Botswana Okavango Delta Safaris

February is another wet month in the Okavango Delta, but like January, the rain and clouds are usually interspersed with a few fine, bright days. These summer months are always highly unpredictable however – there may be sunshine for over a week and then four or five days straight of cloud and afternoon storms. A thunderstorm over the Delta is one of Southern Africa’s most awe-inspiring sights: incredible towering clouds and sudden jagged lightning; reflections bouncing off the water towards the wild, distant horizon. It’s almost worth the risk of a rained-out safari, which is always a possibility, even though persistent rain is unusual. When the clouds do clear, the temperature can easily hit 36°C (97°F), though it’s typically closer to 30°C (86°F), and around 20°C (68°F) at night.

Where to Go

In Moremi Game Reserve, and all around the Delta, the frequent heavy downpours take their toll on the dirt roads. February is perhaps the muddiest month in Moremi and you’ll need two or more vehicles in case one gets stuck. If the rains have come early, the Panhandle may already be filling as the first surge of floodwater pours down from Angola. The rest of the Okavango will still be very low, however, and water-based activities may not yet be available further east. Lodges on the deeper channels – in the central Delta and northwest – can be great for birding at this time of year. Many species will be in their breeding plumage and the reed beds and vegetation in general is at its verdant best.

Travel Tips

Highlights: February is not known as a great time to see predators, but just because it’s raining they don’t disappear. The thicker vegetation tends to make animals harder to spot, but when you do see them the lush bush and stormy backdrops can make for some wonderful and unusual photographs. Like January, February is usually fairly quiet in terms of visitors, despite many lodges offering up to 50% off their usual rates.

Disadvantages: Although the vegetation is at its greenest and most beautiful, the birdlife at its best, and the herbivores well-grazed and in excellent condition, the risk of rain still keeps many people away. With water levels still at their lowest across most of the Okavango, water-based activities are also not always possible and the dirt roads everywhere are at their muddiest at this time of year.

March is a transition period in the Okavango Delta and although it can still see some heavy rain, the change in seasons is usually apparent by the end of the month. This is most obvious in the gradual drop in night-time temperatures, down to 15°C (59°F) on the coldest mornings. Daily highs, however, are slower to move – 30°C (86°F) to 35°C (95°F) remains the norm until well into April. Although the chance of rain is still high, the risk of consecutive overcast days is much lower than in January and February. It’s still a risky period to visit the Okavango, but as the humidity drops so does the threat of a rained-out safari and late March can see some of the year’s clearest, most pleasant nights around the campfire.

Where to Go

By March, the floodwaters are usually in full flow down the Panhandle and it’s not a great time for fishing while the channels are turbulent and muddy. Further south and east the flood can take another month to reach the central Delta, but the lodges in the northwest can be excellent at this time of year. Exploring the northwest Delta by motorboat or mokoro is wonderful in any season, but March can be particularly special. It’s the last month before many migrant birds return north, the vegetation is lush and green, and the channels are slowly rising and changing with the coming of the flood. Across the rest of the Okavango, conditions are rather more hit and miss. Water-based activities will still be hampered by low water levels further east, but the increasingly sunny days and clear, rain-washed atmosphere produces some beautiful landscapes, dotted with well-fed, healthy animals.

Travel Tips

Highlights: Although there’ll still be some rain, the weather in March can be gorgeous. And with many lodges still offering up to 50% off, it’s not a bad time to take a gamble. Those who do visit in March will find the Delta lush and vibrant, full of migrant birds and fat antelope, under steadily clearing, deep blue skies.

Disadvantages: March is the last month until November that sees significant rain, and water-based activities in the eastern Delta won’t be at their best until the flood arrives in May/June. Driving off road remains a challenge until the rains abate in April, and the roads through Moremi are still little more than a succession of muddy pools.

Throughout April the autumn gradually sets in, and cooler, drier weather steadily creeps across the Delta. As with March it’s the nights that cool more rapidly than the days. The coldest evenings can drop to around 12°C (54°F), but daytime highs are usually still over 30°C (86°F). Although the first few weeks of April may see some scattered showers, clearer skies are more and more common and the clouds all but vanish by the end of the month. April is a wonderful time to be in the Okavango Delta, with moderate to warm temperatures, little chance of rain, and the opportunity to see the flood work its magic as the waters fan out into the central and northern regions.

Where to Go

April is a beautiful month to be anywhere in the Okavango, with fresh, rain-washed skies dotted here and there with fluffy clouds. It’s a magnificent time to be out on the water, and motorboat and mokoro trips are at their best in the north and west. It will take another month or two before the waters filter east, but lodges on the deeper channels should have good boating conditions. In the Panhandle, anglers can start casting for bream (tilapia), but the best fishing is usually later in the year. April marks the start of the antelope breeding season and the shallow floodplains on the Delta’s fringes come alive with competing males. Across the Okavango all life seems to thrive, with tall, green grass and fruit-laden trees as far as the eye can see.

Travel Tips

Highlights: April is a magnificent month for photography and an idyllic time for mokoro trips under crisp, white clouds. The Okavango is glorious as the floodwaters rise, full of life and energy before the dry season begins.

Disadvantages: The eastern concessions still have low water in April and water-based activities may be limited away from the deep channels. In Moremi the roads usually dry out quite quickly, but it can still be very muddy at the beginning of the month. On the whole, there are few disadvantages of visiting the Okavango in April, although predator sightings tend to be better later in the year once the vegetation thins out.

As May unfolds, the Okavango Delta gets cooler and the bright, cloudless days begin to dip below 30°C (86°F). Along the rapidly filling waterways the nights tend to be milder, but on the open plains away from the channels it may drop as low as 5°C (50°F). It’s safe to say that no rain ever falls in May and you’ll seldom see more than the odd wisp of cloud. The deep blue sky remains crisp and clear, not yet as dusty as it can get later in the year.

Where to Go

As surface water evaporates on the surrounding Kalahari plains, more and more animals are drawn to the Okavango’s rising floodwaters. This is especially true along the Delta’s northern concessions which attract elephant and plains game from the increasingly dry Chobe and Linyanti regions. If your primary goal is wildlife – especially lion and other predators – then the northern concessions and Khwai region are a good choice this early in the season, as is Chief’s Island which has excellent game year-round. In general, however, May is prime time across the Okavango, an excellent mix of rising water levels and drying grasslands, when the wildlife gathers along the Delta’s deepening pools, and there’s still plenty to eat around the floodplains. By late May the elevated water levels allow extensive motorboat and mokoro activities and the early mornings aren’t yet as cold as they can get in June and July.

Travel Tips

Highlights: Those who visit the Okavango Delta regularly often cite May as their favourite month. It’s true that predator sightings are not as prolific as later in the season (September and October are usually best), but May brings its own rewards. Moderate temperatures, clear blue skies, rising floodwaters and an abundance of well-fed, healthy herbivores all combine to make the Okavango particularly special in May.

Disadvantages: If you’re desperate to see predators, then your chances are slightly better later in the year, when the vegetation is drier and thinner and the animals easier to spot. That said, most lodges and camps have very experienced trackers and guides and although wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, they’re usually able to find animals for their guests in just about any season.

Climate

June is mid-winter in the Okavango Delta and one of the coldest, driest months of the year. Daily average temperatures are around 25°C (77°F), although some hot days will still get up to 30°C (86°F). It’s the nights, however, that can get particularly cold – close to freezing at times, but more usually around 5°C (41°F). Early morning excursions can be very chilly in the wind, especially on motorboats and open game drive vehicles. June marks the start of the hard, dry winter season – after two months without rain, the Kalahari vegetation is thinning fast. There’s more pressure on the animals as they cluster closer to the waterways, which are now nearing maximum levels as the flood moves further east.

Best Regions

The Delta’s south-eastern fringes are the last to see floodwaters, but by the middle of June they have usually arrived. By now there’s good, deep water across the Okavango, a magnet for wildlife from all over the Kalahari. It’s hard to single out any one region in June – it’s a very special time to be anywhere on the Delta. Those looking for predators and large plains game should perhaps still head to the northern concessions, but wildlife concentrations are increasing everywhere. The central Delta is always excellent, but with the floodwaters now at their highest, mokoro and motorboat excursions can depart directly from many of the lodges, which raised up on stilts seem to hover magically over the water.

Highlights: By June the thinning vegetation makes predator spotting easier and all manner of activities are possible across the Delta. June is an excellent time to visit the Okavango, especially if you want to try a mix of water and land-based activities.

Disadvantages: June is a popular month in the Okavango Delta and you’ll need to book your safari fairly far in advance. Most lodges and camps are small and intimate, however, and are spaced well enough apart that it never feels crowded.

Climate

July is the coldest month in the Okavango Delta, with daytime highs around 25°C (77°F). Although the days are mild, the nights cool quickly, dropping close to freezing on a few mornings each year. By now the annual flood has percolated across the Delta, and water levels usually reach their peak around the end of the month. Even lodges quite far from the main central channels can now offer mokoro trips through the submerged floodplains. July is another clear, dry month in the northern Kalahari, the third straight month without a drop of rain. The Delta is therefore an increasingly important source of water and attracts thousands of animals from the surrounding plains.

Best Regions

The Okavango’s peak season begins in July and there’s no one region that stands out from another. Water-based activities are possible nearly everywhere and the thinning vegetation makes wildlife spotting ever easier. Along the Delta’s northern fringe, elephant and buffalo gather in numbers, but large herds can also be found to the east and south. If this is your first and perhaps only visit to the Okavango, then July and August are perhaps the best months to arrive. Although September and October are arguably even better for game viewing, July’s high floodwaters are particularly special and the surrounding forests and grasslands still retain some of their summer green.

Highlights: July to October is a good time to see African wild dogs, especially in the northern concessions and along the Khwai River. Now is the time to see the Delta at its fullest as it spills its main channels into the Kalahari sand.

Disadvantages: July to October is the Delta’s busiest period and the camps and lodges charge peak season rates. Mornings in the Delta can get very chilly in July so be sure to pack warm clothes for early morning boat trips and game drives.

Climate

Temperatures climb steadily through August and daytime highs once again top 30°C (86°F). At the beginning of the month the mornings can still be close to freezing, but lows of 10°C (50°F) are more common as September approaches. By August no rain has fallen in the northern Kalahari for at least four months and the only fresh grazing is along the Delta’s flooded waterways. Predator and prey alike are forced to gather along the fringes and wildlife viewing is excellent all over the Okavango.

Best Regions

August is an ideal month to be anywhere on the Delta, so pick your region based on what you’d most like to see or do. In the Panhandle and western concessions, the floodwaters begin their slow withdrawal, sparking the annual catfish run and heralding the start of prime tigerfish angling season. Along the northern Okavango, the game viewing is excellent as large numbers of herbivores gather along the waterways. Predators, especially lion, leopard and African wild dog are regularly sighted during this period. In Moremi Game Reserve, the wildlife viewing is also superb and boating trips are at their best with the high floodwaters. These have now reached as far southeast as Maun, allowing motorboat excursions up the Thamalakane River and into the Delta. In the southern concessions, horseback safaris are ideal in August, while the weather is still relatively cool and the vegetation thin and easier to negotiate.

Highlights: August is known as a great month for wildlife and the game viewing only improves as the dry season continues. Like July, August is ideal for first-time visitors, when both water and land-based activities are possible nearly everywhere. Keen birders should head to Moremi’s Gcodikwe Lagoon as thousands of herons, storks and egrets arrive and start building their nests. And, even if you’re not interested in fishing, the catfish run is impressive – a roiling feeding frenzy that whips up the main channels and attracts a number of opportunistic predators and fishing birds.

Disadvantages: The only disadvantage of visiting the Okavango in August is that it’s peak season and the camps and lodges charge their highest rates. It’s also one of the most popular times to visit the Delta and bookings need to be made far in advance.

Climate

The long, dry winter continues into September and by now there’s been no rain for about five straight months. The Okavango Delta is now an essential source of grazing and water, and as the annual flood gradually recedes, the pressure builds and competition increases along its drying waterways. Both night and daytime temperatures rapidly increase, averaging 15°C (59°F) to 35°C (95°F), with some hot days up to 40°C (104°F). The shallow pools and floodplains evaporate quickly in the heat and the surrounding vegetation thins out even further, with the only strips of greenery sitting tight against the channels.

Best Regions

The floodwaters recede in the northern and western regions first, triggering the annual catfish run which starts in the Panhandle and spreads southeast. It’s a wild feeding frenzy that’s a sight to behold and well worth a visit even if you’re not interested in fishing. For those who are keen anglers it’s an ideal time for tigerfish and many come to the Panhandle specifically for this reason. Elsewhere in the Delta, September is one of the best months for wildlife viewing and a good time for walks in the northern concessions and horseback safaris in the south. As the month progresses, the ebbing flood can have an impact on mokoro trips. The southwestern regions tend to dry up first so head north and east for the best conditions.

Highlights: As the shallower waterways slowly dry up, they strand thousands of fish in ever decreasing pools. These attract hundreds of storks, herons and birds of prey, who squabble among themselves over the easy meal. September and October are traditionally the best months for predators, which are much easier to spot through the now very dry vegetation. Both predators and prey congregate on the channels, the only source of water for miles in any direction.

Disadvantages: September is still peak season, which means peak rates across the Okavango, and bookings need to be secured up to a year in advance. It also gets quite hot and dusty by the end of the month and boating and mokoro safaris may not be optimal along the Delta’s fringes.

Climate

January is the Okavango Delta’s wettest month, with regular spectacular thunderstorms that usually arrive in the late afternoon. Mornings in January often begin bright and clear, turn suddenly violent and then clear again overnight. It’s rare in the Okavango to see consecutive days of persistent rain, but in January and February there’s always that chance. In general, however, you can expect brief, heavy downpours with a few days of partly-cloudy weather mixed in between. The northern concessions and Panhandle tend to see the biggest storms, but it’s impossible to be precise except to say that some rain will fall. Daytime temperatures in January average over 30°C (86°F), and can climb above 36°C (97°F) when the sun comes out. Night-time minimums are seldom below 20°C (68°F) and humidity is high all across the Delta.

Best Regions

October is an excellent month for fishing along the Panhandle, especially for tigerfish as they hunt the deeper channels. Along the Delta’s northern waterways, and especially around Khwai, the waters tend to linger longer, attracting thousands of thirsty elephants. Wildlife viewing is at its best in October and it’s the perfect time of the year for spotting predators all over the Delta. For water-based activities, however, conditions vary from year to year, depending on the strength and timing of the floods. On the whole the eastern and north-eastern Delta tends to have good deep water throughout October and the heron rookeries of Gcodikwe Lagoon are teeming with birdlife. That said, any lodge or camp that lies near the deeper channels will offer boating activities even if a vehicle transfer is required.

Highlights: Predator spotting is undoubtedly the main highlight in October and the birdlife is also excellent around the deeper lagoons. Hot, exciting wildlife-filled days become long, warm nights, chatting around the campfire. Visit in October for the best chance of unforgettable encounters, and plenty of stores to tell when you get back home.

Disadvantages: Although October is perhaps the best month for wildlife (and especially predators), the receding flood waters do change the Delta’s ambiance. Many lodges will now be quite far back from the water, and miss that special magic that comes with floating above the flood.

Early November is usually hot and stifling as the Okavango holds its breath for the coming of the rains. The exact start date varies considerably from year to year, but when the clouds do break the relief is palpable. Although daily highs of over 40°C (104°F) are the norm at the beginning of the month, the temperature gradually drops as the rains become more frequent. Localised showers evolve quickly into massive afternoon storms, with thunder and lightning flashing across the Delta.

Where to Go

It’s impossible to say where the rains will fall first, or whether they’ll even arrive at all. Some years some areas may not see significant rainfall until December and until that happens game viewing continues to be excellent. The Khwai River, in the northeast, has good water year-round, and wildlife, especially elephants, tend to congregate along its banks late into the dry season. Chief’s Island has permanent game and good, deep-water access as well, as does the rest of the central Delta and the north-western concessions. When the rains do arrive, the pressure is released and the animals start to move back into the surrounding bush. November is an interesting time to be anywhere in the Delta as the animals and plants begin to recover from more than half a year without rainfall.

Travel Tips

Highlights: Once the rains arrive, the antelope birthing season begins, and all over the Delta there are new signs of life. Many lodges and camps offer shoulder season prices, and it’s an excellent time to get a good deal before the rainy season starts in earnest in December.

Disadvantages: November is an unpredictable month weather-wise and if the rains arrive early your safari may be washed out. The wildlife may also begin to disperse, although sightings – especially of newborns – are usually still very good until the end of the month.

December marks the start of the rainy season proper. It’s the second wettest month of the year and afternoon thunderstorms become increasingly regular and violent. As the rains intensify the dusty atmosphere clears and between the storms the skies are bright and fresh. The usual pattern is a few days of cloud and rain, followed by another few days of hot, sunny weather. This builds and builds until the next storm breaks and as the month progresses the gaps between storms lessen. It’s unusual to have more than two or three days without sunshine, but if two storm systems run into each other there may be persistent cloud cover for over week. When the sun does come out, temperatures can rise to 40°C (104°F), although the rains cool things somewhat and the December average across the Delta is around 33°C (91°F).

Where to Go

As the rains fill the Kalahari’s seasonal pans and pools, the herbivores begin to disperse from the Delta. With surface water now more readily available they can roam further afield in search of fresh grazing. New buds and shoots are appearing everywhere and the riverine forests and surrounding plains teem with life. Although still a good time of year for game viewing, the early rainy season is not ideal for motorboat and mokoro trips. You may get lucky with a few bright days, but it could just as likely be overcast and raining, and the Okavango water levels are also very low. The central, northern and north-western lodges will have the best access to deep water, but if you’re especially interested in water-based activities, it’s best to visit the Okavango between May and August.

Travel Tips

Highlights: December is all about the rejuvenation of the bush, a brief, stormy springtime after months of heat and dust. All around the Delta, and across the Kalahari, new grass is sprouting and young lambs and calves take their first tentative steps. December also means low season rates and it’s a great time for discounts while the game viewing is still good.

Disadvantages: There’s always the risk of heavy rain in December and if you’re unlucky you may not see much sunshine at all. Though wildlife viewing is usually still good until the vegetation thickens in January, it’s still not at the same level as September/October. December is also not the best time for mokoro and motorboat trips, with low water levels all across the Delta.