The Makgadikgadi Pans, the world's largest salt pans, are the most visible remnants of a superlake that was formed formed more than five million years ago. The lake was once 30 metres (100 feet) deep and covered a massive area, but climatic shifts started to dry up Lake Makgadikgadi. Further evaporation turned the lake into large pans and great grass plains which are are scenically stunning every visitor is struck by the immensity of sky and horizon of the landscape.

From May through to November the Parks are home to herds of zebra, springbok and wildebeest. When the rains arrive the grazing herds, with lion, cheetah and hyeana following, move north across into the extended Nxai Pan National Park.

Nxai Pan itself is an extensive grass plain, part of the old lake bed, which is rather more generously covered with acacia trees. At its best, Nxai Pan can offer the most spectacular game viewing. In addition to the more common species such as zebra, springbok, wildebeest and their predators, there can be exhilarating sights of large herds of giraffe, gemsbok and eland.

Both dry season and wet season visits to this park are recommended in order to witness the dramatic appearance of the pans at their driest and to experience the transformation to a water wonderland, and see the wildebeest and zebra migrations, in the wet season.

How to get there
The Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pans National Park is situated roughly halfway between Maun and Nata on the Francistown road in northern Botswana. The turnoff is 160 kilometres east of Maun and 45 kilometres west of the small village of Gweta, which has the nearest lodge accommodation, fuel and supplies.

There are two camping sites within the park. The first is Njuca Hills (26 kilometres south of the main entrance gate) where two camping sites afford visitors the opportunity to witness large migrations of zebra and wildebeest during the onset of the rains. There is no water available at this site.
Kumaga, 48 kilometres southwest of the main entrance, is situated on the banks of the Boteti River and is provided with an ablution block and water standpipe.