Makgadikgadi Pans
Salt flats as far as the eye can see
Places of historic interest and ancient San culture
Largest migration of zebra in southern Africa
Those looking to add a special experience to their safari itinerary will find the perfect contrast programme at the salt flats.
The Makgadikgadi Pans are dried up salt-water lakes, which formed part of an immense ancient inland sea that also encompassed the Okavango Delta and the Central Kalahari. Located on the edge of the salt plains are several camps that offer activities on the pans, and introduce visitors to the life of the local San people.
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The pans can only be accessed during the dry season. The camps only use quads with broad tyres as they cause the least amount of damage. You can also choose to sleep under the stars during multi-day tours that take you to Kubu Island and back during the dry season.
There is not much wildlife here during the dry season, but the area is on a migration route taken by zebra and wildebeest, which leads from the Nxai Pans, through the Makgadikgadi and on to the Boteti River. The animals migrate south from the Nxai Pans to the Boteti River at the start of the dry season. They remain here until the beginning of the wet season, when they return to the Nxai Pans and give birth to their young. The Nxai Pans stretch out northwards from the Makgadikgadi Pans on the other side of the Maun-Nata road. This is also the home of the historic Baines Baobab, which has survived in this barren landscape for thousands of years.
If you would like to drive on the salt pans, then you must visit during the dry season. If you would like to experience the migration of zebra and wildebeest, then it is best to visit during the wet season. The pans fill with water during the wet season, making them the perfect breeding ground for thousands of flamingos and pelicans.
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