorting to attract females. Although temperatures are still warm both day and night, the air is drier, and rain is less frequent.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
April
The first signs that the times are changing. Nighttime temperatures drop below 20°C on average, but day temperatures continue to rise on some days. The cooler mornings, with high relative humidity, lead to wonderful early morning mists over the waters. The impala rut is in full swing, and the challenges continue right through the night with dramatic clashes between rival males. The trees have completed flowering and fruit is ripening — most notably the massive ‘sausages’ hanging from the sausage trees. Reptiles are actively breeding and feeding in anticipation of the pending winter dry season.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
May
Flood waters from Angola start to reach the top of the Okavango Delta and begin their slow, deliberate progress through this vast wetlands system. With rains past and the atmosphere much drier, the nights are cooler, with temperatures averaging 15°C, while day temperatures — though still warm — have lost their edge, and maximum temperatures seldom exceed 35°C. Jackets are sensible for night drives. The buffalo begin to group into large herds and visit the permanent water sources more often as the seasonal pans begin to dry. Breeding herds of elephants increase in density as they visit the permanent waters. The greens fade to the duller dry season colours, and the predators’ natural camouflage once again blends perfectly into the surrounding bush. The migratory birds begin their flights to winter feeding and breeding grounds in faraway places.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
June
June is a time of excitement! The African wild dogs begin to search for their annual den and our guides seek out their sites. Once they have denned, these rare animals will be easy to find for 3-4 months as they hunt from their more permanent home. The Kwando and Kwara Private Concessions are known to offer some of the best dog viewing in Africa. Previous years have shown reliable den and wild dog sightings across our Okavango Delta and Kwando River camps. Temperatures have dropped to their coldest by the end of June, with night temperatures reaching as low as 5°C (very cold on night drives due to wind chill). Day temperatures rise to a very comfortable 25°C, and dusty, dry conditions persist. Some green bushes and trees have scattered their leaves, but many are almost bare. Seasonal waterholes are beginning to dry up. Animals increasingly concentrate at the permanent water, as do the waiting predators.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
July
The floods arrive in the northern Okavango Delta and the Kwando areas after a slow journey from the Angolan highlands a thousand kilometres away. The paradox is obvious: the flood arrives when dust and dryness pervade and the rains have long gone. The leaves continue to fall from the trees, and the grass gets drier and shorter every day. This means that visibility for game viewing is excellent. The nights are still cold, but the days are warm and pleasant. This is the typical Botswana weather, sunny and clear. More and more animals congregate near the water and flood plains for grazing. This is a special time of the year as water spreads into areas where there was none the day before. The mokoro and boat trips become more exciting as new areas can be explored. Soft early morning and evening light, combined with dust, produces many stunning photo opportunities.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
August
The herds are getting larger, and limited access to the water leads to tension between the breeding herds of elephants, and the nights are filled with elephant sounds. The bush is bare, and the dust pervades, but there is abundant action and incredible sightings. The floods have passed through the Delta and now reach Maun, leading to excitement for the locals, and water-related speculation is at a peak. How high will it reach? When will it stop? How far will the water go? The weather remains pleasant during the day and cool at night. This is the typical peak season for the safari industry. Between August and September, thousands of herons, storks and other breeding birds begin congregating at the Godikwe heronry, near Kwara and Splash Camp, to begin nest building.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
September
The climate has changed, and winter is all but gone. Night temperatures rise rapidly within the month, and by month end, the averages reach 15°C; at night and day, temperatures soar well in the 30’s°C. The sun shines, the skies are clear, and it is dry and hot. Unbelievably, elephants concentrate in still greater numbers, as do the buffalo herds, keeping the predators well-fed as the season takes its toll on the prey species. This is a time of plenty for the lions. The skies are alive with colour as thousands of Southern carmine bee-eaters return from their winter feeding grounds (especially at Lagoon Camp) and many other migrant bird species begin to arrive. The water levels have slowly started to drop as the waters from Angola have completed their trek. Many species will flower and bear seed in the next six weeks, significantly increasing the chances of their survival as they will fall with the impending rains.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
October
It is hot, really hot. But never will you experience game viewing like this. It is well worth the sweat. Day temperatures regularly rise above 40°C, and nights are warm, with averages lower than 20°C. ‘Start early and leave late’ is the answer. This aversion to the midday heat is familiar to people and animals alike. Animals are only active at first light and late in the day. Many species even begin to feed at night! There is no place to hide as everything is bare, and the grasses are eaten or trampled. Night drives are at their best, and the pervading dust makes all scenes dramatic. The Godikwe heronry near Kwara and Splash is now full of thousands of birds breeding, nesting, and feeding. This is truly an awe-inspiring sight.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
November
The expectation (or rather the desperation) for rain dominates all discussions. People and animals all await an end to the dryness, dust and heat. Temperatures remain high day and night, and the game viewing continues improving. It will do so until the day of the first rains, generally around mid to late November. With the arrival of the rains comes an almost tangible relief. The herds begin to disperse to seek new grazing and will now start to drink from the seasonal pans. The birthing season begins with the tsessebe, followed by the impala and red lechwe. The predators, such as African wild dogs and leopards, seek out these vulnerable young and kill several times a day to sate their hunger. There is plenty of predator/ prey interaction and great visibility as the vegetation is still growing. The green grass shoots, reminiscent of a mown lawn, and the trees bursting into life make this an excellent time for photographers with action, colour and outstanding visibility.
Best Camps for this time of year
Kwando-Linyanti & Okavango Delta
December
The abundant protein-rich grasses feed the mothers of the young antelope while the lambs and calves grow at an astounding rate. The impalas complete their lambing as the wildebeest begin, and the rains become more regular, with thunderstorms every few days. The pans remain full, and the bush colours are radiant in brilliant greens. The grasses begin to grow high and while the grazers enjoy the green tender mouthfuls, the stalking predators are becoming increasingly visible in their lighter winter camouflage. This ensures that the predators devote much of their time to hunting the numerous species, which produces plenty of predator/ prey activity. All the migrant birds have arrived by this time, and it is a prime time for birders to visit. Temperatures have cooled slightly with the arriving rains, but hot days still occur, and nights are still warm and humid. Dramatic skies and lightning at night all add to the magic of December.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
January
The short grasses on the fossil river valleys begin to grow rapidly in the middle of the rainy season, attracting the herds of gemsbok, springbok and red hartebeest onto the valley floors. The salt pans are inundated with rain water, and at Nxai Pan, thousands of zebra inhabit the area, providing a constant source of protein for the resident lion prides. At this time, the grass is at its most nutritious, and the mammals of the Kalahari, which have adapted to long periods with minimal grazing and no water, revel in this time of plenty. Spectacular afternoon thunderstorms and warm days are the norm in January, with daytime temperatures in the mid-30 °C and nighttime temperatures in the low 20°C. Periods of heavy rain, low cloud cover, and drizzle can occur and temperatures can drop significantly.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
February
The Bat-eared fox young and other canids begin to forage for the first time and as they accompany their parents, they provide entertaining viewing as they attempt to hunt anything that vaguely resembles prey! The Katydid grasshopper populations peak during their mating season, and their distinct three-phase call dominates the night. The strong desert predators, lion and cheetah, are seen often as they inhabit the pans and river valleys, hunting the grazing herds at leisure. The rains continue with afternoon thunderstorms and dramatic skies. Temperatures reach 40°C, but due to the cooling rain showers and breezes, the average is often mid-30 °C, with warm nights at low 20°C. Both very wet and very dry spells are possible within the month of February.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
March
It’s late summer afternoon, with the last clouds of the rainy season beginning to dissipate and the male barking geckos emerge to woo the females with a short three- to four-syllable barking sound. The heliotropium plants, an otherwise drab plant, now begin to flower. This flower’s pungent smell in the early morning and late afternoon is one of the most memorable characteristics of the Kalahari. At Nxai Pan, the zebras have begun to move again, drifting in smaller herds towards the permanent water sources and winter grazing along the Boteti River in the Makgadikgadi. Very occasional showers are possible, but the rains have now passed, and the nights and early mornings feel fresher as the Kalahari hints at the winter to come. Temperatures range from mid 30°C with warm nights lowering to 20°C.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
April
You’ll hear the characteristic chirp of the rain locust. Any surface water left from the rains has largely dried up, and while there is still good grazing on the open pans, mammals, birds, and reptiles are preparing for the long dry season ahead. At Nxai Pan and Tau Pan, the number of mammals at the water hole grows as the rain-fed water holes dry up. Large numbers of elephants congregate around the waterhole, providing insights into the dynamics between individual elephants and other species as they try to access the life-saving water. In the meantime, the lions start to use the Tau Pan waterhole with increasing frequency. Daytime temperatures remain over 30°C, for the first time in the year, and nighttime temperatures drop below 20°C.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
May
The gemsbok females now separate themselves from the herds as they prepare to give birth to young that look nothing like the adults. During game drives, the young calves, which more closely resemble a red hartebeest or tsessebe, may be seen briefly when they come out of their hiding places to suckle. The tsamma melons, from which many birds and animals will receive sustenance during the harsh dry season, start to ripen, and the large amounts of these ground creepers, covered with fruit, create an almost alien landscape. The atmosphere is increasingly dry, and the nights cooler, with temperatures averaging 15°C, while daytime temperatures, though still warm, have lost their edge, and maximum temperatures seldom exceed 30°C.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
June
This is the Kalahari of legend. The traditional yellows and greys of the Kalahari landscape dominate as any sign of the rains has passed. The silky bushmen grass on the edges of the pans sparkles in the dawn light after the first frost of the year. This is winter in the Kalahari and has to be experienced to be believed. It is a time of harsh and arid beauty when one can truly understand the incredible adaptations made by many species of plants, birds, mammals and reptiles to survive. Very little surface water exists in this ‘thirst land.’ The many species that survive here — including human beings — have adapted to varied sources of drinkable liquid, including the early morning dew, succulent plants, natural springs and even the blood of their prey. At this time, the larger herds disperse into smaller groups as they spread out into the desert, seeking grazing or browsing. The predators will follow them, and ‘survival of the fittest’ best describes the mentality of desert inhabitants during the dry season. Daytime temperatures eventually rise to a pleasant mid-20 °C, but the temperatures at night can fall to below 0°C! Gloves, thermals and hats are the standard for early morning and evening drives.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
July
At this time, the larger herds disperse into smaller groups as they spread out into the desert, seeking grazing or browsing. The predators will follow them, and ‘survival of the fittest’ best describes the mentality of desert inhabitants during the dry season. Daytime temperatures eventually rise to a pleasant mid-20 °C, but the temperatures at night can fall to below 0°C! Gloves, thermals and hats are the standard for early morning and evening drives
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
August
With rains past and atmosphere much drier, the nights are cooler with temperatures averaging 15°C, while day temperatures – though still warm – have lost their edge and maximum temperatures seldom exceed 35°C. Jackets are sensible for night drives. The buffalo begin to group into large herds and visit the permanent water sources more often as the seasonal pans begin to dry. Breeding herds of elephant increase in density as they also begin to visit the permanent waters. The greens have begun to fade to the duller dry season colours and the predators’ natural camouflage once again blends perfectly into the surrounding bush.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
September
At the end of August, we see a very rapid temperature change, and in the blink of an eye, winter is a distant memory. The first of the famous black-maned lions begin to call again with urgency as they gather the pride females. After the last few months of a mostly solitary life for the pride members, foraging for scarce prey over vast areas, it is time to renew bonds and reclaim the pride’s territory. The rising temperatures signal the beginning of the end of the dry season, and while the hottest time of the year is yet to come, many plants and grasses begin to flower and grow new shoots in anticipation of the rains. Daytime temperatures can rise to mid-30°C, though nighttime temperatures are still comfortable 15°C.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
October
This is the hottest month in the region, and nowhere is this dry heat as conspicuous as the Kalahari! Temperatures can soar into the mid to high 40°C and temperatures at night over 20°C. Even the winds are hot, and not a drop of moisture is left in the soil or plants as these desert winds scour the landscape. Mammals are generally active in the early morning and evening to conserve as much energy as possible. Strangely, the Kalahari at this time is a patchwork of greens, yellows, whites and greys as the newly flowering acacias and yellow grasses create a vivid contrast to the lighter sands and dry bushes. The harsh and stunning landscape and temperature extremes are what one expects from a desert. Thankfully, this spiritual environment can be experienced knowing that the crystal clear swimming pool, outside showers, and ice-cold drinks are never more than a few steps away!
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
November
One morning, you wake up and the air smells different. The light blue sky has taken on a different hue. While difficult to describe, there is a subtle difference from the last few months. The inhabitants of the desert clearly notice this change, too. Springbok will not be feeding but instead will jostle with each other and pronk, seemingly excited. Reptiles and insects are seen more regularly as they become increasingly active. The tension in the air increases through the month as the first clouds appear on the horizon. The night skies are lit with brilliant displays of lightning and massive cloud formations and people and animals alike can smell the rain on the wind. This promise alone will prompt the herds to once again begin to return to the ancient valleys in increasing numbers.
Best Camps for this time of year
Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
December
The rains arrive. With these first drops comes an almost tangible release. The smell of the first raindrops on dry African soil is one that you will never forget. Almost overnight, the landscape changes: colours are bright and vivid as the dust is washed away, hundreds of wildflowers appear, and the bush turns a brilliant green. The pans are once again filled with energetic grazing herds, and as always, the predators are nearby and thrive in this time of plenty. Late afternoon thunderstorms and heavy showers are the norm. The rains also result in lower relative temperatures, with daytime temperatures reaching mid-30 °C while nighttime temperatures are, on average, 20°C.
Best Camps for this time of year
