The Okavango and Chobe are Botswana’s most popular National Parks.
The Okavango and Chobe are Botswana’s most popular National Parks.
The best time to visit Okavango is from June to October generally referred to as the dry season.
The grass tends to be brown and low making it easier to spot wildlife. None of the big animals are migratory except for a small seasonable movement based on water supplies but not on the scale of Serengeti. Rates during this period are up to 40% higher mainly because of the superior game viewing on offer. During the autumn and mid-winter months (May to August) the temperatures are moderate to warm but cool in the early mornings and warmer clothes are recommended.
January to February is the start of the wet season when the Okavango is flooding reaching its peak by May each year. Viewing wildlife along the many waterways by boat becomes the most popular option with the opportunity to get close to elephants and other large mammals. Fly-in and boating Safaris are popular and some of the lodges are on islands surrounded by water. These months are also the best for birding as many migrants arrive during this period.
From October to November temperatures rise during the day and some camps and lodges close between December and April when the excessive southern summer heat often pushes the day temperature into the mid 40ºC.
Visitors need to be aware that mosquitoes are breeding during these wetter months and protection against malaria is essential.
Okavango Delta is a photographic paradise and one of the best known wetland areas in the world with a variety of land-based and wetland wildlife hardly equaled anywhere.