We're going to Botswana in August (41 days and counting!!). Will I be warm enough in the early morning & evening drives if I wear:

long trousers (zip off into shorts)
a t-shirt with a long sleeved shirt over it and a warm fleece.

is this enough or should I consider thermal underwear too?

Thanks!

Having been in Botswana in August and being a wimp with cold, I would suggest another layer on your legs that can go over the top of your zip offs. That way you can go from most clothes with 2 layers, peel off the outer layer of sweats or whatever, then end up with your zipped off shorts. Thermals would likely go under your zipper shorts making it cumbersome to remove them.

I'd add layers to the warm fleece. I also wear gloves and a wool band around my ears.

Cailin
At all the camps we've visited in Botswana they will provide a huge, warm poncho in teh game drive vehicle for each guest.
If that's not enough you can ask them to refill the hot water bottle from your room and take it out with you.
I would also pack a scarf, light gloves and a warm hat alongside your summer hat that you'll use for shade when the day gets hotter.
I packed layers so I would wear a Tshirt, full sleeve shirt or polo and warm fleece (plus poncho) and strip off bit by bit.
As long as I had the poncho I didnt need thermals for my legs (and it would be hard to remove them mid-drive from under your trousers anyway!!!).

thanks - yes, I had planned on bringing warm gloves, scarf & hat. I'm also a wimp with the cold. I have a nice pair of combat trousers I could wear over the zip offs. The hot water bottle's a great idea too!!! I'll leave the thermals at home.

Thanks

I'm a wimp with the cold too but also with the heat - only a narrow comfort band of temperatures that I'm happy in...!

Combat trousers? Remember camouflage clothing is illegal in Botswana.

they're not camouflage colours - just plain khaki green. I presume this will be OK?

they look like this but they're green - http://tinyurl.com/bwfce

Unless your entire outfit is military in style (and could reasonably be confused as such) you'll be fine. Vaguely combat style trousers (which are seldom similar to REAL combat trousers anyway) when combined with Tshirts and regular shirts and fleeces are fine.

I wouldn't be so quick to leave the thermals at home...the solutions everyone talked about will work on a drive (where you have that big poncho) BUT I found that thermals (long sleeve shirt at minimum) were great to wear in the tent at night, which often got very cold. Sometimes I would wear the thermal AND the fleece to bed at night! (But I am cold blooded...)

Also, I'm a big, big fan of wicking bike shorts (under your trousers). if it is cold, they are an additional layer of warmth. When it gets really hot, they prevent that clammy stick to your skin feeling and facilitate evaporation (thus making you cooler). After several trips both to the hot tropics (humid Brazil and dry Namibia) and cold locations (Botswana tent when the temps went down to near freezing, with a stiff wind) I don't leave home without them!

In spite of the weight limit, take seriously the recommendations for bringing warm sweaters and winter parkas. We were in Botswana last July/Aug and thought layers would do the trick, but we froze, in spite of wearing everything plus the ponchos provided in the vehicles. (Some ponchos are heavy and flannel-lined but others are flimsy windbreakers, so don’t count on them.) Remember there is absolutely no heat in the tents, so it will be freezing when you wake up. Definitely pack a knit hat to wear in bed. Take warm gloves. A balaclava such as those found in ski shops is nice (it covers your neck and lower face). Bring flannel pajamas or better, a sweat suit to sleep in, plus socks to keep in your bed so they don’t get dirty. We hoped to find a warm fleece or sweatshirt to buy at one of our camps but didn’t find any until the last camp. Even hand and toe-warmer packets would be nice if you could manage to squeeze them in. Make sure your clothes protect your face too; otherwise bring a scarf because there is a cold bitter breeze when driving in the early morning and after sunset. Also I recommend “Under Armor” (can be bought at sporting goods stores) or such products to wear beneath your shirt and pants. They are extremely lightweight. Actually you could probably sleep in those too.

Having said this, it gets nice and hot at about 9:00 a.m., so you’ll soon be peeling off those winter clothes (until sunset).

What about Tanzania and Kenya? We will be leaving on June 27, spending 15 days in these two countries. Is it as cold there at night as it is in Botswana this time of year? Any input would be appreciated. I'm in the process of packing right now, and I want to be sure I'll be warm enough at night. On the other hand, I don't want to be too hot, either. Thanks.

Gosh I'm so surprised - I'm always ridiculed lightly because I can't bear the cold - I have TWO winter-tog duvets on my bed even during spring and autumn let alone in winter... but certainly in the WS camps we stayed in, I found the duvets provided were good enough quality that, together with hot water bottles that stayed warm all night, I didn't need to wear extra layers. I now have visions of some of you all in your woolly bed time hats - very cute!

Again, we found the WS camps provided good, thick ponchos so we didn't ever feel the need for coats but if we had been given thin ones we probably would have.

Both our trips were in June, not August, so it may be that the nights are even colder in August than June.

What I do remember is coming to the decision VERY fast that I was NOT having my usual wake-me-up shower in the cold dark morning but during the midday break period when the sun was warm and the water too!

Thank you all for the great advice! Really looking forward to the trip now!

Good thread....i have to start to
pack this weekend. Very busy next week, so want to get organized.

I can't remember, does Kwando vehicles have warm ponchos? From memory, their ponchos are just wind breakers....

I have a thick Winter bubble jacket (black colour). Should be ok with that...gloves, beanie....must do the trick!!!

Hari

I missed this thread originally. What part of Botswana are we talking about? In my August trips to Selinda and Kwando, the nights and early mornings were mild and while I wore long trousers, I never wore more than short sleeved shirts and one of my companions nearly always wore short pants. We even had a thunderstorm one night and rain the next morning (almost unheard of at that time of year) and I still didn't need warm clothing. I took a windcheater just as a precaution, as you should (without getting anxious about things) but it never saw the outside of my bag. And I'm a person who doesn't like being cold. It was only in June & July that I felt chilly at night. On one June-July trip, I thoroughly annoyed my wife when she discovered I was enjoying the vehicle's heater in the front passenger seat

John

John,

I dont know about this winter. I am paranoid because, they had extremely cold weather in the Joburg area last week with light snow. I don't know, if this has anything to do with Botswana, either. So, rather carry the heavy gear rather than going into a deep freeze!!!

Hari

Hari,

I understand...it's wise to take precautions, especially for an hour or so's windchill, but there's no need to weigh yourself down in camps where ponchos and blankets are provided in vehicles. Overnight minimums in northern Botswana at present are around 10 deg celsius (and steadily climbing), which I wouldn't describe as cold by any means. Try June if you want to feel cold at night.

John

John,

I agree. The blankets will definitely be the best option. Will use it. I will ensure getting out well before first light for the morning game drive. Hopefully, will find some good subjects to film in the first golden light of the day.

Hari

Hari,

Don't forget I've invited you to give me a proper blast in this forum if I've misled you about the temps

John