As the largest salt pan in Africa, the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana is a vast, stark white expanse, known for its unique landscapes and as the home to the world’s second-largest zebra migration after the Great Migration in East Africa.

The Pans can be explored in various ways, whether on horseback seeking out huge zebra herds or on a quad bike to discover the hidden islands of the Makgadikgadi that are adorned with ancient baobabs.

With a total area of a whopping 30,000 km², the Makgadikgadi Pans network also encompasses vast savannah plains and acacia trees, as well as Nxai National Park and the famous Baines Baobabs. This seemingly inhabitable scrubland is home to many unique desert-adapted creatures including Aardwolfs and brown hyenas. It is also in this area that you can find a habituated colony of meerkats that will happily scramble atop your shoulder in search of a better viewpoint.

As the rains roll in, the pans transform temporarily back into vast lakes that attract an abundance of bright flamingoes and pelicans. The grasslands radiate a brighter hue and baby wildlife start to emerge.

Our Top Experiences In Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

Best Time To Visit Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

jan
feb
mar
apr
may
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jul
aug
sep
oct
nov
dec
dry
green

The Dry Season

April to October
This is the dry season, when the pans start to empty and are usually completely dry from about June. This is a great time to explore the hidden islands on the pans by quad bike or spend a sleep out under uninterrupted starry skies. In October the temperatures start to rise and it can get extremely hot.

The Green Season

November to March
This is the rainy or green season on the pans. This is a great time to witness the zebra migration as the landscape transforms and the pans fill up. This is also when the migratory birds such as flamingoes and pelicans arrive. However, roads can become a bit inaccessible during the rains.

Courtney

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