Botswana in January & February

Thunderstorms are common and temperatures are high, but this is also a hot time to catch the greatest variety among Botswana’s 550 species of birds. Colorful residents like the lilac-breasted roller are joined by seasonal migrants who are only here during the wet season, with many birds in full breeding plumage.

Regular rainfall keeps the grasslands green, which helps to nourish young grazing animals like zebras, antelopes, and wildebeest. These grazers need all the strength and speed they can muster to evade the predators that stalk them, including lions and leopards.

Holidays & Events

• January 1st: Food, music, and festivities fill the streets each year for New Year’s Day celebrations.
• February 2nd: World Wetlands Day is celebrated, honoring environmental conservation efforts.

Botswana in March & April

As the rains taper off, hyenas raise their pups and hippos immerse themselves in local rivers. Warthogs, the only wild pig adapted to living on the savanna, continue to take advantage of the well-watered grasslands.

Nighttime temperatures grow cooler and male antelopes begin to engage in head-butting contests as the mating season begins. Male impalas establish mating territories and defend the females within them from potential rivals.

Holidays & Events

• Maitisong Festival: In late March or Early April, a week-long annual celebration takes place in Botswana’s capital in support of performing arts.
• Maun Festival: A two-day celebration of Botswana’s rich tribal culture that takes place every April.

Botswana in May-August

As the dry season begins around May, the weather continues to get cooler and the rain clears up. Roaming prides of lions become easier to spot. African wild dogs (also called painted dogs) stalk prey including the kudu (a large antelope), and anglers may find 20-pound catfish biting in the Kafue River.

Large animals including giraffes and water buffalo gather around the remaining water sources as the dry season advances, keeping a watchful eye for lurking crocodiles. Lions mate at this time, and throughout much of the dry season. Lucky observers sometimes glimpse rhinos, but these animals are rare and not always seen.

By July, Botswana is in the heart of its dry season. Though, the Okavango Delta follows its own seasonal rhythm, with channels fed by distant sources filling with water between June and October. The movements of local wildlife are affected by the rising waters, which also facilitate exploring by mokoro dugout canoe.

In August, the weather warms up, with dry conditions continuing to offer excellent wildlife-viewing opportunities. Among predators, lions and hyenas are most frequently seen, while sightings of leopards, cheetahs, or wild dogs are less common.

Holidays & Events

• President’s Day – each year on the third Monday in July, Botswana’s President’s Day is celebrated. Many citizens return to the villages where they were born to attend celebrations.
• Kuru Dance Festival – taking place in the Kalahari Desert, this three-day festival features traditional bushmen music, the perfect soundscape to accompany the largest gathering of San dancers in the world. 

Must See

A mokoro is a traditional African canoe dug out from the trunks of indigenous trees like the mongongo tree. While not always possible due to safety concerns associated with the changing water levels, exploring the Okavango Delta by mokoro is an excellent way to take in the scenery and wildlife. As you let the waterways whisk you into the wilderness, and the spectacles of nature surround you, enjoy a unique vantage point you simply can’t get on land excursions. 

Botswana in September & October

This time of year the days are hot and sunny, the plains are bone-dry, and the trees are leafless—which is good for game viewing. The flooded Okavango Delta offers a contrasting scene, with water-loving sitatunga, red lechwe, and puku antelopes enjoying its marshy expanses.

Mid-day temperatures can exceed 100°F, especially in October, so wildlife activity shifts to early and late in the day. The larger mammals are active during the cooler hours, along with notable birds including the ostrich and the secretary bird. This time of year also brings the largest concentration of elephants to the banks of the Chobe River.

Holidays & Events

• Botswana Day – October 1^st marks a day of celebration in honor of the country’s socioeconomic achievements.
• Domboshaba Festival of Culture & History – usually in late September or early October, this is an annual celebration held near the Domboshaba ruins, unique remnants of the Banyayi-Bakalanga empire

Botswana in November & December

As the transition from dry to rainy season nears its end, the grazing animals of the plains give birth to their young. By the end of November, food and water become more plentiful.

More than 450 species of migratory birds begin to arrive as the rain-watered landscape is blooming and green. Although large animals are more widely dispersed at this time of year, Botswana experts note that to fully experience the country’s natural riches, one should see it both during the dry season when big game is most concentrated and in the rainy season when the landscape is lush, green, and alive with birds.

Holidays & Events

• Christmas – on what may be the country’s most celebrated holiday, as most Batswana are Christian, local choirs host caroling concerts, restaurants and pubs offer Christmas-themed meals, and families come together to celebrate.