Botswana Safari in September

Lodges and camps are full around this time of year, as September is one of the most popular months for wildlife viewing. The weather remains excellent, and as the green landscapes die out in drier conditions, it becomes easier to spot game.

September is a great time to visit parks and reserves like Mashatu Game Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and Selinda Game Reserve. In Mashatu, you’ll find animals like lions, spotted hyenas, and cheetahs, while the other parks have some members of the Big Five (rhinos are challenging to spot in Botswana).

Weather in September

Kuzuma Sunset views | Photo credit: Hideaways Camp Kuzuma — Lodges and camps are full around this time of year, as September is one of the most popular months for wildlife viewing | Photo credit: Hideaways Camp Kuzuma

Temperatures increase from August onwards, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the weather is unpleasant. While daytime temperatures can be comfortable, some areas, like the Kalahari, are hotter during the day and colder at night.

Average Weather in September

Temperature	Celsius	Fahrenheit	Rainfall
Min	13℃	55℉	0.09 inches
Max	33℃	91℉	0.4 inches

Scroll >

Destinations to Visit in Botswana During September

Game drive spotting a leopard in the wild — Mashatu is a top destination for a variety of wildlife | Photo: Mashatu Game Reserve

Mashatu Game Reserve

If elephants, lions, wild dogs, and leopards are on your list for your safari trip, Mashatu Game Reserve would be a top destination for you. Although the game reserve isn’t a Big Five destination, it has a variety of activities to partake in, such as horseback riding and walking safaris.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

September is a good month for wildlife viewing at Kgalagadi. One of the best parts about the park is that it doesn’t have a high season, which means it never gets crowded and the rates rarely fluctuate. This is where you can see black-maned Kalahari lions as well as the rare pangolin.

Selinda Game Reserve

September coincides with the high season and the best wildlife viewing opportunities. Although higher rates apply during this month, Selinda rarely gets busy. That means you get quality wildlife sightings without the addition of a crowded park. All three big cat species can be spotted here, as well as wild dogs and hyenas.

Activities to Do in Botswana During September

Game drives
Mokoro safaris
Walking safaris
Horseback riding safaris
Desert safaris

"Chrizaan was wonderful. She took our requests to heart and created a once in a lifetime trip for us. The transportation was arranged flawlessly and the safaris were breathtaking. We saw so much and did so much but it didn’t feel rushed. I would recommend Ch..."

Jacqueline Berkebile, United States•28 May 2026•

"Justin planned the best safari for our honeymoon. Everything was coordinated smoothly and the arrangements could not have been better. We are hoping to take another trip to South Africa in the future and will be using Discover Africa again. Justin was avail..."

Austin Mader, United States•11 Apr 2026•

"Very professional in the approach of customer’s needs. Intelligent in the approach and in the design of our safari in Botswana taking into account some of the constraints that we had. We were extremely happy with all the camps that were recommended to us. T..."

Jean Francois, Portugal•16 Mar 2026•

"Our experience with Discover Africa was great. Justin Van Wyk, our consultant, was extremely accommodating, worked through a number of options to meet our dates and requirements, and checked in at numerous occasions before during and after the trip to check..."

Mitch Page, Australia•02 Oct 2025•

"Adelle at Discover Africa helped to plan our first safari and everything went so smoothly from our internal flights to the game reserve and the booking at the lodge. Couldn’t fault them and wouldn’t hesitate to use them again in the future :)"

Amy MacDonald, United Kingdom•01 Sep 2025•

"Was the Safari of lifetime. We spent one week between Zimbabwe for the Victoria Falls and Botswana. Amazing. The river cruse in the Zambezi river is a dream. We saw also Chobe national park and the Delta of Okavango: a dream. Everything was well orga..."

Gaia, Italy•20 Aug 2025•