Botswana Climate, Botswana Clothing for Travellers Tips

Even if it straddles the Tropic of Capricorn, Botswana experiences limitations in both temperature and weather. In the winter (late May through August), days are usually clear, warm and sunny, and nights are chilly to cold. Wildlife never moves far from water sources, so sightings are more -expected than in the wetter summer season. This is also the time of European, North American and – most significantly – South African school holidays, so some sites can be busy, particularly between mid-July and mid-September. In summer (October to April), wildlife is not easy to spot and rains can make sandy roads impenetrable. This is also the moment of the highest humidity and the hottest; daytime temperatures of over 40°C are universal.

Clients on a Botswana safari to some designated tour destinations are encouraged to seek information about the season and that particular destination before they can decide on the vacation clothes or holiday wear.

Major temperate. Summer, between October and April, can be quite hot, but daytime temperatures usually hover about 30ºC (86ºF). The rainy season takes from January to March. Winter, from May to September, brings cooler weather with an average temperature of 25ºC (77ºF); early mornings and evenings may be cold and frosty, especially in the Kalahari. The average annual rainfall decreases westwards and southwards.

Required Clothing

Baggy, natural fabrics are suggested, with wet-weather gear and warmer clothes basing on the season and area visiting.