Why is Botswana so expensive?

Low-impact licensing — the government caps bed-nights per concession, which keeps the experience exclusive and the rates among Africa's highest. You're paying for genuinely fewer vehicles per sighting.

Wilderness Safaris or Great Plains?

Both are best-in-class. Wilderness has wider geography; Great Plains has the most photographically distinctive properties (Duba Plains, Selinda).

Visa-free for most Western passports for 90 days.

Both — that's the Okavango trip. Three nights at a water-camp (Mombo, Vumbura) for mokoro and boating, then three nights at a land-camp (Duba Plains, Chitabe) for big-cat game drives. The Delta's distinctiveness is the combination.

Add Victoria Falls or not?

Yes, if you have the days. A two-night Vic Falls stop on the way home (Royal Livingstone or Matetsi) is the right routing — easy hop from Maun via Kasane, and the falls genuinely deserve the visit.

Best time to visit Botswana

The month-by-month edit — when to go, when to avoid, and the windows worth booking around.

Editor's window: May–October (dry season) A water-and-land delta safari followed by a Makgadikgadi pan stay.

The view

When Botswana actually opens up

May through October is the dry season and the headline window — the Delta's floodwaters arrive (counterintuitively, in the dry months) and game concentrates around shrinking water sources. July through September is the absolute peak with the highest game density and the highest rates. May–June and October are quieter shoulder months with excellent light for photography. November to April is the green season — lush, dramatic, baby animals everywhere, and rates 40% lower; the trade-off is some camps close and tracks turn muddy.

Month by month

The Botswana calendar

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak
Peak dry — game-viewing concentrates around dwindling water sources.
Shoulder
Cooler shoulder months are exceptional for photography and lighter on bookings.
Off-season
Green season — lush, baby animals, dramatic skies, rates 40% off.

peak season
Jul · Aug · Sep
Peak dry — game-viewing concentrates around dwindling water sources.
shoulder season
May · Jun · Oct
Cooler shoulder months are exceptional for photography and lighter on bookings.
off season
Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr
Green season — lush, baby animals, dramatic skies, rates 40% off.

Back to the Botswana guide