Botswana has a semi-arid climate that is typically hot and dry, and the country’s dry season, which is a popular time to travel, is balanced by a unique wet season that brings its own rewards.

Shoulder Season

Spring in Botswana marks the shoulder season which runs from September through December, and most visitors associate it with spring. Temperatures increase during these months, and the country is dry, yet prices are already lowering, and if you’re lucky, you might be able to see the metamorphosis prompted by the first rains of the season. Migrant birds are active during this period, and their arrival, which usually occurs in September, frequently coincides with the first rains. Aside from species such as yellow-billed kites and carmine bee-eaters, Botswana’s flora is also in bloom, with colorful acacia trees, baobabs, sausage trees, and apple leaves.

During the day, temperatures normally vary between 32°C (91°F) and 35°C (95°F), decreasing to 13°C (55°F) to around 18°C (64°F) at night.

Late March to early May is a transitional time from rainy to dry, with milder days and warmer evenings. This is a pleasant transition period between the two main seasons, and as a result, tourism to Botswana begins to rise. Temperatures are normally stable at 30°C, with few clouds, implying that there is little relief from the heat. During this time, visitor numbers and costs are lower. April is a transitional month between summer and winter, with hot, wet days in the summer giving way to more pleasant days in the winter. April is often dry, with chilly days and milder evenings.

High (Peak) Season

The best time to visit Botswana is between mid-May and early October, when temperatures range from 22°C to 35°C (75°F to 95°F) and evenings are cool. This is also when the water levels in the Okavango Delta are at their maximum, forming the famous rivers and channels of Botswana. Many experts believe that the colder months of June to August are the best times of year for a Botswana safari since wildlife viewing is always splendid, there is almost no rain, and malaria danger is at its lowest. Botswana’s peak season lasts from July through October, with October being the warmest month of the year. It is also the most costly and busiest time of year. This, of course, makes it the most difficult time to arrange lodge accommodations or safari operators.

In Botswana, the dry season is winter, a relative phrase given that daytime temperatures stay around 20°C (68°F). Even so, evenings may turn frigid, especially in the Kalahari Desert, where early mornings can be very cold. If you’re visiting during the dry season, bring enough of clothing for sunrise drives and night safaris. Temperatures begin to climb substantially toward the conclusion of the season, peaking at roughly 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

During peak season in Botswana, prices are at their highest, and you’ll need to book your safari up to a year in advance. Nonetheless, due to small camps and isolated areas only accessible by charter jet, Botswana is rarely crowded, even in the high season in winter.

Off-Season

Due to the wonderfully lush landscapes at this time of year, the summer months of December-March are categorized as low season, often known as Green Season. There are two reasons why these months are considered low season. For starters, this is when Botswana receives the most of its rainfall and the vegetation is at its thickest — the many water sources and denser foliage may make game viewing more difficult. Second, despite the local rains, this is when the Okavango flood waters are generally at their lowest. The majority of the country’s rainfall falls between December and March. Mornings are hot and bright, with afternoon thunderstorms, generally short stinging downpours, in the late afternoon.

It’s a great time for shooting because the air is clear and bright. The Green Season lives up to its moniker. Botswana is on sale during the green season, and for many people, this is the best time to visit. Although some campgrounds close during the rainy season, many others remain open and offer lower prices to entice out-of-season guests. Because some of Botswana’s important attractions are only accessible by plane, flooding highways aren’t as big of an issue as they may be in other African countries. Rain isn’t falling all the time right now. Instead, days are frequently bright, with short afternoon showers.

The actual drawbacks of the green season include extreme humidity and hot heat, as well as an inflow of insects, especially mosquitoes. The Okavango Delta floodplains, ironically, dry up at this season, so many lodges are unable to provide water-based safaris. For many visitors, softly poling through the reeds on a traditional canoe (or mokoro) is the defining feature of a journey to the Okavango, an experience that may have to be sacrificed during the warmer months.

The nation receives the majority of its rainfall during the rainy season, which lasts from December to March, although rains are largely restricted to brief afternoon showers that seldom ruin a trip. Temperatures, on the other hand, can reach dangerously high levels.

The warm season lasts 5.8 months, from September 22 to March 16, with daily high temperatures averaging more than 85°F. Botswana’s warmest month is January, with average highs of 88°F and lows of 68°F.

By Plane

Most tourists entering Botswana will make a stop in South Africa to get a direct flight from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or Cape Town International Airport in Cape Town. Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is located 11 kilometers (7 miles) north of Gaborone, the country’s capital. Commercial airlines only fly straight into Botswana from Johannesburg or Cape Town in South Africa, Lusaka in Zambia, Windhoek in Namibia, or Nairobi, Kenya.

By Train

As told in the “By Bus” section, the single train available from Zimbabwe to Botswana departs from Bulawayo and arrives in Francistown after a 5-hour journey. If you are going to Gaborone, you will change trains in Francistown and continue further, which will add 7 hours to your journey.

By Car

The journey from Johannesburg, South Africa to Botswana is 397 kilometers. Driving time is around 5 hours and 29 minutes. The traveling distance between Zambia and Botswana is 1427 kilometers, which takes 17 hours to complete and passes through all of Zimbabwe before entering Botswana from Francistown. It is a 14-hour trip from Namibia to Buitepos to cross the border. Botswana is one of Africa’s safest countries. Theft and automobile jacking are still possible, although they are uncommon.

By Bus

The cheapest method to travel from Namibia to Botswana is via shuttle, which costs $52 and takes 13 hours. There are services that leave Windhoek and travel to Gaborone via Upington and Johannesburg. The travel, including transfers, takes around 2 days and 13 hours. AT and T Monnakgotla and Intercape provide buses from Johannesburg, South Africa to Gaborone, Botswana, which take 4 to 7 hours and cost between 13 and 35 USD. You may ride a bus from Bulawayo to Harare, Zimbabwe. Then you must take a train from Bulawayo to Francistown, Botswana. AT and T Monnakgotla operate a direct bus from Lusaka, Zambia, to Francistown, Botswana, which takes 14 hours and costs roughly $20.

Botswana’s transportation system is comprised of a large internal network of trains, roadways, ferry services, and aviation routes that crisscross the nation. Botswana’s transportation industry has been critical to economic progress in the 23 years since independence.

By Plane

Within Botswana, there are two options for flying: scheduled carriers or tiny charter flights. The scheduled network is operated by Air Botswana, the national carrier. This has a restricted scope but is normally quite efficient and dependable.

Air Botswana connects Maun to Kasane, Gaborone, Windhoek, and Johannesburg. Furthermore, Kasane is linked to Victoria Falls, and there is a new route to Johannesburg that also stops in the Tuli Block area in the country’s east.

The tiny charter planes operate out of Maun’s center, with Kasane as a secondary emphasis, and shuttle passengers across northern Botswana’s camps like a fleet of taxis. They fly 6- to 12-seater planes over the region between a slew of tiny bush runways. Flights are often organized as an important part of your vacation by the operator who arranges your camps; there is no other way to reach most camps, and you will never need to bother about booking these flights for yourself.

These little flights are frequently shared by several persons, and the times are set a few days in advance by the airline firms. Expect them to take less than an hour, during which you may stop at one or two more locations.

By Train

Trains run in Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, they are out-of-date and incredibly sloth-like. We do not suggest that you use them, normally. The sluggish service is due to the chronic underfunding, most trains are too slow or infrequent to be considered; the one exception being the twice-daily route connecting Sarajevo and Mostar, which is a spectacularly picturesque ride.

By Train

There is a railway that connects South Africa to Lobatse, Gaborone, Palapye, Francistown, and Bulawayo (in Zimbabwe), however it is the country’s sole railway. It’s dependable, although few visitors to northern Botswana utilize it.

By Car

Driving in Botswana is on the left, like in the United Kingdom. The driving standard is acceptable. Most roads in towns, as well as main arteries connecting them, are tarred and in generally excellent shape. It should be noted that Botswana’s police have radar equipment and aggressively set up radar traps, particularly near outside towns.

Off the main routes, and in almost all of the wild areas covered by this guide, the roads are merely trails in the jungle formed by whatever vehicles have been through that route. They are practically never maintained and typically need at least a high-clearance vehicle, if not a 4WD. During the wet season, some of these tracks might become less forgiving and almost impassable.

Traveling on these jungle paths is tedious and time-consuming at any time of year, but it is one of the highlights of an adventure vacation to Botswana.

By Bus

Botswana has a network of local buses that connect the major towns along asphalt highways. They’re inexpensive, frequent, and a great way to meet locals, but they can also be crowded, unpleasant, and noisy. In summary, they are identical to every other African local bus, and traveling on them is both enjoyable and frustrating.

There are two types: smaller minibuses, which are frequently VW combies, and longer, bigger, ‘regular’ buses. Both will travel to the same locations, but the smaller ones will travel faster and with fewer stops. Their larger relatives will take longer to fill up before leaving the bus terminal (since few buses depart before they are completely full), and will then travel slower and stop at more locations. A premium of around 20% is added to the pricing of the smaller, speedier buses. Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with combis––no one had heard of them before they arrived in Botswana either. In essence, a combi is a huge van-bus that seats thirteen passengers and is a vital part of the public transit system in Gaborone.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking throughout Botswana is a convenient way to travel about the main towns, but it is quite tough to go around the national parks.

Hitting the road has the added benefit of allowing you to chat one-on-one with a wide range of individuals, from local business owners and expats to truck drivers and farmers. Sometimes you’ll be squeezed in the back of a windy pick-up truck with a dozen other people and animals. You’ll occasionally find yourself pleasantly placed in the back of a luxury Mercedes, satisfying the driver’s curiosity as to why you’re standing by a road in Botswana at all. It may be a terrific way to learn about a nation through the perspective of its inhabitants, though, not recommended for the people in a hurry.

Even on major routes, wait periods can be lengthy, and getting a good lift might take several hours. If you’re in a rush, combining hitchhiking with riding the occasional bus might be a faster and more practical method to travel.

A somewhat neat pair of clothes is required for effective hitching in Botswana, without which you will be overlooked by some of the more comfortable lifts available. An excellent ear for hearing and a calm demeanor in conversation are additional qualities that come naturally from being interested in the lives of the people you encounter. Finally, you should always keep a few liters of water and some food on hand, both for standing by the road and for lifts where you won’t likely be able to stop to eat.

SIM Cards & Calls in Botswana

Mascom and BTC are both viable choices for purchasing a SIM card in Botswana. Mascom provides the best coverage in Botswana. A good Mascom package is roughly 39 BWP and includes 1 GB of data for 7 days. Orange’s same package costs 40 BWP and provides 950 MB for 7 days. BTC, on the other hand, costs 60 BWP for the identical 7-day plan of 1 GB. To purchase a SIM card in Botswana, you must first register your passport data.

You also have the option of purchasing a prepaid eSim card like from Airalo, SimCorner, or Nomad. The companies provide data-only plans to put on a phone that is eSim ready, so make sure your phone is compatible. It is also possible to opt-in for a WiFi Hotspot from Solis. Check before you travel because they service certain destinations. Airalo by far has the most coverage of almost 180 countries.

Local Internet & WiFi in Botswana

In Botswana, around 28.4 percent of the population uses the Internet, which really speaks about the country’s slow adoption. Speeds range from 5 to 17 Mb/s. Because Botswana lacks a coast, cables must traverse across wide regions of land encircling the country, which increases the cost. Most towns have Internet cafés with adequate speeds, however slower than in South Africa. Wireless internet is available at more costly cafés catering to expat and tourist groups. Game lodges often do not have internet connection, although hotels typically do.