Botswana is Africa at its wildest and quietest. Its safari philosophy is simple: keep the camps small, keep the visitor numbers low, and let the wilderness do the rest. The result is a country where you can spend a morning with elephants and not see another vehicle.
The Okavango Delta is the star, a flood that spreads over the desert each year and turns it into a maze of lagoons and islands. Around it sit Moremi and Khwai for big cats, the Chobe River for the largest elephant herds on the continent, Savuti and the Linyanti for predators, and the Makgadikgadi salt pans and Central Kalahari for space and silence.
We link them by light aircraft and a handful of exceptional camps, so your days go on the animals and the water, and the roads stay short.
Botswana has some of the largest populations of elephants in Africa, with the Chobe and the Linyanti home to tens of thousands. The Okavango and Moremi hold lions, leopards, wild dog and an abundance of hippos and crocodiles, and the Makgadikgadi has meerkats and, in the green season, a zebra migration. The Central Kalahari holds black-maned lions and desert-adapted antelope.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
Popular activities
Botswana is hot and sunny for much of the year, with cool to cold nights in winter. The rains fall from November to March, and the Okavango Delta floods from Angola between May and September, so it is at its fullest in the dry season.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 21 | 95 |
| Feb | 32 | 20 | 85 |
| Mar | 32 | 19 | 60 |
| Apr | 31 | 16 | 30 |
| May | 28 | 11 | 8 |
| Jun | 25 | 7 | 2 |
| Jul | 25 | 7 | 1 |
| Aug | 28 | 10 | 1 |
| Sep | 32 | 15 | 3 |
| Oct | 35 | 19 | 20 |
| Nov | 34 | 20 | 45 |
| Dec | 33 | 21 | 80 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
The dry season runs from May to October, with clear skies, warm days and cold nights, and animals concentrated on the water.
The rains fall from November to April, mostly as brief, heavy storms, with the most rain from December to March. The landscape turns green, and the roads in the Kalahari become difficult.
June to October is the best time, with dry weather, cool nights and the Okavango Delta at its fullest. September and October are the best for game viewing, with animals gathered on the water, but also the hottest. December to April is the green season, with births, migrant birds and fewer visitors, and the best time for Nxai Pan and the Kalahari.
Best time to visit Jun to Nov
WetlandOkavango DeltaGliding through the Delta by mokoro
National ParkChobe National ParkElephants by the thousand on the Chobe RiverCity & TownKasaneGateway to Chobe
National ParkMakgadikgadi PansMeerkats, salt pans and the zebra migration
Wildlife Reserve & SanctuaryMoremi Game ReserveBig cats on the edge of the DeltaMost travellers arrive at Maun, the gateway to the Delta, or at Kasane, the gateway to Chobe and Victoria Falls, with flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town. Light aircraft link the camps, so we plan your days around the flights, and we can combine Botswana with Victoria Falls, Namibia or South Africa.
Visitors from many countries can enter Botswana without a visa for up to 90 days, but please check the current rules for your nationality. Park and concession fees are charged per person per day and are included in our safaris. A yellow fever certificate may be needed if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever.
Please talk to your doctor about vaccinations. The northern parks and the Delta are in a malaria area, so take advice on prophylaxis and use repellent in the evenings. Carry travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, and bring plenty of water and sun protection.
Our take
“Mix water and land”
We always suggest mixing the Delta with a dry-land camp, such as Khwai, Savuti, the Linyanti or the Makgadikgadi. The Delta is quiet and beautiful, but the dry-land camps give you the cats and the big herds. Allow at least three nights in the Delta and two in each other place, and tell us your travel month early, because the water in the Delta rises and falls with the flood.
Safaris from
US$1,692 per person
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