![Elephants (Malcolm Macgregor) [flickr.com] CC BY
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'](/wp-content/uploads/reiseziele/elephants89915.jpg "Elephants (Malcolm Macgregor) [flickr.com] CC BY
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'")
Furthermore, we analyzed all climate data and provide a recommendation about which months are best to visit Botswana for your holiday.
Climate Overview
1 °C to 36 °C
0 – 4.09 in (0 – 10 Days of Rain)Average Annual Temperature is between 20 °C (Tshabong) and 23.1 °C (Okavango Delta)
Show temperatures in degree
Geographical location
Table of Contents
The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked state in the southwest of the African continent.
The country covers over 360000 square miles and is home to only about 2 million inhabitants, which is why it is considered extremely sparsely populated.
For comparison: The Federal Republic of Germany has an area of about 222000 miles² and a population of about 82 million. Botswana’s immediate neighbours are South Africa in the south, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the north-east and Namibia in the west and north.
With a north-south extension of over 620 miles, Botswana lies forever in the sandy, hot basin of the Kalahari. The fascinating water world of the Okavango Delta, which has created a large delta in the middle of the semi-desert, offers a remarkable contrast to this.
Other important waters of the country are the Botswana Rivers Linvanti, Chobe, Zambezi and Limpopo. The capital of Botswana is the city of Gaborone.
Climate in Botswana
Botswana is characterized by a subtropical, quite dry and hot climate. In principle, the seasons in Botswana are always opposite to the climate in Europe. Although one generally speaks of a rainy season during the African summer, even in the rainy months from December to March only comparatively little precipitation falls.
In addition, the amount of rain varies greatly from region to region, with much more rainfall in the north than in the south and southwest of the country. The hottest months are between October and January, the dry season in Botswana is between April and November, depending on the region.
Particularly pleasant about the climate in Botswana is the comparatively low humidity, so that, unlike tropical areas in Africa, the weather remains bearable even at very high temperatures. The coldest months are June and July (5 °C to 7 °C at night), at this time of the year you should look out for appropriate clothing especially for a safari holiday with wildlife watching in the early morning and late evening.
Best Time to Visit Botswana: Overview
JanuaryJan Summer Rainy SeasonRainy Season Suitable for Makgadikgadi and Nxai Panssuitable für Makgad. & Nxai Pans | FebruaryFeb Summer Rainy SeasonRainy Season Suitable for Makgadikgadi and Nxai Panssuitable für Makgad. & Nxai Pans | MarchMar Summer Rainy SeasonRainy Season Suitable for Makgadikgadi and Nxai Panssuitable für Makgad. & Nxai Pans | AprilApr Good time to traveltime Impala Rutting SeasonImpala Rutting | MayMay Best time to traveltime perfect for Safari in Okavango Delta & ChobePerf. for Okav. Delta & Chobe | JuneJun Best time to traveltime perfect for Safari in Okavango Delta & ChobePerf. for Okav. Delta & Chobe |
JulyJul Best time to traveltime perfect for Safari in Okavango Delta & ChobePerf. for Okav. Delta & Chobe | AugustAug Best time to traveltime perfect for Safari in Okavango Delta & ChobePerf. for Okav. Delta & Chobe | SeptemberSep Best time to traveltime perfect for Safari in Okavango Delta & ChobePerf. for Okav. Delta & Chobe | OctoberOct Best time to traveltime perfect for Safari in Okavango Delta & ChobePerf. for Okav. Delta & Chobe | NovemberNov Good time to traveltime End of Dry SeasonEnd of Dry Season | DecemberDec Summer Rainy SeasonRainy Season frequent thunderstorms and rainFreq. thunderstorms + rain |
When is the best time to travel on Safari?
Basically, a trip to Botswana is worthwhile all year round. Whether”Green Season” (also called Emerald Season) or dry season, every season Botswana shows special natural spectacles and offers unforgettable adventures.
The best time to observe wildlife on safari in Botswana is between September and early November, especially for the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. Due to the dry weather the animals gather at the few water points and offer unique observation possibilities.
But Botswana also shows its best side from May to August, the African winter is one of the most popular and thus most expensive travel seasons in Botswana. This is mainly due to the flood in the delta of the Okavango, but of course also to the holiday seasons in Europe.
The rainy season from December to March ensures that the animals are distributed over a large area, and heavy thunderstorms can also occur. Some lodges are now even closed, safaris are now much more demanding. Experienced Botswana travellers appreciate the appeal of this travel season, but it is not a recommendation for first-time visitors.
Best Time to Visit the Regions
Find the best time to visit the regions (Botswana) in the following overview.| Location | Best Time to Travel |
|---|---|
| Maun | May, June, July, August, September, and October |
| Tshabong | May, June, July, August, September, and October |
| Okavango Delta | May, June, July, August, September, and October |
Climate Charts Botswana
In the following, you will find climate charts for the regions.
Furthermore, there are some charts you can use for quick comparison of climate between the regions.
Show Climate Chart for
Maun
Show temperatures in degree
Source of Data: German Weather Service (Offenbach) and Wikipedia
Climate Tables Botswana
In the following, you will find some climate tables for Botswana, containing information about Temperatures, Precipitation, and Hours of Sunshine.Show climate table for
Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Maun (Botswana)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 32° | 31° | 31° | 31° | 28° | 25° | 25° | 29° | 32° | 35° | 34° | 32° |
| Night Temperature | 19° | 19° | 18° | 15° | 10° | 6° | 6° | 9° | 14° | 19° | 19° | 19° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 4.09 | 3.74 | 3.19 | 0.98 | 0.2 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0.04 | 0.67 | 1.69 | 3.19 |
| Rainy days | 10 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Maun is 22.4 °C.For comparison: London 11 °C, NYC 12 °C, LA 17.9 °C
Warmest month: October (26.6 °C)
Coldest month: June (15.7 °C)
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 17.83 inch on 44 rainy daysFor comparison: London 24.06 in, NYC 41.57 in, LA 12.01 in
There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).
You cannot expect snow in any month in Maun.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, August is the sunniest month with an average of 10.7 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 9.2 hours of sunshine per day on average. For comparison: London has 4.1, NYC has 7 and LA has 8.9 hours of sunshine per day on average.Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Tshabong (Botswana)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 35° | 34° | 32° | 28° | 25° | 21° | 22° | 25° | 29° | 31° | 33° | 34° |
| Night Temperature | 19° | 18° | 16° | 11° | 6° | 2° | 1° | 3° | 8° | 12° | 16° | 18° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 1.26 | 1.81 | 1.65 | 1.22 | 0.59 | 0.35 | 0.04 | 0 | 0.28 | 0.39 | 0.94 | 1.3 |
| Rainy days | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Tshabong is 20 °C.Warmest month: January (26.9 °C)
Coldest month: July (11.4 °C)
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 9.84 inch on 30 rainy daysThere is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).
Months that have possible snowfall: June
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, October is the sunniest month with an average of 11.1 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 10.3 hours of sunshine per day on average.The best places for safaris in Botswana
Many Botswana tours are offered as safari combinations and include a visit to Victoria Falls between the border towns of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia. Botswana itself has several world famous safari areas such as Chobe National Park with its thrilling wetlands to the north and the neighbouring Okavango Delta further southeast.
Typical safari adventures continue from Kasane along the banks of the Chobe River to Savuti, Khwai and Moremi before most guests finish in the Okavango Delta or one of the adjacent private concessions (for example the Selinda Reserve).
The salt pans of Makgadikgadi Pans in the National Park of the same name are just one of the many sights in the expanses of the surreal Kalahari. In the centre of Botswana the Central Kalahari Game Reserve inspires, in the southwestern border area lies the transnational Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (with Namibia, South Africa). Most Botswana Safari Tours also include lodges in reserves such as Moremi and Savuti.
Popular Activities
From Maun: Moremi Game Reserve Tour
Tours
from 375 $ »
Take a guided day trip to Moremi Game Reserve from Maun to spend a full day catching sightings of wildlife and over 400 species of birds. Enjoy a packed lunch and a convenient hotel transfer to make your day complete.
From Maun: 3-Day Central Kalahari Game Reserve Safari Tour
Tours
from 1650 $ »
Discover the immense beauty and wildlife of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve on this 3-day trip from Maun. Spot native wildlife such as wildebeest and giraffes and even see the white-backed vulture.
Maun: Okavango Delta Mokoro Tour and Bush Walk
Tours
from 260 $ »
Travel to the Okavango Delta and board a mokoro to explore the landscapes and wildlife of the area. Join a bush walk and enjoy a packed lunch on an island in the delta.
More attractions
From Maun: 3-Day Moremi Game Reserve Safari Tour |Current Weather and Forecast
Current Weather in Maun
light rain, 22.6 °CClouds: 97 % Wind: 4 mph N
Air Pressure: 1008 hPa Humidity: 69 %
Air Pressure: 1008 hPa Humidity: 69 %
Last updated: 7th Feb 2023, 08:32 pm
The next days …
| 8th Feb 2023 | 9th Feb 2023 | 10th Feb 2023 | 11th Feb 2023 | 12th Feb 2023 | 13th Feb 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 20 °C to 33 °C | 19 °C to 30 °C | 19 °C to 33 °C |  20 °C to 35 °C | 20 °C to 36 °C |  23 °C to 37 °C |
| 20 °C to 33 °C | 19 °C to 30 °C | 19 °C to 33 °C | 20 °C to 35 °C | 20 °C to 36 °C | 23 °C to 37 °C |
| Clouds: 66 % | Clouds: 99 % | Clouds: 42 % | Clouds: 8 % | Clouds: 8 % | Clouds: 24 % |
| 0.21 in of rain | 0.22 in of rain | 0.23 in of rain | No Precipitation | No Precipitation | No Precipitation |
Weather information provided by OpenWeatherMap. (CC BY-SA)
Show temperatures in degree
Important Regions and Cities
We have extended climate information for the following region:Hottest Month
October: 36 °C
Day Temperature in Okavango Delta
October: 36 °CDay Temperature in Okavango Delta
Coldest Month
July: 1 °C
Night Temperature in Tshabong
July: 1 °CNight Temperature in Tshabong
Rainiest Month
January: 4.09 in
Rain in Maun
January: 4.09 inRain in Maun
Driest Month
July: 0 in
Rain in Maun
July: 0 inRain in Maun
Sunniest Month
September: 12 hours/day
Sunshine in Okavango Delta
September: 12 hours/daySunshine in Okavango Delta
Distances to Botswana
| London | New York | Los Angeles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maun | 5150 mi | 7500 mi | 9920 mi |
| Tshabong | 5540 mi | 7690 mi | 10050 mi |
Where’s Botswana?
Show Maun on MapShow Tshabong on Map
Continent: Africa
All Holiday Destinations in AfricaShare your Experience and Win
We want to know: how was the weather during your Botswana holiday? You can win a travel coupon of 1000 $. The price will be raffled among all submissions.
![Okavango Delta, Botswana (Joachim Huber) [flickr.com] CC BY-SA
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'](/wp-content/uploads/reiseziele/okavango-delta-botswana58983.jpg)
![IMG_3543 (Athena Lao) [flickr.com] CC BY
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'](/wp-content/uploads/reiseziele/img354322500.jpg)
Botswana: Experiences of our Visitors
It was already very warm during the day but to endure. In the evening it was suuuuuuper! No fly yet, because the rain hadn’t come yet!
Would always leave around this time again.
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
We started at Victoria Falls and then continued our trip via Kasane and two nights on the Chobe Prince houseboat with a camping safari (bushways via Outback Africa). The stations were from the Chobe river bank into the Savuti area further to Khwai and Moremi. Afterwards we flew from Khwai Airstrip to the luxurious Selinda Camp as a crowning finale. We spent 12 nights in Botswana, mid to late August 2016, and the climate couldn’t have been better at this time of the year: Plenty of sun, yet not too hot (around 30 to 32 degrees during the day), mostly blue sky and no precipitation. Our animal sightings were accordingly breathtakingly good! At night it cooled down to around 11 to 14 degrees, but the nights in the tent were very pleasant with the blanket provided. The early morning game drives were also still fresh (from 9am it gets noticeably warmer), but a light jacket with wind protection was enough. All in all a really ideal travel time, also in combination with the Victoria Falls.
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent