Travel Info
Plants, Vegetation and Botany – December to May
After the first rains, the landscape in Botswana transforms into a subtle green blanket. Grasses shoot and leaves appear on what seems to be dead plants and it is a wonderful time of the year to experience the magnificent sprout of life in Botswana. The vegetation is lush and green and most of the plants are in bloom. February is peak flowering time for water lilies and the landscape is decorated with wild flowers. Savuti, in particular, and the area between the river and the wooded dunes in Chobe, break out in bright yellows, whites and purples among the green blanket that covers the ground. The sweet smell of fresh grass and wild sage at Savuti fills the air and adds to the raw assault on the other senses.
Mammals and Wildlife – When the summer rains start towards the end of November the barren looking earth of Savute comes alive. Its rich new grasses are a magnet for herds of Burchell’s zebra and wildebeest, which can be found on the Savute marsh where they foal before making for the lush grazing grounds of the Mababe Depression further south to the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans.
Large herds of Buffalo gather from the Okavango and move through toward the mainland of Moremi, where there are now sufficient pools of water to sustain them.
As the rains cease towards the end of February and the pans vaporise as the dry season looms the herds gather once again. Closely followed by predators, they make their annual journey from Savute to the Linyanti to arrive around April. During the winter months the banks of the Chobe River and the Xakanaxa area of Moremi become the lifeblood of the wildlife, as there is no surface water in the surrounding bush. Elephant and buffalo are also migratory, making seasonal movements of up to 200 kms from the Chobe River where they concentrate in the dry season to the pans in the Mopane woodlands to the south near Savuti, where the food source is very nutritional.
November to March are great months as the air clarity is unparalleled, trees begin to burst into life, the new grass is green and lush, skies are dramatic as big clusters of clouds precede the rains and babies are being born. It’s a wonderful time for the photographer as there is action, colour and visibility.
April to October bring about cooler morning air with warmer water temperature which can lead to wonderful early morning misty magic especially over the Okavango. The buffalo begin to group into large herds and visit the river areas more often as the seasonal pans begin to dry. Along the Chobe River, breeding herds of elephant increase in density daily as they visit the rivers and pans with permanent waters. African wild dogs den in June and it is possible to witness exciting hunts in the Savuti and Moremi areas. Animals begin to concentrate at the permanent water sources, as do their predators. Soft early morning and evening light combined with dust provides the opportunity for many dramatic photo settings. In July the bush is bare and the dust pervades but there is plenty of action and with patience and perseverance the rewards are great. At first small family groups of Zebra move closer to the Boteti River, however they are there in their thousands as winter develops into spring and the awaiting first rains. These are generally followed by exciting predator activity and incredible raptor sightings within the Leroo La Tau area.