The best time for one to visit Botswana highly depends on the activities that tourists want to carry out when they visit the country. Some activities are best carried out during the wet season whereas others are best carried out during the dry season.
Even though the best time to visit Botswana normally depends on the seasons that are experienced within the country, it is not a sure deal that this is the only time that you should visit the country as it can be visited and toured throughout the year. Looking at the different months and the weather experienced within those months will give you a chance to plan accordingly and find out exactly when to visit Botswana.
Botswana from November to April
From November to April, Botswana experiences the wet season and most parts of the country receive heavy rainfall. This is the best time for all birders to visit the country as there will be a lot of bird species both endemic and migratory, you can also explore some of the National Parks although it will be hard due to the fact the some roads will be cut off with floods. April brings the end of the rainy season and it is the best time for one to view the new born animals because this is the gestation period for many animals and birds inclusive. For all those that do not like crowds, this is the best time for one for visit Botswana.
Botswana from April to October
April is the end of the wet season and the beginning of the dry season and April to October is considered to be the best time for tourists to visit the country. It is during this time that the water wells and holes in the different parts of the country start drying up and animals can easily be seen moving around the park in search of the already scarce water.
This is also the peak season in all the major tourist attractions in the country meaning that they will all be over-crowded and the prices of all the services will be hiked that is accommodation, food and transportation. Therefore you will need to book in advance so that you get the best services in the different destinations that you will visit while in the country.
Botswana from August to October
August is the start of one of the hottest months in the country and the concentration of the wild life in the parks increases as most of them come out of hiding due to the scarcity of food and water during this time and due to the increased heat during this time, tourists are advised to carry a lot of water and put on appropriate clothing. This also marks the end of the dry season but a good time to visit Botswana and visit the different tourist destinations within the country.
October brings in the end of the dry season and towards the end of the month, the country starts receiving rainfall and tourists who are still in the country during this time will have the chance to see some of the migratory birds that come into Botswana during the wet season.
The two seasons that are experienced in the country have been explained in detail below:
The dry season in Botswana
The dry season in Botswana runs between the months of May to October although the season also depends on the weather patterns experienced in the different parts of the country. It is also known to be the best time for everyone who wants to go for game viewing and with the numerous game Parks in the country, it I better to know the exact time that the different parts of Botswana experience the dry season.
The wet season in Botswana
The wet season in Botswana is good for all birders because during this time, many birds can be seen at the different habitats within the country and this is the only time that you also get to see the migratory bird species form other countries. The wet season in Botswana is experienced between the months of December and April.
It is during the wet season that the country has its annual zebra migration that takes place in the Makgadikgadi and the Kalahari national park. The zebra migration is the second largest annual migration in Africa after the wildebeest migration that takes place in East Africa. There are over 25000 animals during this migration and for all those who can brave the cool weather experienced during this time, you will be rewarded with the Zebra migration.
Some of the National parks that are best visited during the wet season are the central Kalahari national park and the Makgadikgadi reserve and this is due to the fact that since they experience semi-desert like weather conditions, animals converge around the water holes during the wet season making it easy for tourists to spot the animals during the drive.
Most tourists have it in their minds that animals in Africa are best viewed during the dry season and this is because during the dry season, there is no dense vegetation to hinder spotting of animals and the animals move around the national parks in search of water and thus the National parks are always packed to the brim with tourist.
Therefore if you want to avoid the peak season and just have fun touring Botswana without rubbing shoulders with too many people, then the wet season is the best time for you to visit the country.
There are several tourist attractions in the country but the major ones are National parks that are located in the different parts of the country and below are some of the major parks in the country and when to visit them.
The best time to visit the major National parks in Botswana
The major National Parks in Botswana can be visited all throughout the year but the best experiences rotate around the two seasons that the country experiences that is the wet and dry season. The major national parks in Botswana include the Chobe National Park, Okavango National Park, the Moremi National park and the central Kalahari National park.
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The Chobe national Park
The chobe National park sees many animals that migrate to it and most of these migrate during the wet season although the best time to visit and see the many animals that it has is during the dry season and this runs from the months of August to October because during the dry season many animals can be seen moving around the park in search of water holes.
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The central Kalahari National Park
The best time for one to visit the Kalahari National park is during the wet season which is experienced in the months of December to March because during this time the roads are a bit accessible and you will find many animals still lounging around the park. But note that these animals traverse the Kalahari National park according to the different seasons and although it is hard to access some roads during the dry season, it is much better to visit during this time as animals converge at the pans for water. The other months when you can visit the park are from the end of April to May.
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The Okavango Delta National Park
The best time for one to visit the Okavango Delta National Park is between the months of July and October during the dry season and this is because he water normally floods in the delta during these months which means the months the animals can easily be spotted as they converge along the Okavango River for water.
The wet season is not the best time for one for one to go to the Okavango National park because during this time some places and roads in the Delta are inaccessible due to the heavy floods. The wet season here is experienced in the months of January to March.
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The Moremi Game reserve
The wettest month in Moremi which runs from the months of January to March is not the best time for tourists to visit the park as many of the roads that lead to the park are flooded so if you want to enjoy your safari to the Moremi Game reserve is during the dry season.