Botswana, Africa

Okavango Delta in November

The first storms break the heat. Impala and tsessebe calving begins; green-season rates start at many camps.

Quiet valueHot, highs near 93F (34C), first rains arriving

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

The straight answer

November is a quiet, good-value month to visit Okavango Delta. The first storms break the heat. Impala and tsessebe calving begins; green-season rates start at many camps.

Weather: Hot, highs near 93F (34C), first rains arriving
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What November is like in Okavango Delta

November is a month of change. It is still hot, with highs near 93F (34C), but the first storms usually arrive to break the heat and settle the dust. Within days of good rain, the bush starts to turn green. Impala and tsessebe begin calving, predators take advantage, and many camps switch to green-season rates. Crowds are light.

November suits travelers who want good wildlife at lower prices and do not mind some heat and storms. The timing of the rains varies, so early November can feel like October and late November like the green season. First-timers wanting guaranteed water activities should pick June to August instead, and choose a camp on permanent water if coming now.

Make the most of November

What is especially good about Okavango Delta this month.

Calving season begins

Impala and tsessebe drop their young around November and December, and predators are quick to take notice.

The first rains

The first storms bring relief from the heat, clear the dusty air and trigger a fast flush of green.

Migrant birds return

Summer migrants start arriving, and birding picks up fast as the month goes on.

Green-season rates start

Many camps move to lower prices, so November can be a value sweet spot with good game still around.

What to pack for November

A light rain jacket for the first storms
Breathable, long-sleeved shirts for sun and bugs
Insect repellent, as mosquitoes return with the rain
Malaria tablets as advised by a travel clinic

Our timing tip

Early November often keeps the dry-season wildlife concentration while some camps have already dropped to green-season rates, so it is worth comparing prices across the month.

Book Okavango Delta for November.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Okavango Delta
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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 November. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
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What's on in November

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.

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 November, quick answers

Is November a good time to visit Okavango Delta?

November is a quiet, good-value month to visit Okavango Delta. The first storms break the heat. Impala and tsessebe calving begins; green-season rates start at many camps.

What is the weather like in Okavango Delta in November?

Hot, highs near 93F (34C), first rains arriving.

Is Okavango Delta crowded in November?

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

What is happening in Okavango Delta in November?

Green season calving and birding (roughly november through march).