Botswana

Best time to visit Botswana

The best time to visit Botswana for your  African wilderness experience is from May to September during dry season and winter here you will experience modulate temperature with the flooding of the Okavango Delta from June –October game viewing is good all year round but this can differ from some national parks

Summary

• High season July – October
• Low season December –April
• Best weather April and May
• Worst weather October –November

Botswana is one among the African Countries that offer the best safari destination for the travellers visiting the African countries for tourism purposes. Botswana is a diversified country and offers a great experience for the people visiting the country and mainly the travellers visiting the country for the first time for tourism. Visiting Botswana is open to visitors throughout the year. But in case you are coming into the country to visit the different national parks, its best to know the type of the activities you would be engaging in since different activities, move concurrently with the season and the interest of the travellers.

Botswana lies in the south of Africa and it’s one of the peaceful and safest countries to visit in Africa, travellers visiting the country, are assured of the security since the government and the citizens have put in place all the necessary measures to ensure the safety and the security of the tourists and the local residents in the country  Botswana experiences two seasons in the year that is the dry and wet season, therefore the activities you will do and the places you will be visiting will depend on the season you will be visiting the park. despite the fact that all the activities can be done at any time of the year, but knowing the proper time would be of many advantages in order to avoid inconveniences in case of the rain.

Below are some of the top places you will visit and the different activities found in different destinations in the country and also the best time of the year to do the activities offered at the park.

Botswana safari from November to February

The long-wet season is experienced from November to February, during this time, the park receives a heavy amount of Rainfall which in many occasions, interferes with the some of the activities like game watching as it’s not the right time to view the animals in the park, during this time, the animals are scattered all over r the park which makes animal viewing a bit challenging, but still, you will have an opportunity to view the young calves being born and some of the animals that are migrating into the park. For the bird lovers, this season is the best time for bird watching activities, due to growth of plants, fruits and flowers have flourished in which birds feed on this have attracted a lot of birds even the migratory birds are seen around the park during the season.

Travellers are therefore advised to carry the proper clothing when travelling during this time of the year since there will be cold temperatures received, you will also need a binocular in order to help you view the distant birds.

Botswana Safari from March to April

March to April, rainfall is still received in the park up to the end of April when the rainfall amounts received begins to drop, still, it’s the best month for birding experience with some of the native birds that are commonly seen around the park. although the rains are eased up, the vegetation is still thick, and the animals keep around the habitats due to the availability of food and water to feed on, this makes it hard for the tourists to view the animals since they hiding under the thick vegetation and huge trees. if you’re lucky enough, you may sight some of the predators hiding around the bushes as the target the newly born animals.

During the wets season, some lodges /camps are forced to close up due to the weather changes and too much rainfall received which may cause flooding and impassable roads, although some camps still are open, they offer cheap accommodation facilities since there are few visitors visiting the park during this period of the year. This is the best time for the budget travellers and for the tourists who do not want crowds, this is the best season of the year to visit Botswana.

Botswana safari from April to May

From April to mid-April, the rains begin to drop up to May when the rains completely disappear and it marks the beginning of the dry season. During this time, the vegetation is drying up and the water ponds in the park also start to dry up, living only the scorched grass which causes the shortage of food for the animals to feed on. Therefore, the animals are forced to evacuate their habitats and hiding places in search for water and pasture, you will have chance to view different animals migrating from Okavango Delta and Chobe river into Moremi Game Reserve for pasture and water for their survival, this is also the best time for animal viewing although it’s not yet the peak season when game watching is at its peak.

Botswana safari May to October

This season in Botswana is completely the dry season also known as the peak season when animal viewing is at its pick in different parks in Botswana, during this month the animals would have emigrated to Okavango Delta since it’s the only water remaining in the park. The Delta is flooded with a high concentration of animals whereby you will enjoy viewing different animals on the waters as you do the boat cruise on the river. The peak season is evidenced by the highest population of visitors around the park and the lodges would have increased the prices of the accommodation facilities.

From June to July, it’s still the dry season in Botswana, and it’s still the best time for animal viewing in all the different national parks in Botswana. Although it’s the dry season, the temperatures tend to drop down during the night therefore, you are advised to carry warm clothing to keep yourself warm in case it gets colder.

Botswana safari in August

This season is evidenced by extremely hot temperatures and animals are forced to migrate to different national parks during this time of the year since the grass and the water holes have all dried up and animals are left with nothing to feed on. THz animals concentrate around the Delta since it’s the only water hole remaining in the park, the animals are seen here include; among others; elephants, antelopes, hippos and some predators like lions as they wait for prey. Travellers visiting the park are also advised to carry light clothing those suites the warm temperatures.

Botswana Safari during the dry season

The dry season-best for animal viewing reason being that the ground is dry and easy to drive through the park and also animal viewing is quite easy since the wild game concentrate in areas having water in the park, The dry season is best for animal viewing, but still, the park is open throughout the year and visitors are free to visit any time they decide to travel.

Okovango Delta

Okavango Delta is one of the largest gazetted areas in Botswana measuring about 15000 km2 north of Botswana along the Kalahari Desert; this is one of the wide range areas gazetted for the reservation and the protection of the different species of animals. The Okavango Delta offers a lot of things to view and activities to do for the travellers visiting the park. These include;

The Moremi Game Reserve

Meromi Game Reserve situated within Okavango Delta offers one of the fascinating destinations for the game viewing experience, despite its size, its smaller than other national parks but ranges with a huge number of animals living in its savannah grasslands. During the game drive in this area, you will have an opportunity to view animals like the lions, elephants, Rhinos, the cape Buffalos, Impalas, wild dogs among others. The game reserve is also hosting to a large number of different bird species best for bird lovers its harbours over 500 bird species.

Horseback ride safaris

Horseback riding can be arranged for you and it’s mainly done in Macatoo Camp, horseback riding suites both the experienced visitors and even those who are not experienced can still take part in horse riding. You will be assigned an experienced guide who knows all the knowledge for horse riding; he will guide you along the trails and the best spots in the park for game viewing. You explore the Okavango Delta and all the areas that are unable to access by car you will view many attractions from the fauna and flora among others.

Guided safaris on foot

The guided walk is usually done in the morning and afternoon when the sun hasn’t yet become too hot, you will be led by an experienced guide as you explore the Okavango Delta via Xuga Delta, this walk will expose you to various attractions along this region. During the guided walk, you have an opportunity to meet some animals living in the forest such as monkeys, elephants among others; also you will view the different bird species around this area among others.

Sport Fishing and boat cruises

You will visit the Okavango Delta and do some fishing activities in case you have interest in this activity, the common fish caught here id Tigerfish, for boat safaris you will take a boat trip on Chobe river the boat trip will keep you relax and relived from the long days heat on the game drive, the boat cruise, will also offer you a chance to view some of the water-loving animals.

Safari Parks & Reserves

Chobe National Park

Chobe national park is located north of Botswana it’s the country’s third-largest national park after central Kalahari game reserve and gemsbok national park, the park was established in 1957 covering an area of 11700kmsq.

Safari lovers should definitely add Chobe National Park to their list. The park is home to elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards, and it has one of the largest concentrations of game in all of the continent. Visitors can choose between a traditional land safari and a river cruise but it’s always best to try both options. Taking a river cruise also allows you to see crocodiles and birdlife as well as buffalos and elephants bathing in the Chobe River.

Among the national parks in Botswana, Chobe is an exceptional destination for wildlife viewing because of the high concentration of wildlife including elephants, cape buffaloes, lions, antelopes, leopards, hyenas, wildebeests, primates such as baboons among others and many more animals. The park is also very lovely because of the river flowing through the area from which the park’s name was derived, River Chobe. The areas around the river are good sites for birding and nature walks.  Besides the beautiful scenery, cruising on the river offers opportunities of viewing other resident wildlife of the river; crocodiles and hippos.

Chobe national park has over 450 bird species, therefore bird lovers will always be impressed by the results of the safari. The best time for birding is during the wet season while wildlife viewing can be done all year throughout though May-September is much more rewarding with lots of sightings of mammals like giraffes, impalas, buffalos, wildebeest and more.

Located close to the borders of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia, Chobe national park was established in 1968 and has been a good destination to connect to or from with the tourism destinations in these neighbouring countries. The park has safari lodges with the best accommodation facilities for safari travellers. Depending on your affordability and preferences, you can choose from the range of categories of lodges ranging from budget to luxury. Lodges there include Chobe bush lodge, Muchenje Campsite for budget travel facilitation, Kwalape safari lodge for mid-range travel facilitation, Chobe safari lodge for luxury lodging. During the low season, some of these lodges offer lower rates for their clients hence a good deal for travel during that season. While planning a Botswana Safari, make sure you include Chobe.Read more about activities in Chobe National Park 

Okavango Delta

The delta covers between 6 and 15000sqkm of the Kalahari Desert in northern Botswana, the Okavango(Kavango) which flows from Angolan island across Namibia’s Caprivi strip into the harsh Kalahari desert Okavango delta is a UNESCO world heritage site

The delta whose size changes with the season; larger in the wet season and smaller in the dry season covering areas of 22,000 sq km and 15,000sq km respectively is one of the most impressive sites to visit in Botswana. It is among the few unspoiled areas in Botswana and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The delta is situated in the Northwest of Botswana in the Kalahari Basin.

Okavango Delta gets its water from River Okavango which sometimes floods the area even in the dry season. This place, however, remains a beautiful place to visit for watching wild animals and birds. Boat cruises are also conducted and the experience of the boat is really amazing. You’ll visit the delta and the Panhandle among other areas where you’ll encounter the best of the safari. The different drainage and vegetation are in Okavango support wildlife that attracts lots of tourists to the country. There are 64 reptile species, over 120 mammal species and 71 fish species. The Okavango Area boasts housing a big concentration of animals including elephants, the white and black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dogs, giraffes, zebra, reedbucks, kudu and waterbucks among others.

The best time to visit this destination is from May to September. It is important to always make your bookings earlier so that we can secure for your places in the best lodges around this area.Read detailed information about Okavango Delta

Moremi Game Reserve

Welcome to the Moremi Game Reserve. The Moremi Game Reserve initially consisted mostly of the Mopane Tongue area, but in the 1970s the royal hunting grounds, known as Chief’s Island, were added. Let us share a few more facts about this area to introduce it properly. The Moremi is home to the most endangered species of large mammals: the cheetah, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, African wild dog and lion. Over 500 bird species (from water birds to forest dwellers) and over a 1.000 species of plants are also recognized in Moremi. this ecosystem is amongst the richest in Africa and. thanks to effective protection, the flora and fauna relatively undisturbed

This is a small game reserve covering 3,000 sq km on the eastern side of Okavango Delta. It was designated a game reserve in 1962to to protect the vast variety of animals in the area and also allow the Bushmen to live there. The park was named after Chief Moremi of the BaTawana tribe.

Moremi game reserve has different beautiful landscapes including the locally famous Chiefs Island, Lagoons, the Moremi Tonfgue, Khawai River. The area has vegetation like woodlands, savannah grasslands which harbour lots of animals such as lions, elephants, hyena, Angolan giraffe, wildebeest, cape buffalo, cheetah, black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, zebra, jackal and many more mammals and retiles and about 500 species of birds.

The wildlife above that is found in the game reserve attracts a lot of travellers and the best is always offered on game drives and boat cruises. The best time to visit the reserve and watch these animals is during the dry season between July and October. It is normally difficult to drive in the reserve during the wet season.Detailed information about Moremi game reserve

Central Kalahari Game reserve

This game reserve is mainly covered by the sands of the famous Kalahari Desert which give beautiful views of a vast landscape. Visiting this reserve offers chances of seeing the wild animals that live in the different vegetation’s of the swamps, plain grasslands, the open plains. Other beautiful sites are those of the sand dunes, the river valleys and others. Covering an area of 52,800 sq km, this game reserve is home to a variety of wildlife; zebra, wildebeest, hyena, yellow mongoose, rhinos, warthogs, elands, African elephant, buffaloes, foxes, giraffes, springbok, red hartebeest among others. You’ll be surprised at how rich the reserve is with most of the rare wildlife in Africa.

The Central Kalahari Game reserve is famous because of the annual migration of its animals that move through the rolling plains in search of food and water. Also referred to “the Zebra migration” the group of the thousands of normal animals is mainly dominated by Zebras and some wildebeests. This is one of the experiences you ought not to miss if you visit Botswana during the period of this migration.

Some parts of the Central Kalahari Game reserve are still occupied by people who are known to be the indigenous occupants of the area. They are known as Bushmen/San and used to be hunters and gatherers as well as nomadic pastoralists. Their communities are one of the most wonderful things to visit because they have an impressive culture which you’ll love to interact with endlessly.

Through Adventure in the wild safaris, you can find out more about Botswana Safari, its attractions, the best time to visit and make plans of your trip, book for your safari and other necessary facilities especially lodges. Some of the lodges that will provide great service are the Kalahari tented Camp, Dinaka Safari Lodge, Kalahari Plains Camp, Deception Valley Lodge, Haina Kalahari Lodge and Kalahari Trail Blazers among others. The lodges are located in the best sites where you can spot different wildlife and spectacular views of the surrounding.Read more about central Kalahari National Park

Maun

Maun town is located close to most tourist destinations in the northern side of Botswana. It is located near Okavango Delta and it spreads along Thamalakane River. The town is growing over the years with many hotels where tourists have meals and spend their nights. Maun town is where you’ll find headquarters of a number of air-charter operations and safari operators.  It also has shopping centres where they stopover as they travel to or return from the tourist destinations and other necessary services such as car hire services.  For these reasons, the town is known as a ‘Tourism capital”.

A stay in Muan town will offer an opportunity to see some of the wildlife that roams around this area such as the Red Lechwe commonly found along the shores of Thamalakane River. People living around this area are mainly cattle keepers and you’ll learn more about their culture and lifestyle. Visiting Nhabbe museum gives more information about the history of the area. If you wish to spend your night in this town, it is advisable to book early enough.

Wildlife and Birds

Botswana has a great wildlife population most  big African animals are easily seen with the exception of rhinos which have been re-introduced the north offers more game wildlife population than type south due to the permanent water source.

Some of the wildlife animals to be spotted in Botswana include the huge populations of buffaloes, populations of elephants, the populations of lions, abundant hippos and crocodiles, huge herds of zebras and wildebeests, the hyenas, the cheetahs, the rare antelopes, leopards, the rare white and black rhinos among others.

The famous national park that offers the general wildlife views includes Okavango delta, Chobe national park, Moremi national reserve, that is dominated with the largest populations of unique wildlife plus the endangered African wild dogs, sitatunga, red lechwe and puku which can be spotted in the above mentioned national park reserve.

The best to enjoy viewing wildlife animals is during the dry season when huge populations of the beautiful elephants crowd around on the river and other waterholes to drink water and also take a bath. In the dry season, the vegetation is thin and short which gives travellers clear views of wildlife and it is easy to take clear pictures especially in the months of June to October. It is important to note that all national park reserves are open through out the year although the best time to visit is during the dry season which is as well as the peak season characterized by huge crowds of tourist exception of chose national park.

Birds

Botswana is a superb birding destination in southern Africa with over 550 bird’s species recorded Botswana dues not have endemic but has birds with rare non-range and politic migrants do come through October to April

Some bird species that can be spotted in Botswana include African finfoot, brown firefinch, copper sunbird, lesser jacana, African hobby, black-faced babbler, greater painted-snipe, Livingstone’s turaco, collared palm-thrashed, greater swamp warbler, African pygmy goose, white-backed night heron, wattled crane, rosy-throated long claw, pennant-winged nightjar, striped crake, slaty egret, three-banded courser among others.

The best time to enjoy bird watching is during the wet season when there is abundant food for birds; it is only to view migratory specials as well as new born babies. This is during the months of November to April. The wildlife bird populations in rich in parks like Chobe national park that has the Chobe permanent river, in Makgadikgadi, Okavango delta and Moremi reserve.

Botswana Safari Lodges

Botswana has a wide diversity of famous accommodation lodges and Cams in Africa that offer comfort and excellent services on a safari in Botswana. The lodges range from the lap of luxury pampering, classic services as well as basic lodges which can be booked on a safari depending on travellers preferences. These are situated in different national parks and reserve as well as other tourism destinations, the lodges include

Safari Camps and Lodges

• Jacks camp
• Belmond eagles island lodge
• Meno a kwena
• Duba plains camp
• Mombo camp
• Uncharted Africa camp
• Abu camp
• Chobe game lodge
• Khwai tented camp
• Zarafa tented camp
• Belmond Eagles Island Lodge
• Sanctuary Bain’s Camp
• And beyond Xarana camp Okavango delta camp
• Camp Okavango
• Hippo Island Okavango
• Mombo Camp
• Camp okuti
• Mombo camp
• Machamba camp
• Camp Moremi
• Camp Zakanaka
• Khwai Tented camp
• Belmond KhwaiI River camp
• Sanctuary Chiefs camp
• Little Machara Camp

Weather & Climate of Botswana

Botswana is sub-tropical desert its six months of the year are dry and six are wet

Dry Season

During this time most wildlife will concentrate on the water holes and river this is during the months of May, June, July, August, Sept,

Wet Season

Here are some areas will flood during the rainy making some areas of the park difficult to access, this is the of October November January March and April

Climate

Temperatures usually range from as low as 6c in the night and 38c in the afternoon this can be extremely hope.

Is Botswana safe for tourists?

Botswana is very safe and politically stable southern Africa state like anyway in the world crime is always occurring in the cities

Despite Botswana being a stable and safe country for travellers we still advise you to lock your valuable in safe while in the lodges and take care of your bag packs at your disposal while on activities and transfers to Botswana

Botswana Safaris and tours

Botswana Safari and tours are tailor-made and customized to suit the travelers’ demand and interests. The tours range from luxury tours, budget tours as well as mid-range options such as;

Botswana solo safaris, this offers an opportunity to explore wildlife in Okavango delta, as well as Linyanti private reserve areas.  This takes a maximum of 8 days in the best months of June to November.

Botswana honeymoon tour, this is designed specifically for honeymooners, couples, and it is a luxury offer. It offers travellers an insight to explore Chobe national park plus Okavango delta and is characterized by luxury and classic accommodation option lodges.

Botswana couple tour, this offers great exploration and views of Victoria Falls which is one of the seventh wonders in the world, offer adventure trips to Chobe safari lodge as well Okavango delta thus giving travellers an opportunity to enjoy viewing abundant wildlife in the jungle.

Botswana family tour, the safari is designed for family travellers and it covers the visits to Victoria Falls, the incredible Okavango and Chobe national park. It is customized with great classic camps and wonderful family cottages.

In conclusion, Botswana has a lot to offer to travellers that choose to take in the country. This ranges from water safaris in Chobe nationals park to adventure wildlife offers in its incredible safari destinations of Okavango Delta, Moremi, Linyanti game reserves among others. The national parks and reserves are open for tourism throughout the year with the dry season being the best season to visit Botswana National parks.