With its semi-arid subtropical climate, Botswana, one of the temples of safari, experiences a slightly dry winter season from May to October and a wet summer season, stretching from November to April.
During the dry season, the thermometer shows an average of 25°C while temperatures fluctuate between 20°C and 35°C during the wet season.
The southwest of the country is drier than the northeast where the rains occur in the form of powerful thunderstorms in the afternoon.
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When is the best time for an Okavango Delta safari?
During the summer, the Okavango Delta is populated with birds and wildlife, including large herds of elephants.
Sheila Haddad/Danita Delimont
The Okavango Delta is made up of permanent lagoons and channels that flood each year during the dry season, following the previous summer's rains in the neighboring Angolan Highlands.
This rainfall produces a swell of water that travels 1200 km along the Okavango River in the space of a month, dispersing in the alluvial delta of Botswana, instead of heading out to sea.
Between June and August, the 15,000 km² delta is characterized by an abundance of birds and wildlife, including large herds of elephants, buffaloes and predators that trek for days to reach this marshy paradise.
The dry season is perfect for gliding over the calm waters of the delta aboard a boat or
mokoro
.
From April to November, tiger fishing is in full swing while the rains falling between November and April turn the Delta into a birdwatching paradise.
The Moremi reserve, at the extreme east of the delta, is distinguished by its terrain mixing forests, floodplains, lagoons and waterways dotted with water lilies.
The dry and wet areas offer stunning contrasts and are home to a great diversity of wildlife ranging from Cape buffaloes to giraffes, hippos, zebras, antelopes as well as some 500 species of birds.
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When is the best time for a safari in Chobe National Park?
Covering an area of 11,000 km2, Chobe National Park is one of the country's top safari destinations.
Stephan Roger
Chobe National Park, the oldest in Botswana, owes its name to the turbulent river that runs through it.
Located near Kasane, Livingstone and Victoria Falls, it is known to be home to the largest population of elephants in the world.
During the dry winter months, the northeast section of the Chobe River attracts a number of Africa's largest mammals to the area, making it one of the country's top safari destinations.
Linyanti and Savuti, two areas within the park, embody the true essence of Botswana's biodiversity.
Linyanti in the northwestern part offers the opportunity to observe the magnificent seasonal migration of zebras that occurs just after the summer rains, while the marshland area of Savuti in the western part is ideal for spotting zebras. animals during the dry season.
The Makgadikgadi Pans, located in the northeastern part of Botswana, are a thriving destination all year round.
During the wet season, the flooded salt marshes attract thousands of flamingos and herds of zebras.
The dry crust of salt and clay that covers the pans during the dry season is suitable for quad excursions and night game drives.
When is the best time for a Kalahari safari?
Despite its arid climate, the Kalahari Desert is home to a dense and varied fauna including oryx, ostriches and meerkats.
ondrejprosicky
The Kalahari is an arid savannah home to a great diversity of wildlife.
The green season, from November to April, sees wildlife concentrate more due to water availability.
The desert landscape turns into lush greenery and thousands of animals head for the slopes from the south to enjoy abundant grazing on the grassy plains: wildebeests, giraffes, and of course their predators, including cheetahs and famous black-maned Kalahari lions.
The rains form shallow lakes in the salt marshes, which also attract abundant birdlife, including flamingos and pelicans.
