Best time to visit the Okavango Delta

January is one of the wettest months of the year, with heavy afternoon downpours and temperatures around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can be a great time for bird lovers to visit. This is the peak month for breeding among many migrant birds and watching wattled cranes, with Africa’s largest population found here. Nearly 85 percent of the slaty egret population inhabits the area, and you can see many other birds like the greater swamp warbler. Plus, it will be lush and green with colorful wildflowers, and you’ll have the chance to watch epic afternoon thunderstorms with lightning reflected in the water.

March is a transitional month with rainfall decreasing while temperatures steadily cool. It’s a welcome relief after a very rainy January and February, with the evenings finally cooling down as well, dipping down to the mid-60s. The days are still quite warm with an average temperature of 87 degrees. It’s much more likely to be dry, although rained-out safaris are still possible. Generally, this is a beautiful time of year with flowers still blooming and the landscapes are a brilliant green while antelopes are out and about, and you might see elephants flocking to the Marula trees to feast on their favorite fruit.

May is one of the best months of the year to visit the Okavango Delta. Temperatures are more moderate now with the average high at 82 degrees and nights dipping down to just below 50 degrees, while the rain of the wet season is gone. This is the dry season and the floodwaters have reached their peak. There aren’t a lot of predators around as they tend to appear later in the season when prey is easier to find, but you’ll often see buffalo herds and breeding herds of elephants which increase in density daily as they come to the waters to drink.

July is the coldest month in the Okavango Delta, although it’s likely to feel quite comfortable with daytime high temperatures averaging around 77 degrees. Nights are quite cold with an average low of 43 degrees. It’s very dry with dust starting to cover the landscape although the skies will be bright blue and wildlife viewing is excellent. Despite the dryness, the floodwaters will have reached previously untouched areas, which means boat trips and other water activities will be easily accessible throughout the region. With greater visibility, predators are often spotted, including cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, and lions who often assemble in significant numbers here.

Winter comes to an end this month with the temperatures rising dramatically. The afternoon high increases to 91 degrees and the nights are warmer too with a low of 55 degrees. Many birds have returned to the Okavango Delta to begin nesting, including storks, while the floodwaters start to drop. September is one of the best months for viewing predators as the dry landscape means that they’ll be easily visible and often found around the water sources as it’s all that is available for a drink. Many animals trek hundreds of miles to come here, from hippos and giraffes to African wild dogs.

November can be a bit unpredictable, but the rain usually starts up again around the middle of the month, cooling things off a bit. Some years, however, it will be dry which means visibility of predators is still good for wildlife viewing. Once the rains arrive, often with dramatic thunderstorms, the animals tend to disperse, and they become harder to see with the vegetation thickening and the landscapes becoming green once again. It can be an ideal time for photography and many babies are born now too, including impala and tsessebe. You might spot predators as they seek out the young and vulnerable.