Botswana safari

Botswana is blessed with numerous safari destinations, and we have compiled information about of them (follow the links):

• Chobe National Park is at the centre of an enormous protected area in the northeastern corner of Botswana that acts as a vital wildlife link between Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia. Chobe Riverfront, Savute and Linyanti fall within Chobe NP

• Chobe Riverfront (Serondela area) in the north-eastern corner of Chobe National Park is the most popular part of the park and is easily accessible from the nearby town of Kasane

• Khwai is sandwiched between Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve and represents the northeast fingers of the Okavango Delta

• Kwando Reserve is a vast, remote reserve in the far north of Botswana with the Kwando River flowing along its eastern border and the Linyanti Marshes on its southern border

• Linyanti lies in the remote north-western corner of Chobe National Park, bordered by the Linyanti River and Namibia to the north and linked to the Okavango Delta by the Selinda Spillway

• Makgadikgadi Pans is a series of salt pans in the middle of the dry savanna of north-eastern Botswana - one of the largest salt flats in the world

• Moremi Game Reserve lies at the heart of the Okavango Delta and is the only formally protected section of the Delta

• Okavango Delta is an enormous watery oasis and Big 5 safari paradise, with seasonal islands and permanent lagoons providing refuge to an impressive concentration of wildlife

• Savute, in the remote western section of Chobe National Park, hosts the enigmatic Savute channel and Savute Marsh, which dry up for years and even decades at a time before flowing again

• Selinda Reserve hosts the Selinda Spillway (Magwegquana), a water channel which connects the Okavango Delta to the west with the Linyanti/Kwando waterbodies to the east

• Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers a vast sea of remote and timeless rolling sand dunes with high predator numbers and vistas that go on forever

The Botswana safari seasons

The best time to visit Botswana is when the weather is cool and dry and the lack of groundwater makes wildlife congregate near water sources (which makes it easier to see them).

The dry, cool (er) months are from June to September, but the traditional popular travel season is June to August, making September (and October) excellent options with fewer other travellers. November through April experience higher temperatures and varying amounts of rain. November can provide excellent wildlife viewing before the first rains start. The presence of more groundwater (which allows wildlife to disperse widely) and thicker vegetation from January to April make wildlife more difficult to find during those months.

There are exceptions to the above rules:

• Bird-watching is better during the hot, wet summer months because the international and regional migrants are present and because birds are usually breeding and so very active and noisy

• Two zebra migrations occur during the rainy summer months - from Chobe to Nxai Pan (the longest mammal migration in Africa) and from Okavango to Makgadkigadi Pan. Read more about Botswana's zebra migrations here.

Month-by-month Botswana safari seasonal guide:

January to February - green safari season

The long Botswana rainy season runs from January through February. High temperatures can make safari life uncomfortable, but then this is the green season when prices are at their lowest. The bushveld is green and thick, and animals can be hard to find, but birding is spectacular.

March to April - green safari season

Rainfall and temperatures start dropping off, although you can expect hot and wet days while on safari. The bushveld is emerald-green, and animals can still be tough to locate. Botswana safari prices are also lower during these months.

May to June - shoulder safari season

Rainfall and temperatures continue to drop during these months, groundwater dries up, and the bushveld begins thinning out. By the end of June, wildlife viewing has become easier. The Okavango Delta floodwaters from Angola start to arrive in the upper reaches of the Delta in May and peak in June. Safaris in Botswana will start costing more by June.

July to September - peak safari season

The bushveld is now dry, and the weather is cool (although rising again in September), making for excellent wildlife viewing. Groundwater has dried up across much of Botswana but the annual Okavango Delta floodwaters have reached most of the Delta by July, and wildlife concentrates around the floodplains and water channels. The Delta floodwaters begin drying up during August and September. Permanent water sources such as the Chobe River attract high volumes of wildlife. Expect full lodges and high Botswana safari prices.

October to December - shoulder safari season

October to mid-November is the peak of the dry season, and permanent water sources are in high demand by wildlife. Temperatures have started rising again, and October can be especially hot and dry. Wildlife viewing can be spectacular in October and November before the first (short) rains arrive. Late November and December see high temperatures and spotty rainfall. Many lodges discount their prices during November and December - making your safari in Botswana cheaper.