Botswana, Africa

Okavango Delta in February

The deepest discounts of the year; a handful of camps close for maintenance. Storms, bugs, and dramatic skies.

TradeoffsHot, highs near 88F (31C), the rainiest stretch

Zebras crossing water in the Okavango Delta — Okavango DeltaPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

February is a month of real tradeoffs in Okavango Delta. The deepest discounts of the year; a handful of camps close for maintenance. Storms, bugs, and dramatic skies.

Weather: Hot, highs near 88F (31C), the rainiest stretch
Crowds: 1 of 5
Prices: 1 of 5

What February is like in Okavango Delta

February is usually the wettest stretch of the year. Expect hot days near 88F (31C), heavy afternoon storms, big dramatic skies and plenty of insects. It is also the cheapest month, with the deepest camp discounts of the year. A handful of camps close for maintenance, seasonal channels run low, and game is scattered across the green grass rather than bunched at the water.

Come now if price matters most, if you love birds and storms, or if you have done a dry-season safari and want to see the other side of the Delta. Families on a first safari and photographers who want easy big-game sightings will do better in August or September. Check that your chosen camp is open before you book flights.

Make the most of February

What is especially good about Okavango Delta this month.

The lowest rates of the year

February usually brings the biggest green-season discounts. It is the month to try a top concession camp for less.

Storm light for photographers

Thunderheads building over green floodplains make for moody, beautiful photos, especially in the late afternoon.

Zebra migration add-on

Zebra herds are still grazing the fresh grass at Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan, a strong pairing with a few Delta nights.

What to pack for February

A proper rain jacket, not just a windbreaker
Insect repellent and a long-sleeved shirt for evenings
A rain cover or dry bag for your camera
Light, breathable trousers that dry fast
Malaria tablets as advised by a travel clinic

Our timing tip

Ask each camp directly whether it closes in February and which water activities it expects to run, since the answer changes camp by camp and year by year.

Book Okavango Delta for February.

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Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
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Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Okavango Delta for February. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
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What's on in February

Green season calving and birding

Roughly November through March

Antelope calving around November and December, predators on the hunt, and migrant birds in full breeding color. The lowest rates of the year.

Zebra migration to the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan

Roughly December through March, following the rains

Thousands of zebra move onto the pans' fresh grass after the rains. A strong green-season add-on south of the Delta.

Things to do in Okavango Delta

Full guide

A mokoro excursion

Poled by a local guide through the shallow channels. Best when water is high, roughly May to September; in low water, only camps on permanent channels can offer it.

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Moremi Game Reserve

The protected eastern core of the Delta, reachable by road from Maun, and the most accessible way to combine water and land game drives on a self-drive or mobile safari.

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A scenic flight over the Delta

Seeing the channels, islands, and elephant paths from a light aircraft or helicopter is the only way to grasp the scale. Short flights run from Maun.

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A private concession camp

The fly-in camps in private concessions offer night drives, walking safaris, and far fewer vehicles than the reserve. The priciest option, and the one that shows the Delta at its best.

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Chobe National Park

Famous for enormous dry-season elephant herds along the Chobe River, best from a boat at sunset. Usually combined with the Delta via Kasane.

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The Makgadikgadi Pans

Vast salt pans south of the Delta. In the green season, zebra migrate onto the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan grasslands; in the dry season, meerkat and quad-bike trips on the pans.

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Beat the crowds

Botswana limits camp sizes and vehicle numbers, so crowds show up as sold-out camps, not busy sightings. Book July through September camps 9 to 18 months ahead.
Consider May, early June, or late October: most of the peak-season experience at shoulder rates, with only a small trade in water levels or heat.
Choose a private concession over the public Moremi reserve if you want sightings without other vehicles; concession rules cap traffic and allow off-road tracking.
In green season, pick camps on permanent water so mokoro and boat activities still run when seasonal channels are dry.

Know before you go

A few camps close for part of the green season, usually somewhere in January through March, for maintenance. Most stay open with lower rates.
Water-based activities depend on flood levels, which vary every year. In a low-flood year, some camps cannot offer mokoro trips even in winter; ask each camp what it expects.
Most Delta camps are reached only by light aircraft from Maun or Kasane, with strict soft-bag luggage limits, often around 44 pounds (20 kg) including hand luggage.
Moremi's self-drive roads flood in high water; some routes and bridges become impassable, so route plans change with the season.

Okavango Delta in February, quick answers

Is February a good time to visit Okavango Delta?

February is a month of real tradeoffs in Okavango Delta. The deepest discounts of the year; a handful of camps close for maintenance. Storms, bugs, and dramatic skies.

What is the weather like in Okavango Delta in February?

Hot, highs near 88F (31C), the rainiest stretch.

Is Okavango Delta crowded in February?

February is one of the quieter months in Okavango Delta; most sights can be done without long waits.

What is happening in Okavango Delta in February?

Green season calving and birding (roughly november through march); Zebra migration to the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan (roughly december through march, following the rains).