When is the best time of year to go on a safari in Botswana?

Also thinking of visiting Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side at the same time

Is price an issue? The "best" time can be much more expensive than the still-excellent, but less "prime" months.

Where are you thinking of traveling in Botswana? What kind of budget do you have? If you want game-viewing, would you soncider remaining in Zimbabwe?

As it happens I live in Botswana, and we try to get away camping every few weeks. I suppose I could say we are 'on safari' all year round, but in reality we just throw our tent and some food in the car and take off. There isn't really a bad time, but my favourite time is now - April and May. Everything is still green, but there isn't any rain. The temperatures are very pleasant: overnight lows of perhaps 15 C and highs of about 30. You can sit outdoors in the evening and not be bothered by bugs. Not many tourists around, so there is no trouble finding somewhere to stay. And it is harvest season so the local food is at its best. The only downside is that the migratory birds have all gone.

Conventional wisdom is that game viewing is better later in the dry season when the animals are all concentrated around whatever surface water remains and most of the edible vegetation has gone, but you will see plenty of animals all year round regardless if you know where to look.

Of course some of the things you might want to see have a distinct seasonal pattern. If you want to fish the barbel run in the Okavango River; or see the flamingos breeding in the Makgadikgadi Pans; or see the Kalahari carpeted with wildflowers; or attend a big cultural festival then you need to time your visit to suit.

Don't discount the Zambian side of Victoria Falls: it is much easier to get there from Kasane now that the Kazungula Bridge is open. Deoending on nationality you may also be able to enter Zambia without a visa which is something of a bonus - as a New Zealander I have visa free access to Zambia but not to Zimbabwe.

Hope this helps

Graeme.

Yes - no "bad" time to visit a beautiful country like Botswana. You asked best time for safari - for me definitely the winter months...May - September. Wildlife viewing is excellent and mostly day time temperatures are warm and sunny.