The Okavango Delta has a dry and semi-arid climate with high temperatures and a pronounced winter dry season. Due to its elevation the climate is more temperate than tropical. It has its annual flood between the months of May and September. During the winter months of June, July and August the nights and early mornings can be cold. December and January are hot, with the wet season between November and March. Rain comes almost exclusively in the form of thunderstorms that occur in the late afternoon and early evening. The average monthly humidity lies between 30% and 70%.

Summer: (November to March) - Frequent rain and thunderstorms; days and nights very hot, but cooling off after rain spells.

Autumn: (April to June) - Days hot and nights cool. This is perhaps the best time to travel in Botswana.

Winter (July to August) - Dry, sunny and hot days, but very cold at night, on early morning game drives and on boating excursions.

Spring (September to November) - The hottest time of the year, with very dry hot days and hot nights.

Photos of Botswana wildlife can be found in the gallery.

Okavangu
The Okavango's unique wetland habitat teems with aquatic wildlife. The is home to over 450 bird and plant species and several of the worlds rarest antelope. In parts of the Delta where there is perennial water there are large numbers of hippos, buffalo and nile crocodiles. Other reptile species include leguvaans (of the iguana family) and carnivorous water monitors. The croaks of bell frogs and bull frogs provide lovely evening choruses. Animals like the sitatunga, techwe and Chobe bushbuck have adapted to the conditions of reed and water and live on the islands. The tree islands also provide refuge for wild cats, serval, lion and leopard.

Moremi
The many different habitats of the Moremi Wildlife Preserve makes it possible for you to view a wider variety of animals than almost anywhere on earth. Huge herds of impala and tsessebe are always in the area, while in the dry season large herds of buffalo, wildebeast (gnu) and zebra flock from the Kalahari Desert in search of food and water. Lions, cheetahs and packs of wild dogs hunt in the open grass lands.

In addition to all the larger animals, you might be lucky enough to see the shy lechwe (a semi-aquatic antelope listed as an endangered species) or the rare sitatunga (a swamp animal which when frightened submerges like a hippo). The reserve is also home to an immense number of birds.

Chobe
A major feature of Chobe is its elephant population. The Chobe elephant comprise part of what is probably the largest surviving continuous elephant population. This population covers most of northern Botswana plus north-western Zimbabwe and is currently estimated at 70,000 in number.

This population has grown steadily from a few thousand since the early 1900's and has escaped the massive poaching that has decimated other populations in the 1970's and 1980's. The Kalahari elephants, including Chobe, are the largest elephants in the world.

The Chobe river front also offers you an excellent opportunity to observe lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and hippos submerging at down and emerging at dusk. Also to be found are most of the indigenous antelopes to Botswana. Bird life is abundant and in great variety.

Moremi
Moremi Gamer Reserve is the jewel in Botswana's crown. It was formed to preserve the Okavangu Delta and surrounding dry-land echo systems. It covers 1000 square kilometers of grassy flood plains in the north-east corner of the Okavangu. Apart from Savannah, the terrain includes winding waterways with banks of reeds, palm-covered islands, thick forest and lush lily-covered lagoons. The area is teeming with wild life, and is the strong hold of the increasingly rare wild dog as well as leopard.

Chobe
Chobe National Park is the second largest National Park in Botswana covering 10,566 square kilometers. Chobe is world famous for it's elephant population numbering approximately 70,000. It is not uncommon to encounter herds in excess of one hundred. For most of the year, the elephants congregate along the shores of the Chobe river mingling with vast herds of buffalo. These, and the ever present plains antelope attract many big cats and other predators to the area.

Although the official language of Botswana is English, most of the population also speak Tswana.

Here are a few common Tswana phrases:

The unit of currency is the Pula. Notes are P5, P10, P20, P50 & P1000. Coins (Thebe) are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, P1 & P2. Money can be changed in Maun. All lodges and hotels will accept foreign currency.

Current Pula exchange rates:

1 United States Dollar = 4.63981 Botswana Pula