Makgadikgadi Pans: Introduction
The Makgadikgadi Pans is situated in the central region of the country and covers approximate 12 000 sq km; the largest salt pans on the planet. There are two important salt pans, the 6500 sq km Ntwetwe Pan and the somewhat smaller Sua Pan.
These are the remains of a great lake that once covered most of northern Botswana, fed by rivers carrying salts filtered from the lake's catchment area. Because the basin had no outlet, the salts were concentrated in low lying areas. Less than 10,000 years ago, climactic changes caused the lake to evaporate, leaving only salt deposits, creating the wonderous area we now know as the Makgadikgadi Pans.
For most of the year the area is dried up, however, as soon as the first rains fall, the region plays host to an alluring display of animal life. The water encourages one of Africa's great migrations.
Locate the Makgadikgadi Pans
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
Most visitors on safari will enter Botswana through either Maun International Airport (MUB) or Kasane International Airport (BBK). It is also possible to fly into Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA) in Zimbabwe and begin the journey from there. Makgadikgadi Pans National Park can be reached on a self-drive safari, an organized mobile camping safari or a fly-in-safari.
If you’re traveling by road, Makgadikgadi Pans is 190km/118mi east of Maun and the drive takes about 3 hours*. Entry is either via the Phuduhudu Gate or Khumaga Gate. For Khumaga, you can drive across the Boteti River when water levels permit; otherwise, there’s a short ferry crossing. Roads in the Boteti area (including those between the two park gates and those climbing and descending the riverbank) are generally corrugated, with deep sand in some sections.
Most lodges are on the west bank of the Boteti River and just outside of the park, so they’re quite far from the actual salt pans. There are some campsites for mobile and self-drive safaris closer to the pans. You can fly by chartered plane between parks, and from Maun or Kasane, into the airstrip at one of the lodges on the western boundary of the park. Charter flights are normally booked by tour operators as part of the safari package. There are no scheduled flights to Makgadikgadi Pans.
Best time to visit
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is a year-round destination, although the best times to visit vary as animals migrate seasonally through the park. The network of pans in the park’s east attract wildlife, especially vast herds of zebra, in the wet summer months from December to May. The area along the Boteti River, in the park’s west, is best for wildlife viewing in the drier months from June to December.
The climate in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is hot and desert-like. As with the rest of the country, the park experiences a distinct Dry and Wet season. In the Dry season (April to October) temperatures drop significantly at night, particularly during the middle of the season. Be sure to bring warm clothing for early morning game drives, and especially if you’re camping.