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Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pans

Makgadikgadi - a vast wilderness of salt pans and rolling grasslands and an ideal stop over en route to the Okavango delta, Botswana

The rainy season signals the beginning of the wildebeest and zebra migration.
As the grazing herds move north they are followed by their predators in the shape of lion, cheetah and hyena

Makgadikgadi Map

Salt Pans

Dry winter saltpans are transformed into a huge wetland where huge flocks of flamingoes and other waterbirds including pelicans gather on the newly formed lakes.

Formation of the pans began more than 5-million years ago and archaeological finds include stone tools dating back 300 000 years.

It is believed that the Okavango, the Chobe and the upper Zambezi rivers once flowed together across what is known today as the northern part of Botswana

Shifts in the earth caused upliftments of a ridge of high land from around the area of Harare in Zimbabwe to the southern reaches of Botswana's Kalahari.

The right angle of the ridge was to cut across the course of the ancient rivers acting like a dam wall forcing the river back to form a vast natural lake.

On the western side of the Ntwetwe Pan, adjacent to the grassland park, hundreds of small islands dot the surface of the pan

Accommodation

Gweta Lodge

Gweta Lodge is an excellent stop over for self drive visitors en route to the Okavango.
For longer stays Gweta is well placed for trips to the Nxai and Central Kalahari pans.

Nata Lodge

An important refuelling and stop over for travellers to Kasane (Chobe National Park) or Maun (gateway to the Okavango), Botswana.

Camping
Njuca Hills have 2 camp sites which overlook the open plains.
An ideal spot for watching the wildebeest and zebra migration.

There are pit latrines at the campsite but no water.
Campers must be fully self sufficient

Kumaga is the other option - 48 kms from the main Makgadikgadi gate on the banksof the Boteti river.
There is an ablution block and water standpipe.
Visitors are advised to bring their own drinking water

Nxai Pan

Salt Pans Wet

Grassy open plaints dotted with umbrella thorn trees and tracts of mopane woodland.

Game is plentiful particularly in the rainy season when the grasslands attract gemsbok, elephant, wildebeest and zebra.

Best game viewing is to be found at the waterhole approx. 2 2 kms from the main entrance gate.

Here there is a large grassy plain with clumps of umbrella thorn trees.

Here and in the mopane woodlands lion, giraffe, kudu, impala and large herds of springbok can be found.

Campsites

There are 2 public campsites in the Nxai Pan.
One is a short distance from the entrance gate and the other is located in the mopane woodland area.
Both have ablution facilities and water.

Firewood is scarce and visitors are advised to bring small gas cookers.

Campsite

Entrance to both Makgadkgadi Pans and Nxai Pan is along the Maun and Nata highways.
Fuel and supplies are available at Gweta village - 45 kms west of the Makgadikgadi gate.