GREEN VS BROWN

I always get asked the question from guests “when is the best time to travel to Botswana”, and I inevitably answer by saying “there are no bad seasons to travel". Almost a year ago I shared a comparison newsletter of the two season from Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana. In this newsletter I want to explain this answer while sharing with you some images from these different seasons in Savuti. As always I hope you enjoy, and thank you so much for being part of A Wild Perspective.

 

- William

Ask anyone in the safari industry when the most productive time of the year for sighting is, and you nearly always hear the “dry season” mentioned. In Botswana that runs from July - mid November, and this is the period in which all rain water has now dried up and the only remaining pools and rivers are year round water sources. 

 

The reason this time is so productive, is that animals are forced to waterholes / rivers, thick vegetation has either been eaten or died, and as a result predators are easier to spot. It is certainly a great time of the year for mammal sightings. 

 

That being said there are some down sides to this time of the year. While July is cold (middle of winter) by September the temperatures are beginning to rise. It peeks in October with temperatures over 40c most days. If you can handle the heat, the sightings often are at their best then as it hasn't rained for seven months. You do have to bear in mind that while sighting are great, it is largely because the wildlife is struggling with food and water shortages, and this can be a rather depressing sight. Images also often look the same shade of brown. My advise to most people is if you have traveled in the dry season before, try the green season for your next visit!

 

In contrast certain places like the Okovango delta are great July/August because the flood waters have started to arrive. While I wont cover it in this newsletter, let me know if you would like me explain the best times to travel to the Okavango Delta as well as how the floods differ from place to place.

 

Finally while this is a great time for Mammal sightings, there are few migrant birds during this period, and birdlife in general is not drawn to areas with little permanent water. 

 

As a photographer these baron dry seasons can make for unique impactful images. The following images were all taken between July - October in Savuti.

The contrasting wet season, or as I like to call it “the green season” is lush and vibrant. Its pretty clear from my photography that I love this time of year. A combination of incredible tones, quieter parks, and dramatic skies, it is certainly an under appreciated time of the year. 

 

Don't get me wrong, this is not the best time for everyone, and let me share some of the downsides of this season. 

 

From late November - March Botswana is experiencing its rainy season. While it doesn't rain every day, and the season can shift each year, you do run the risk of rainy days. While this may not seem like a big deal, but rain can make it harder to find wildlife. As rain falls it fills up natural waterholes and means that most mammals are now able to spreed out to much vaster areas. 

 

Places like Savuti not only become challenging to find predators, but even some parts of the park can become difficult to drive too. That being said, if you do find predators the beautiful green landscape makes for incredible back drops, and clouds, rain, and storms can provide dramatic environments for images.

 

For me the biggest benefit of the green season is the reduction in general tourism, making it feel much more remote and authentic. Even busy parks such as Savuti see huge reductions in guests.

 

The other huge bonus for birders and bird photographers is that this is a great time to see migrant birds, as well as a sharp increase in resident birds. One of my favourite species to photograph in Savuti from January to March is the Carmine Bee-eaters, and if you are lucky have them riding on the back of Botswana's national bird; the Kori Bustard

 

At this time of the year framing becomes at the forefront of my photographs, using the grass, trees, clouds even as surrounds to place subjects in, not fighting against. I hope the following images showcase that the green season shouldn't be ignored.

Fun fact; this is the same tree as the previous hornbill image. It is a more creative edit, but also shows how different seasons require different approaches to telling the story.

COMING NEXT

Next I will be sharing my creative process! From what inspires me, to my pre-visualising technique of sketching ideas. This newsletter will hopefully give you an insight into what motivates my photography. 

Thank you as always for reading and I cannot wait to hear what you think of this months newsletter! The next newsletter is coming soon, so make sure you have signed up and feel free to forward it to your friends!

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