Climate guide for Maun, Botswana

Best Time to Visit
Maun

How to read the score (0–10)
05810
UnfavorableGoodOptimal
01 · Botswana

About Maun

Most delta trips start here, either by light aircraft to a bush camp or by boat and vehicle toward Moremi Game Reserve and Chief's Island. The Thamalakane River runs through town, and outfitters arrange everything from day mokoro excursions to multi-day mobile safaris. May through August is the dry core of the season, when water levels and wildlife viewing align; nights are cold, and the heat returns later in the year.

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Did you know?

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Travel Tips

01Okavango Gateway Logistics
Maun is the staging town for Okavango Delta flights and mokoro trips - confirm baggage weight limits for light aircraft (often 20 kg soft bags). Overweight fees add up fast.
02Malaria & Mosquitoes
The Delta is a malaria area - follow current prophylaxis advice, use repellent at dusk, and sleep under nets. Long sleeves help on evening mokoro returns.
03Cash Before Camps
ATMs in Maun can run dry; withdraw pula or have USD tips ready before flying into remote camps. Cards work in town lodges but not in the bush.
04Dry vs Flood Season
Water levels shape wildlife viewing - discuss seasonal expectations with your operator. Mornings are cooler for game drives; pack layers and neutral-coloured clothing.

Things to do in Maun

Maun, Botswana. Live activities and tours from GetYourGuide, matched to this destination.

When to visit Maun: the short answer

The best time to visit Maun is May, followed by August, July. Those months combine the most usable temperatures with the fewest lost days to rain: May averages 22°C with 2 mm of rain and about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine. The months to avoid unless you have a specific reason are December, October. If budget matters more than perfect weather, November is the strongest of the low-rate months at 6.6/10.

Across the year Maun swings from 18°C in June to 30°C in November, a 12-degree spread, while rainfall ranges from 0 mm in June to 144 mm in December. That is the whole planning problem in one sentence: Maun is not equally good year-round, and the difference between the best and worst month here is 4 points on a 10-point scale.

Warmest month: November (30°C). Coolest: June (18°C). Driest: June (0 mm). Wettest: December (144 mm).

Maun month by month

January in Maun — middling scores, decent value

Trade-offs · 6.5/10

January averages 26°C (80°F), so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.

Monthly rainfall reaches 125 mm — wet for this destination — but about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.

It scores 6.5/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 9.5/10 in the destination's best month.

Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

Flexible dates? May scores 3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

February in Maun: mixed conditions, plan around the weather

Trade-offs · 6.4/10

February averages 28°C (83°F), so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.

Rainfall runs 61 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 28 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.7 hours of daylight.

It scores 6.4/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 9.5/10 in the destination's best month.

Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

Flexible dates? May scores 3.1 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

March in Maun — middling scores, decent value

Trade-offs · 6.4/10

Days in March average 27°C (81°F) — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.

Budget for roughly 87 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 28 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.1 hours of daylight to work around it.

That is 6.4/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 9.5/10 for the best month here.

Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Maun — 3.1 points higher on the same scale.

April in Maun: strong conditions, 5th of 12

Good · 8.1/10

April averages 25°C (77°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.

Expect 32 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 25 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.5 daylight hours.

It scores 8.1/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 9.5/10 in the destination's best month.

Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.

Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, footwear you can get muddy.

May: the best month of the year in Maun

Best window · 9.5/10

Trail conditions at 22°C (71°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in May; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.

At just 2 mm for the month, rain will not shape your plans; you get about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.1 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Maun at 9.5/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, footwear you can get muddy.

June is one of the strongest months in Maun (4th)

Best window · 9/10

June averages 18°C (65°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rain is a non-issue at 0 mm for the month, with about 18 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.8 hours of daylight to work with.

A 9/10 puts this among the year's best months in Maun (4th of 12); only May scores higher, at 9.5/10.

Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, footwear you can get muddy.

July ranks 3rd of 12 for Maun — one of the best windows

Best window · 9.1/10

July averages 18°C (65°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rain is a non-issue at 0 mm for the month, with about 20 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.9 hours of daylight to work with.

A 9.1/10 puts this among the year's best months in Maun (3rd of 12); only May scores higher, at 9.5/10.

Plan for peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, footwear you can get muddy.

August is one of the strongest months in Maun (2nd)

Best window · 9.2/10

Trail conditions at 21°C (71°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in August; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.

At just 0 mm for the month, rain will not shape your plans; you get about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.3 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is one of the strongest months of the year for Maun at 9.2/10 (2nd of 12), just behind May at 9.5/10.

Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, footwear you can get muddy.

September in Maun: strong conditions, 6th of 12

Good · 7.3/10

Trail conditions at 26°C (79°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in September; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.

At just 0 mm for the month, rain will not shape your plans; you get about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.9 hours of daylight.

That is 7.3/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 9.5/10 for the best month here.

Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Maun — 2.2 points higher on the same scale.

October in Maun — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 6.4/10

October averages 29°C (84°F), so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.

Expect 17 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.5 daylight hours.

It scores 6.4/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 9.5/10 in the destination's best month.

Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, footwear you can get muddy.

Flexible dates? May scores 3.1 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

November in Maun: mixed conditions, plan around the weather

Trade-offs · 6.6/10

November averages 30°C (86°F), so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.

Rainfall runs 52 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13 hours of daylight.

It scores 6.6/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 9.5/10 in the destination's best month.

Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

Flexible dates? May scores 2.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

December in Maun — middling scores, decent value

Trade-offs · 5.5/10

Days in December average 29°C (85°F) — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.

144 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.

That is 5.5/10 on the same scale — 12th of 12 months, versus 9.5/10 for the best month here.

Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Maun — 4 points higher on the same scale.

FAQ

Frequently asked

When is the best time to visit Maun, Botswana?
In Ideal Weather mode, the best months to visit Maun are May, August, July, June. May is the single peak month with an Ideal Weather score of 9.5/10 based on temperature, rainfall, humidity, daylight and days with 6+ hours of sunshine.
What is the weather like in Maun year-round?
Maun has a climate profile suited to nature and wildlife travel. Average monthly temperatures range from 18°C in June to 30°C in November, with Ideal Weather scores between 5.5 and 9.5 out of 10.
Which months should I avoid in Maun?
The lowest Ideal Weather-scoring months in Maun are December (5.5/10), February (6.4/10), March (6.4/10). These months typically combine less comfortable temperatures, higher rainfall or fewer days with 6+ hours of sunshine.
When is the rainy season in Maun?
December is the wettest month in Maun, averaging about 144 mm of rainfall. June is the driest, at roughly 0 mm.
Which is the sunniest month in Maun?
January sees the most sun in Maun, with about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine on average - ideal for outdoor plans.
Is Maun a good destination for nature and wildlife travel?
Maun is well suited to nature and wildlife travel. Its highest Ideal Weather window (May, August, July, June) aligns with the conditions travelers usually look for in this style of trip.
How is the bestime.to score for Maun calculated?
Each month receives an Ideal Weather score from 0-10 using ERA5 climate normals for Maun: temperature comfort, precipitation, humidity, daylight hours, and days with 6+ hours of sunshine - weighted for nature and wildlife travel.

Climate data: Open-Meteo ERA5 historical archive, the five most recent complete years (2021–2025). Scores are monthly averages for that window, not forecasts, and short-window precipitation can differ from longer-term normals. “Sunny days” count days with at least 6 hours of measured sunshine — they are not dry days.

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Curated in Maun

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