Best Time to Visit Botswana

Gaborone: April to August

Gaborone is the one city we cover, and it's best from April to August. Days are dry and comfortable, and the evenings turn cool. It's good weather for walking around Main Mall, visiting the Gaborone Game Reserve or climbing Kgale Hill for the view.

November is the hottest month, at 34°C. Afternoons are heavy, so plan outdoor time for the morning. January is the wettest, with 93 mm. Rain usually comes as short, loud storms, not all-day drizzle.

Safari country is a different story

Most people don't come to Botswana for the capital. They come for the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park and the Kalahari. We don't have weather data for those places, so treat this as general guidance.

The dry winter months are the classic safari time. Animals gather near water, and the grass is thinner, so they're easier to spot. In the Okavango, the flood arrives from Angola and peaks in the dry season, so you can glide through the channels in a mokoro (a traditional dugout canoe) under clear skies.

The green season runs from the summer rains. It's hotter and sticky, but the bush is lush, and there are fewer visitors. Birdwatchers love it. Some camps close or get hard to reach when roads turn muddy.

High season, low season and holidays

High season matches the dry winter months, roughly June to October. Camps fill up and prices rise, so safari travellers should book early. Gaborone doesn't get tourist crowds, so you can visit the city almost any time.

Two public holidays are worth knowing. Botswana Day falls on 30 September, with Independence celebrations and a long weekend feel. Presidents' Day is in July. Banks and some shops close, and locals travel, so buses and roads can be busy.

If you want quiet and lower rates, try the shoulder months of April and May. The rains have faded, the air is fresh, and the crowds haven't arrived yet.