When to go · Botswana
Botswana in April
Good month. Shoulder season: green, cooler, lower rates.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Crowds
- Medium
- Botswana
- Prices
- Medium
- Botswana
Verdict
Shoulder season: green, cooler, lower rates.
Is another month better than April?
April is rated good. These months rate higher:
Weather in April
- Okavango Delta and Moremi · Maun, Delta camps, Khwaifine
The flood from Angola arrives about May and peaks June–August, during the dry season. October is very hot and dry, with game at the water. Green season Dec–Mar brings storms and birds.
- Chobe and Linyanti · Kasane, Savuti, Linyantifine
Chobe riverfront elephant herds peak Aug–Oct. Savuti's zebra migration passes in Nov–Dec and Mar–Apr.
- Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan · Gweta, Nata, Nxai Panfine
Zebra and wildebeest migration on the pans in the rains (Dec–Mar); quad-bike and meerkat trips in the dry season.
- Central Kalahari · CKGR, Deception Valleyfine
Best in the rains when antelope and predators gather on the green pans; very hot and dry in Oct–Nov.
- South-east · Gaborone, Tuli Blockfine
Most of the population; Tuli is a quiet dry-season reserve on the Limpopo.
- Kalahari: Kalahari (Ghanzi, Tsabong, CKGR) · Western and central Botswanabest weather
Cool, dry winter (May–Aug) brings cold nights near 0 °C (32 °F) and clear game-viewing days; the green season (Jan–Apr) is hot with afternoon storms and the best Central Kalahari game viewing.Cool, dry winter (May–Aug) brings cold nights near 32 °F (0 °C) and clear game-viewing days; the green season (Jan–Apr) is hot with afternoon storms and the best Central Kalahari game viewing.
- Okavango-Chobe: Okavango Delta and Moremi · Northwest, around Maunbest weather
Flood peaks June–August when the Delta is fullest; rains December–February bring green grass and calving herds.
- Okavango-Chobe: Chobe and Kasane · Northeast, along the Chobe Riverbest weather
Dry season June–October concentrates elephants on the river; October is hot before the rains.
- Southeast Botswana: Gaborone and the southeast · Hardveld plateau, about 1,000 mbest weather
Rain falls mainly in the summer months (Dec–Mar), often as afternoon storms; winter (May–Sep) is dry with cold nights — exact temperatures check. Oct–Nov is hot and dry before the rains.
- Maun31 °C (88 °F) / 16 °C (61 °F), 2 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 61 °F (16 °C), 2 rain days
- Francistown32 °C (90 °F) / 18 °C (64 °F), 4 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 64 °F (18 °C), 4 rain days
- Gaborone28.4 °C (83 °F) / 13.5 °C (56 °F), 4 rain days83 °F (28.4 °C) / 56 °F (13.5 °C), 4 rain days
- Ghanzi29 °C (84 °F) / 12 °C (54 °F), 4 rain days84 °F (29 °C) / 54 °F (12 °C), 4 rain days
- Gweta27 °C (81 °F) / 12 °C (54 °F), 3 rain days81 °F (27 °C) / 54 °F (12 °C), 3 rain days
- Kanye26 °C (79 °F) / 12 °C (54 °F), 2 rain days79 °F (26 °C) / 54 °F (12 °C), 2 rain days
- Kasane30 °C (86 °F) / 16 °C (61 °F), 4 rain days86 °F (30 °C) / 61 °F (16 °C), 4 rain days
- Mochudi26 °C (79 °F) / 15 °C (59 °F), 5 rain days79 °F (26 °C) / 59 °F (15 °C), 5 rain days
- Nata30 °C (86 °F) / 15 °C (59 °F), 4 rain days86 °F (30 °C) / 59 °F (15 °C), 4 rain days
- Tsabong27 °C (81 °F) / 12 °C (54 °F), 3 rain days81 °F (27 °C) / 54 °F (12 °C), 3 rain days
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Easter (Good Friday to Easter Monday)
Mar–Apr (moves yearly — check)
Regional visitors; campsites busy.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Botswana
- Medium
- Prices · Botswana
- Medium
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Botswana, side by side.
Verdict
Apr: Good
Jun: Great (better)
Crowds
Apr: Medium
Jun: High
Prices
Apr: Medium
Jun: High
Festivals listed
Apr: 1
Jun: 2
April: Shoulder season: green, cooler, lower rates.
June: Peak flood and mokoro season; cold nights (pack warm layers).
Botswana: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
Nothing unusual for the weather this month.