Best Time to Visit Botswana for an epic Wildlife Safari

It’s generally acknowledged that May to October is the best time to visit Botswana, but we think it’s a bit more nuanced than that! After all, the best time to explore Botswana depends on a few key factors, so read on to get the full lowdown in this handy article.

Firstly, it’s useful to know that Botswana has two main seasons – a wet, hot summer and a cooler, dry winter.

The summer (also known as the green season) runs from November to April and the winter (aka the dry season) runs from May to October. This matters because, generally, most people are visiting Botswana to experience this country’s breathtaking safaris, and the seasons will definitely influence certain elements of your safari experience.

Okavango Delta rains Botswana

The country’s two most popular destinations, by far, are Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta. Both have huge appeal because of their unique locations, stunning landscapes, and abundant wildlife.

Their easy proximity to each other means many people choose to visit these 2 not-to-be-missed destinations in one incredible vacation.

So, as it’s likely you’ll be visiting one or both of these places on your Botswana safari trip, let’s look at the best time to visit each of them.

Best Time to Visit Chobe National Park

To be honest, one of the great things about Chobe National Park is that you can enjoy a brilliant safari here all year round.

Much of the wonderful local wildlife can be spotted across all 12 months, making Chobe a terrific safari destination whatever the season.

But that being said, the dry season (May to October) is regarded as the optimal time for a safari in Chobe.

That's because, unlike many of the other water sources in southern Africa, the Chobe River does not dry up in winter. This makes it a much-needed watering hole for animals, drawing large numbers of them to the river; so the concentration of wildlife in and around the water's edge at this time of year makes for some incredible game drives and river safaris!

Chobe wildlife Botswana safariThe caveat to this, however, is that the park’s peak safari season runs from July to October, during which it can get more crowded. So, if you want to avoid the crowds, and are seeking a more intimate safari experience, the best time for a safari in Botswana would be outside of this period.

The second caveat to this is if bird spotting, rather than game spotting, is your priority. Chobe is a world-renowned birding destination, with over 450 species recorded, including the iconic African fish eagle. Twitchers flock here from all over to enjoy boat trips and incredible birdlife photography opportunities.

If it is Chobe’s incredible birdlife you really want to see, then the best time to visit Botswana is actually during the country's warmer, wetter months, namely December through March.

Birding safari Botswana, African Jacana

This period (the country’s summer) is the best time for birdwatching because many of the hundreds of species that make the park their temporary home are migratory, meaning they fly elsewhere in the dry season.

Best Time to Visit Okavango Delta

Botswana’s other most popular attraction is the stunning Okavango Delta... and it's easy to see why!

As one of the world’s only inland deltas, this World Heritage-listed site is a natural oasis surrounded by desert. Trust us, you have to see it to believe it!

A truly unique ecological example of what happens when a river meets a desert, the Okavango Delta is no ordinary safari destination. As well as amazing game drives here, you can enjoy more unusual and intimate safari experiences too. These include spotting river-based creatures while gliding along in a traditional mokoro canoe, along with guided walking safaris and bird spotting strolls.

Delta Botswana safari

The best time for a Botswana safari trip to the Okavango Delta is when the water levels are high here - much of the exquisite uniqueness of this place is the endless reed-lined waterways, which can be peacefully explored by mokoro, allowing you to reach isolated islands and beautiful, untouched habitats.

As such, the water levels will hugely affect what you can do in the Okavango Delta. Indeed, some camps are only able to offer mokoro excursions when water levels are high enough - during just a few months of the year - so it makes sense to visit then.

Mokoro ride in Moremi, Botswana

What you need to know is that water levels in the Okavango Delta do not follow the expected pattern of the rains. This is because the annual water flow arriving in the Okavango Delta follows the wet season, so water levels here actually reach their peak in the dry season!

In July, levels are generally at their highest, with much of the Okavango Delta filling up.

By the end of August, a lot of the water has passed through the Delta, after which it disappears into the Kalahari Desert.

This means that from September onwards, water levels begin to drop.

Therefore, the best time to visit the Okavango Delta is between June and September.

When to visit Botswana

However, it should be noted that there are permanent wetlands and abundant resident wildlife all year round in the Delta, so if you visit at another time, you will still be awestruck!

Overall Best Time to Visit Botswana

Assuming that you’ll be visiting either or both of these areas of natural beauty, the best time for a Botswana safari trip is therefore from June to September.

At this time in the dry season, the wildlife viewing will be incredible, so if a safari is your priority, world-class game spotting is almost guaranteed.

Chobe River Botswana safari

During these months, the water levels are also highest in the Okavango Delta, making for some seriously amazing Mokoro trips!

More broadly, it pays to know that the months of May through August offer the most moderate daytime temperatures in Botswana, but that prices will be also higher at this time.

If you’d therefore like to visit Botswana outside of the peak season and grab a bargain, the green season (from November to April) can be a great time to travel this country if you don’t mind the odd shower.

Visitor numbers and prices are lower at this time of year and the scenery pops with verdant foliage and birdlife abounds while animals give birth to their young.

To get more advice on planning your trip to Botswana, and find some of the best safari deals, talk to one of our African travel experts.

Chobe safari, fish eagle