Here are a couple of sites to look at to get some idea as to what to expect. You're right that no one can tell you what it will be exactly, but very warm and humid is likely, though you will save a lot vs. the high season:

http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/Botswana/Okavango-Delta/climate-profile.aspx?month=1

http://www.mahlatini.com/botswana-safaris/weather

Thank you sd2, that is helpful

I am from Minnesota and we have been sending clients from this climate to Botswana in January since 1984. I have never once heard a complaint about temperatures and Minnesotans hate heat. Keep in mind that the underlying ecosystem of the Okavango and Kwando and Linyanti regions is Kalahari Desert. Like any desert , you always get a sharp drop in temperature right after sunset so you will always have comfortable sleeping weather.

If you can, I suggest you tweak your trip just a little. The one thing you are missing that I would suggest is a trip to the Kalahari Desert and this area has a very brief peak season from mid-December to mid-March. I strongly agree with all the camps on your itinerary but you should consider replacing perhaps Little Vumbura with Kalahari Plains. Chitabe, Lagoon, and Little Kwara will go well with this Kalahari Plains. You need the three night stays to get the existing specials at these camps (five river and seven country respectively with Kwando and Wilderness) so the rest work for cost effectiveness.

Have a good trip!

Craig Beal – owner – Travel Beyond
2011, 2012 Travel & Leisure A-List agent for Botswana

Thanks for the input, Craig. It helps me feel less worried about the heat. I am happy with the itinerary as it is. I know that the Kalahari is at its peak at this time but I'm looking to try to see wild dogs and my travel agent designed this itinerary to try to capture the best opportunities to see them as well as some other predator sightings, hopefully. Since he studies wild dogs, he really knows his stuff about them so I'm going to stick with this plan!

Is you agent Bill Given? If you want wild dog I have personally had more luck at Duma Tau than Little Vumbura. The other choices are all good ones for wild dog.

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond

Last September I was in Duma Tau and Chitabe and saw LOTS of wild dogs. Almost got tired of watching and following dogs - haha - I know that won't be appreciated by those seeking out the dogs and not finding them. Here is my favorite video from my trip - taken very early in the morning at Chitabe....

http://cateyes.smugmug.com/Other/Botswana-Movies-1/18957528_CDZn4D#!i=1471720414&k=3rmrLdp

Don't know about January, but in Sept mid afternoons were about 90 degrees F.

Craig, yes my agent is Bill Given. I think he actually agrees with you about better luck at Duma Tau than LV, and even said if I want to up my chances of dogs a bit more to switch to DT. But he also thought that LV is more scenic and better for overall sightings of other things too. I think he put my chances for dogs at LV at 50-50. So you're probably right and he even told me since LV is my last of the 4 camps, if I haven't had good dog luck up til then I could ask Wilderness when at Chitabe about a last minute switch from Little Vumbura to Duma Tau and they might be able to arrange that if DT isn't full. So we'll see. It's a hard choice!

Cateyes555 that's funny that you got almost tired of the dogs - yes, there are many who'd like to see them and can't so I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate that sentiment! Thanks for posting the video, I love watching them play in the water!

Jane - have fun finding the dogs!

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond