Enquire
Why book with us?

What are you looking for?

Hello traveller!

It's in Cape Town now.

We're sorry. Our safari planners aren't available now. Our office hours are 08:00 - 19:00 (GMT+2).

Call us to speak to an experienced safari planner.


Alternatively, we recommend...

travel-form-icon

Complete our travel enquiry form to connect with a safari planner

ENQUIRE TODAY

Botswana Safari in January

Africa's best tailor-made safaris

Botswana, home to the highest concentration of elephants in Africa, offers a unique safari experience – even in the low season. The country’s low season for safaris spans January to March, bringing with it a very different southern African experience.

Wildlife is still around, but lush greenery and abundant water make them difficult to spot and quite spread out. This makes January an ideal time for birdwatching and observing smaller game. However, while the north of the country experiences its low season, the Makgadikgadi Pans and Nxai Pan fill with water, attracting huge numbers of animals.

Weather in January

Elephant in front of Zarafa Camp
Expect lsh green landscapes during this period | Photo: Zarafa Camp

Expect lush, green landscapes as well as occasional thundershowers. Although it’s considered a wet month, the temperatures are often hot, with the rains allowing a cooling period. Despite the less-than-ideal weather, the conditions offer stunning photographic opportunities. You won’t need to layer clothes for your safari experience – lightweight clothing (including a rainjacket) will usually suffice.

Average Weather in January

TemperatureCelsiusFahrenheitRainfall
Min 19℃66℉2.8 inches
Max 32℃90℉7.7 inches

Destinations to Visit in Botswana During January

Kalahari Desert in Botswana
The Kalahari Desert is still stunning during January | Photo: CapturedOnce via Getty

Central Kalahari Game Reserve

While January isn’t the best time to spot wildlife, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve can still be stunning. It’s a secluded destination that offers the opportunity to see black-maned lions. The Kalahari Desert as a whole can get incredibly hot in summer, but rain brings the landscape’s vegetation to life.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

The summer rains bring a thin layer of water to the Makgadikgadi Pans, attracting huge numbers of migratory waterbirds like flamingos and pelicans. In contrast to less arid parts of Botswana, summer is an exciting time to visit this region, especially to witness the epic zebra migration.

Nxai Pan National Park

In January, Nxai Pan National Park is typically as wet as it ever gets. The abundance of grass attracts herbivores like zebra, wildebeest, and other antelope in their thousands, alongside migratory birds. Peak season here spans December to March, so higher rates will apply. However, the park seldom gets busy, so you won’t have to experience large crowds.

Activities to Do in Botswana During January

  • Birdwatching safaris
  • Game drives
  • Photographic safaris
  • See the zebra migration

Ready to plan your tailor-made safari?

909 Reviews - 5/5 Stars

Craft your journey with the expertise of our dedicated Africa Safari Experts

Start Planning

What Our Guests Have to Say?

Read recent reviews from travellers who have planned and booked their trips with us

star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Trustpilot review

"From the very beginning, Bianca was a wonderful help in planning our South African safari. Her knowledge, attention to detail, and thoughtful recommendations made our trip truly exceptional. Becks Safari Lodge was, in our group’s opinion, a six-star expe..."

Leanne Morris, Australia12 Jun 2026

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Trustpilot review

"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 States28 May 2026

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Safari Bookings review

"After discovering a high number of camps in and around the Okavango, and at a price higher than we typically go for on a safari, we were very unsure on the route to go down for our honeymoon (especially whilst trying to planning our wedding!). So we reached..."

Rhys and Grace Fitzgerald, Bahrain10 Apr 2026

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Google review

"This was the most thrilling vacation I have ever taken. Justin at Discover Africa planned everything down to the finest detail so it was effortless, magical and perfect from start to finish. A trip of a lifetime and then some!"

Heili Lehr, United States06 Apr 2026

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon

"The best trip of our lives!! I am so glad I came across Discover Africa and was paired with Dev. We started with a video chat and Dev listened to my vision for the trip- all of the things I was excited to do, and he shared his travel expertise. He took thos..."

Nithya Mohrfeld, United States27 Oct 2025

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon

"We started to plan our Safari only 2 months prior to arriving in South Africa. The planning and logistics provided by Discover Africa were superb. We only visited Botswana (4 different camps for 2 nights each) and each camp was a wonderful, and yet very dif..."

Peter Mckown, United Kingdom15 Oct 2025

Read More
View All Testimonials

Our safari traveller reviews are independently verified and sourced from trusted third-party review platforms.