December in Botswana is a month of rebirth. The rains have arrived in full, and with them, the once dusty landscapes burst into life. The savannahs turn a lush green, wildflowers begin to bloom, and young animals wobble through the world on unsteady legs. The transformation is astonishing — not gradual, but immediate. It feels as though the land has exhaled, and all of nature has risen to celebrate.

For the traveler, December offers a different kind of safari — not defined by dust and scarcity, but by growth, color, and rhythm. It’s the start of the green season, and with it comes fresh perspective and surprising richness.

Wildlife: Newborns, Predators, and Rebirth

December is peak birthing season for many herbivores, especially impala, wildebeest, and zebra. The bush teems with new life, making it one of the most heartwarming times to visit. But with birth comes vulnerability, and predators like lions, leopards, and hyenas are close behind, drawn by the abundance of easy prey.

Game viewing may take a bit more patience, as animals spread out into the newly revitalized landscape, no longer tethered to permanent water sources. But the rewards are profound: natural behaviors, dramatic interactions, and deeply intimate moments between mother and calf, hunter and hunted.

Birding at Its Brilliant Best

December is a gift to bird lovers. The air pulses with the calls of migratory species now fully returned, nesting, breeding, and displaying their brightest plumage. Carmine bee-eaters line the riverbanks. Kingfishers dive in pairs. The skies are alive with color and motion.

With over 500 species recorded, Botswana in December becomes a symphony of wings and song — a safari for the ears and the soul, as much as the eyes.

Stormlight and Scenery Like Nowhere Else

Rain typically comes in afternoon thunderstorms — fast, dramatic, and short-lived. Mornings are often clear and vibrant, with soft air and golden light perfect for photography. Then, as the day builds, the sky swells with energy, thunder rumbles in the distance, and lightning dances across far horizons.

This “stormlight” — that surreal glow just before the rain — transforms the landscape. Elephants graze under charcoal clouds. Giraffes stretch across sunlit plains turned emerald green. The contrasts are cinematic, the atmosphere unlike any other time of year.

Fewer Crowds, Richer Experiences

December is part of Botswana’s low season, meaning fewer visitors and more availability in camps and lodges. For travelers willing to embrace a bit of rain, it offers exceptional value and deeply personal safari experiences. You’ll often have sightings entirely to yourself, guided by trackers who know how to read the newly softened earth for signs of life.

In the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi, zebra begin their great migration — one of Africa’s lesser-known but most spectacular wildlife movements. Flamingos return to flooded pans. The desert sings again.

December in Botswana is the beginning of a new story — not of survival, but of growth, abundance, and celebration. It’s for the traveler who seeks beauty in change, who wants to see the wild not only endure, but thrive.