The dry season, an ideal period
From mid-June to mid-August, winter rages throughout the country. But this season, quite different from Europe, reveals two very distinct faces. During the day, the sun is always out, with very few clouds, and temperatures are very mild. For example, in the north of the country - in Maun, Chobe and the Okavango - it is around 25°C at midday. However, when the sun goes down, the temperature differences become significant, dropping to around 5-10°C. In the south - Eastern Corridor, Central Kalahari, Salt Pans - it is colder and the nights are often freezing in June, July and August, and can even reach 0°C in the Kalahari! It is therefore advisable to bring sweaters, jackets, hats, gloves and thick socks to withstand the morning frost. From September onwards, temperatures rise and in October the air becomes so dry and hot that it can be 40°C in the desert. Mammals are easy to spot around the few permanent waterholes. However, in the Central Kalahari, waterholes are so rare that it is difficult to observe wildlife
The austral summer, rain and heat on the agenda
From November to March, the southern summer gradually sets in in Botswana, with the first rains cooling the atmosphere. The birdlife returns in numbers, the vegetation turns green again and the mammals, which are not yet completely dispersed, are still visible. However, it is hot and the humidity is between 50 and 80%. Temperatures rise to 30°C, reaching their peak in January around 45°C in the Kalahari. Rainfall is irregular, sporadic and unpredictable, and weeks of drought can sometimes occur during the so-called rainy season. However, when they do occur, it is not half-hearted! They fall heavily and sometimes violently, especially in January and February. But the sights are breathtaking when the stormy skies form cloud mountains over the Botswana plateau. Rainfall is highest in the Chobe region, reaching up to 650 mm per year, while in the southwest rainfall is at its lowest, at less than 200 mm. As the rainy season is also the season of abundant vegetation, births continue to take place during this period for both mammals and birds. It is also the perfect time for birdwatching, with thousands of migratory birds arriving.
