The dry season (May to November) is the easiest time to travel, as then you are unlikely to meet rain and can expect clear blue skies. This is ideal if this is your first trip to Africa, or if seeing lots of big game is top of your wish-list.

Within this, you'll find June-August the coolest, when night temperatures in the Kalahari can drop below freezing. Then from September onwards the heat gradually builds up. The interior areas of the Kalahari, including central Chobe and the Great Salt Pans, get very hot towards the end of October. Occasions when it reaches over 40˚C in the shade have earned this the tag of 'suicide month'.

That said, note that in the Okavango, where there are large areas of water and green vegetation, the extremes of temperature are much more pleasant and moderated: the nights in August never reaching freezing, and the days in October are never unbearable.
Everywhere November is a variable month. Some days will be hot. Some will be cooler, as gathering clouds shield the country from the sun. Sometimes these bring welcome showers; sometimes they simply build, and with them come tension and humidity.

The wet season, December to March, is totally different, although the days can still vary enormously from one to the next. Even within a day, skies can change from sunny to cloudy within minutes and then back again. Downpours are usually heavy and short – and usually late in the afternoon – although there are often a few days when the sky remains grey and overcast. You will need a good waterproof for the rainy season, but it seldom rains for long enough to really stop you doing anything.

There simply isn't one 'best time' to visit Botswana, or any of its wild areas. Here is some guidance on various issues to help you decide what the best time for your visit would be…