Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
Botswana · Central District · 900 m
Description
The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are among Botswana’s most spectacular landscapes and form one of the largest salt pan complexes on Earth. Remnants of a vast prehistoric lake, they stretch today as a dazzling white expanse seemingly without end. During the rainy season, parts of the dry pans transform into shallow lakes and lush grasslands that attract large herds of zebra and wildebeest. The region is also known for its habituated meerkat colonies and striking Kubu Island, crowned by ancient baobabs. Between vast salt flats, rocky islands and open savanna, Makgadikgadi offers an extraordinary sense of space, silence and wilderness, making it one of Botswana’s most distinctive natural experiences.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Zebra migration (November - March)
- Meerkat habituation encounters
- Kubu Island baobabs
- Makgadikgadi salt pans
- Quad biking across the salt pans
- Night skies and stargazing
- Brown hyena sightings
- Flamingo and pelican sightings (December - April)
- Boteti River wildlife
- Nxai Pan National Park(Day trip)
- Baines' Baobabs(Day trip)
- Ntwetwe Pan
- Sua Pan
- Chapman's Baobab(Day trip)