The Makgadikgadi Pans in north-eastern Botswana are the remains of an ancient lake that dried up thousands of years ago, leaving one of the largest salt pan systems on Earth. In the dry season they are a white, shimmering void. After the summer rains, grasslands around the pans turn green and draw tens of thousands of zebras and wildebeest, followed by predators, in one of Africa’s great migrations.
At a glance
| Best time | December to April for the migration on the pans; May to October at the Boteti River |
| Getting there | About 2 to 3 hours by road from Maun, or light aircraft |
| Time needed | 2 to 4 nights |
| Big draws | Zebra migration, meerkats, salt pan experiences, brown hyenas |
| Good for | Combining with the Okavango Delta; second safaris |
The zebra migration
- In the wet season (roughly December to April), zebras and wildebeest graze the nutritious grasslands around the pans and in Nxai Pan National Park. Lions, cheetahs and hyenas follow them.
- In the dry season (roughly May to October), the herds move west to the Boteti River, the only permanent water, which forms the western boundary of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Watching thousands of zebras crowd the river to drink is a highlight.
- Research using GPS collars has shown that some zebras travel between Namibia’s Chobe floodplains and Nxai Pan, around 500 km there and back, one of the longest land mammal migrations recorded in Africa. See our plains zebra profile.
Other highlights
- Meerkats: several camps work with habituated meerkat families that are so relaxed they may use visitors as lookout posts. See our meerkat profile.
- Brown hyenas: one of the best places in Africa to see this shy scavenger.
- Quad biking and sleeping out: in the dry season, guided quad bike trips cross the pans, and some camps offer nights sleeping under the stars on the salt.
- Kubu Island: a granite outcrop covered in baobabs rising from the salt of Sowa Pan.
- Baines’ Baobabs: a group of ancient baobabs in Nxai Pan painted by the artist Thomas Baines in 1862.
- Flamingos: in good rain years, parts of Sowa Pan flood and attract huge numbers of flamingos.
When to go
- December to April: green season and the migration on the pans and at Nxai Pan. Hot, with afternoon thunderstorms.
- May to October: dry season. Zebras at the Boteti River, meerkats, and pan activities such as quad biking and sleep-outs.
Getting there
Maun is the gateway. The Boteti River camps are 2 to 3 hours by road; others are reached by light aircraft. Self-drivers can reach Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi national parks with a 4×4 via the Maun–Nata road.
Where to stay
Camps range from luxurious 1940s-style safari camps on the edge of the pans to lodges on the Boteti River and public campsites in the national parks.
Frequently asked questions
When is the zebra migration in Botswana? The herds are on the pans and in Nxai Pan from about December to April, and at the Boteti River from about May to October.
Can you see the Big Five in Makgadikgadi? No. The area is known for zebras, predators, meerkats and desert landscapes rather than the Big Five. Combine it with the Okavango Delta or Chobe.
Is Makgadikgadi worth visiting? Yes, especially for something completely different from the delta: vast open spaces, meerkats and the migration.
Can you drive on the salt pans? Only with an experienced guide and in dry conditions. The crust can hide deep mud, and vehicles regularly get stuck.
Related guides
- Okavango Delta safari guide
- Central Kalahari Game Reserve
- Chobe National Park guide
- Animal profiles: Plains zebra, Meerkat, Greater flamingo
Cover photo: Taken & submitted by Paul Maritz ( Paulmaz Modified by Pharaoh Hound , Fir0002, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons