Know Before You Go: Botswana Safaris

Botswana’s greenest month brings lush vegetation and dramatic skies. Summer rains transform the bush into a vivid tapestry. Wildlife is more dispersed, but patient travelers are rewarded with antelope calves taking their first steps, predators on the move and a burst of migratory bird activity. Expect heat, humidity and excellent light for photography after afternoon storms. 

Heavy rains nourish wildflower blooms across the Okavango and Central Kalahari. February is terrific for birding, with vibrant flocks of carmine bee-eaters, storks and other migrants in full display. The zebra migration is underway in the Makgadikgadi. Though wildlife is scattered, the solitude, vibrant scenery and low visitor numbers make this an ideal time for travelers seeking quiet immersion. 

As the rains begin to ease, March offers warm days and saturated landscapes. Elephants return to the Okavango Delta, and predators follow prey to the floodplains. Vegetation is still dense, but sightings increase. Fewer insects, colorful scenery and fewer travelers make March a rewarding shoulder-season choice. 

April brings the onset of the impala rut, triggering dramatic clashes and drawing predators like leopards and lions. Floodwaters spread into the Okavango, concentrating game. Thinning vegetation and seasonal pans boost visibility and predator-prey encounters across key regions.

May begins Botswana’s dry season with cool mornings, dry trails, and thinning vegetation that enhances visibility. Big cats patrol open plains, while elephants, buffalo and antelope concentrate at rivers and lagoons. Mokoro and walking safaris become more accessible.

June brings clear skies and cooler temperatures. African wild dog pups emerge from their dens, and predators are more visible as wildlife clusters near remaining water. Along the Chobe River, herds of elephants, buffalo and zebra create iconic safari scenes.

With cold nights and sunny days, July offers spectacular wildlife viewing. Grasses are low, waterholes busy and trails dry. Meerkats entertain in the Makgadikgadi, and big cats are more visible as they patrol open plains.

August is peak dry season—sunny, warm and outstanding for wildlife viewing. Elephants gather in huge numbers along the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers, while lions, leopards and other predators are easily spotted in open terrain. Expect clear skies, crisp light and sparse vegetation. 

September is warm and dry, with clear skies and excellent visibility. Wildlife crowds limited water sources, attracting lions, leopards and wild dogs. Thinning vegetation and concentrated game create ideal conditions for frequent predator encounters and dynamic safari scenes.

October is Botswana’s hottest month, with high temperatures and parched terrain. Wildlife congregates densely at remaining water sources, boosting visibility. Big Five sightings are common, along with crocodiles on riverbanks and intense predator-prey interactions across open plains.

November marks the start of Botswana’s green season as the first rains revive the landscape. Zebra migrations begin, and the birthing season for impala, wildebeest and other herbivores is underway. Migratory birds return, and fresh vegetation sparks heightened wildlife movement and predator activity.

December brings steady rains and vibrant green landscapes across Botswana. Zebra herds cross the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, migrant birds fill the skies and antelope calving continues. Predator activity increases with abundant young prey, while fewer visitors make this a rewarding month for nature travel.

Our flagship Botswana safari—for just seven guests! A truly exclusive wilderness immersion in the Okavango Delta's best private wildlife reserves and beyond, plus Victoria Falls.

This romantic adventure combines luxury boat-based exploration on Lake Kariba with classic land safaris in premier national parks of Zimbabwe and Botswana—plus Victoria Falls!

A classic tented safari exploring Botswana's wildlife-rich Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert, with exclusive adventures from small camps on remote private reserves.

Witness the spectacle of Botswana during the green season under changing skies, as the desert bursts forth with life, wildlife thrives with seasonal water, and new births fill the plains.

Create memories that span generations on an expertly guided family safari filled with abundant wildlife encounters and diverse activities designed to delight all ages.

From Namibia's towering dunes to Botswana's wildlife-rich Okavango Delta and on to the huge game and predator populations of the Linyanti, this luxury expedition is Southern Africa's ultimate safari.

—By Michelle Peters
Nat Hab has redefined the definition of a sustainable safari by focusing on the “4 Cs”: commerce, conservation, community and culture. Let’s take a closer look at ecotourism in Botswana and how it relates to your experiences in the heart of wildest Africa!

—By Joel Centano
Southern Africa’s Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area showcases convergence, confluence and coexistence. Discover how this unprecedented effort benefits wildlife, communities and travelers—and how travelers on Nat Hab’s Secluded Botswana Safari can help advance KAZA’s mission.

—By Valerie Gleaton
“I felt a connection to Botswana that I really can’t explain—there’s just something about it,” Jan says. “There’s a certain kind of happiness when you’re in a place that touches you so deeply that you cry. It’s powerful.” “Every day was new and every day was great,” Dennis adds. “It was our dream trip.”

—By Lavanya Sunkara
Women aren’t just breaking barriers; they’re paving the way for others to follow. They’re working as guides, security officers, head chefs and managers, and saying, “anything a man can do, we can do, too.”

—By Samantha Miller
Celebrate these majestic mammals during Botswana's green season, where mothers and babies abound in Chobe National Park, home of the largest surviving elephant population in the world.

—By Megan Brief
On September 22, conservation scientists and animal advocates join forces in recognition of our planet’s five species of rhino. Learn how Richard saves species as a Sony Ambassador and Expedition Leader for Nat Hab & WWF.

—By Megan Brief
Known as ‘The Land of The Giants’—Chobe National Park, nestled in the north of Botswana—is home to Africa’s largest population of elephants. Travel with Nat Hab & WWF and watch these mammoth mammals bathing and playing in the water as you cruise the Chobe River’s marshy channels and visit local communities to see their conservation initiatives in action!

—By Jesse Marcus, WWF
The time I spent in Southern Africa seems like a dream now. But even though the memories may fade, they remain the gift that keeps on giving. That is what it means to be enriched by an experience. It stays with you. It changes you. It makes you a part of it. Forever.

—By Laura Kiniry
Game drives, it turns out, don’t have to be all about lions and elephants. Some of the world’s smallest (and often, not so small) winged wonders are often fluttering about right before our eyes. Here are eight extraordinary avians to keep an eye out for on your next African safari with Nat Hab.

—By Emily Goodheart
Victoria Falls is the Eden of Africa. Spray from the cataract creates a multitude of rainbows and forms a rainforest microclimate, with lush greenery growing along the canyon sides. The thunderous, iridescent water is astounding to behold—learn more about one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders.

—By Nat Hab traveler Debra Eliezer
Often times the excitement of the search is just as thrilling as spending time with wildlife on an African safari. Experience what it’s like to search for and see lions in the wild in this first-hand account!

—By Jon Jared
The green season in Botswana falls between late October and March. It’s a time when rain showers turn arid landscapes green, animals migrate from their winter watering holes to the salt flats of the south, and new life appears around every corner.