Makgadikgadi Pans And Nxai Pan

 Botswana
$3,280 / Person
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Overview

Nxai Pan National Park and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park (often simply called Makgadikgadi National Park) are adjacent protected areas in northeastern Botswana, forming part of the vast Makgadikgadi salt pan system in the Kalahari Basin. Together, they span about 7,500 square kilometers and were once the bed of a massive prehistoric lake (Lake Makgadikgadi) that covered up to 80,000 square kilometers around 10,000–20,000 years ago, before drying up due to tectonic shifts and climate changes.The parks are separated only by the Maun-Nata tar road, creating a contiguous ecosystem that supports seasonal wildlife migrations, unique landscapes, and minimal human impact—offering solitude, stark beauty, and surreal scenery like cracked salt flats, grassy fossil pans, and ancient baobab islands.
 
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park (4,900 sq km): This southern section features immense, blinding-white salt pans (including Ntwetwe and Sua Pans), interspersed with scrubland, grasslands, and the Boteti River (often dry but vital for wildlife). It's renowned for its otherworldly, mirage-like vistas at sunrise/sunset and as a key stop on Africa's second-largest zebra migration (after the Serengeti).
 
Wildlife includes Burchell's zebra, blue wildebeest, springbok, gemsbok (oryx), greater kudu, giraffe, lion, spotted hyena, cheetah, and brown hyena. Birdlife explodes during wet seasons with flamingos, pelicans, and geese flocking to temporary lakes. Meerkats and aardvarks are common in the drier months.
 
Nxai Pan National Park (2,578 sq km): North of Makgadikgadi, this area centers on fossil lake beds like Nxai Pan and Kudiakam Pan, covered in short grasses and dotted with acacia "islands" and mopane woodlands. It's less salty than Makgadikgadi, allowing more vegetation and year-round game. Highlights include the iconic Baines' Baobabs—a cluster of seven 4,000–6,000-year-old baobab trees on a pan island, named after explorer Thomas Baines.
 
Expect elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, springbok, impala, red hartebeest, lion, leopard, cheetah, Cape wild dog, jackal, bat-eared fox, and ostrich. It's a hotspot for the zebra migration and spring wildflowers after rains.

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Tour Overview

Availability

12/03/25 - 18/03/27

Duration

6 Days/ 5 Nights

Pickup Location

Airport avaiable

Included

  • Parks fee
  • Game Drive
  • Guide
  • Still Water
  • Food
  • Alchool
  • Accommodation
  • Camping Fee

Excluded

  • Flights Tickets
  • Airport Tax
  • Optional Activities
  • Travel Insurarance
  • All Laundry
  • Tellphone Call

Itenary

Day 1

  • Day 1: Maun to Nxai Pan National Park

    Morning: 07:00

    Depart Maun (start ~7:00 AM). Drive ~2.5-3 hours (~135 km) to Nxai Pan National Park via the A3 and park entrance. Check in at your campsite

  • Afternoon: 14:00

    After lunch, embark on a guided game drive to explore the park’s iconic Baines’ Baobabs and open pans. Look for springbok, oryx, and elephants.

  • Evening: 18:00

    Sundowner at the baobabs or camp. Dinner and overnight at your Campsite.

Day 2

  • Day 2: Nxai Pan National Park

    Morning: 06:00

    Early morning game drive (~6:00 AM) to spot predators like lions, cheetahs, or hyenas active at dawn. Visit waterholes for zebra and wildebeest sightings.

  • Afternoon: 14:00

    Relax at camp during the heat of the day. Optional guided walk (if offered by your lodge) to learn about the park’s ecology and smaller species.

  • Evening: 18:00

    Night game drive (if permitted by your camp) to see nocturnal animals like aardvark or bat-eared foxes. Dinner and overnight.

Day 3

  • Day 3: Nxai Pan National Park

    Morning: 06:00

    Another early game drive to different areas of the park, focusing on pans and migratory species (seasonal zebra migration may be visible).

  • Afternoon: 14:00

    Visit Baines’ Baobabs again for photography or a cultural talk about the San people’s connection to the land (if available). Relax at camp.

  • Evening: 18:00

    Sundowner and dinner under the stars. Reflect on the serene desert landscape.

Day 4

  • Day 4: Nxai Pan to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

    Morning: 07:30

    Depart Nxai Pan after breakfast (~7:30 AM). Drive ~2-3 hours (~100 km) to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Check in at your campsite .

  • Afternoon: 07:30

    After lunch, take a guided game drive to explore the pans and riverine areas along the Boteti River. Look for elephants, hippos, and migratory birds.

  • Evening: 18:00

    Enjoy a sundowner on the pans, followed by dinner and overnight.

Day 5

  • Day 5: Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

    Morning: 06:00

    Early morning quad bike excursion (if offered) across the pans for a thrilling perspective of the landscape. Alternatively, join a guided game drive along the Boteti River for lion, elephant, and antelope sightings.

  • Afternoon: 14:00

    Visit a local San community (if arranged) to learn about their tracking skills and culture, or explore Kubu Island’s baobabs and ancient fossils.

  • Evening: 18:00

    Stargazing experience on the pans (weather permitting) and dinner at camp.

Day 6

  • Day 6: Makgadikgadi Pans to Maun (Tour Ends)

    Morning: 07:00

    After breakfast (~7:00 AM), depart Makgadikgadi for Maun (~3-4 hours, ~180 km). Optional stop over for a quick visit to the village or local market.

  • Afternoon: 12:00

    Afternoon**: Arrive in Maun by midday (~12:00-1:00 PM). Tour ends with drop-off at your lodge, airport, or agreed location.

About Us

For over 15 years, we've been guiding travelers into the heart of Botswana's most pristine wilderness areas, where the rhythm of nature dictates each day and authentic adventure awaits around every corner.

Born from a deep love for Botswana's extraordinary landscapes and wildlife... Read More

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Contact Us

African Big5 Tours and Safari
Sedie Ward, Maun, Botswana
+267 73 167 048 / +267 73 959 428
africanbig5tours@gmail.com

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