Part of the Kalahari Basin, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park has some of the largest in the world. It is a mesmerizing landscape unlike anywhere else in Africa. The shimmering cracked crust doesn’t look as if it could support any life. But it is magnificent at sunrise and sunset, and after good rains this desolate landscape transforms: from December to March, Makgadikgadi hosts one of Africa’s biggest zebra migrations. As the pans fill up, flocks of and arrive too.
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Best Time To Go
- All year (Different areas are best at different times)
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High Season
- July to October (Higher rates may apply but it’s not busy)
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Size
- 3,900km² / 1,506mi²
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Altitude
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904-945m /2,966-3,100ft
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Pros & Cons
- Superb scenery unlike anywhere else in the country
- The park’s east is never crowded (except with zebra)
- Openness of the plains in the east make wildlife viewing better
- Zebra migration to the from December to March
- Concentrations of animals at the Boteti River in the dry months
- Good range of accommodations along the Boteti River as well as northeast of the park
- Less wildlife than in Chobe National Park or Moremi Game Reserve
- Not many accommodations in and around the park’s east
- Daytime can be very hot and dry, with no shade on the
The Zebra Migration
in their tens of thousands migrate seasonally between the park and the Okavango Delta, accompanied by lots of . The herds are usually out east around the (and north in neighboring Nxai Pan National Park) from December to March. Then they return to the Delta (April to October), usually via the Boteti River. It’s an amazing spectacle wherever you find them, as their barks fill the air and dust is raised by countless hooves while they keep on the move.
Wildlife
Most general wildlife activity in the park is at the Boteti River, and this is where many of the lodges are situated. This area gets jam-packed with grazers in the drier months from June to December. , , and giraffe all gather here. Lion and are regulars as well, but leopard is difficult to see. When the grass starts to grow in the Wet season, these animals migrate east to the .
More about Makgadikgadi Pans' wildlifeScenery
Makgadikgadi is a beautiful park, with its mix of Kalahari sand, and along the (often dry) Boteti River. Don’t miss the stunning views out over the riverbed from the steep banks of the Boteti at sunset. Out east, the pans are surreal in scale and whiteness: it’s a beguiling, perspective-altering landscape encircled by trees and dotted with grassy islands.
Activities
The only activities permitted inside the park are guided and self-guided . Just outside the park, some of the lodges offer other activities. In the west, close to the Boteti River, this might include . These are also possible in the just outside the eastern boundary of the park, where you can visit populations in the company of a guide.
Weather & Climate
Makgadikgadi Pans has a desert climate with two distinct seasons. The Wet season (November to March) is consistently hot, with the average daytime temperature hovering around 36°C/97°F. Temperatures over the course of the Dry season (April to October) are inconsistent. They start off warm, drop to cool in the middle of the year, then build up to very hot in October.
More about the weather and climateBest Time To Visit
Depending on the time of year you visit Makgadikgadi, you’ll spot different animals in different areas around the park. The wet summer months from November to March, and into April, are the best time to see birds. If you’re lucky, you’ll see enormous flocks of gathering at the . Wildlife is attracted to the salt pans from December to March. The drier months from June to December are when and various predators head down to the Boteti River.
More about the best time to visit