Reviews of Makgadikgadi Pans (28 User Reviews)

Inga –

IS

Visited: October 2017 Reviewed: Nov 1, 2017

Email Inga | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari

Overall rating

4/5

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While I'm not a birder, it's a great place to see a lot of birds. The harshness of the land there and high salinity of the water mean that not that many animals can live there. Still there are wildebeests around and zebras.

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Janette –

AU

Visited: September 2017 Reviewed: Oct 31, 2017

Email Janette | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Overall rating

5/5

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There are two parts to this area - the Pans itself and the National Park. We spent a night sleeping under the stars in the Pans and it was an awesome experience (organised by Meno a Kwena Tented Camp). We also saw meerkats and no-one else. We then did a safari drive in the national park section. It has the second largest migration of zebra (after the Serengeti) which we could believe as we saw hundreds of them as well as lots of wildebeest, elephants swimming and lions very close. And we hardly saw anyone else. It was a very special place.

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Jessica –

US

Visited: September 2017 Reviewed: Oct 19, 2017

Email Jessica | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari

Overall rating

5/5

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Our guide somehow understood how to navigate this flat, shimmery, beautiful landscape and we saw lots of bird species.

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GoingPlaceswithME –

CA

Visited: August 2015 Reviewed: Aug 1, 2016

Email GoingPlaceswithME | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating

5/5

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Excellent safari destination with sufficient tourism infrastructure

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Ross –

US

Visited: July 2015 Reviewed: Dec 7, 2015

Email Ross | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari

Overall rating

4/5

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Let me qualify this review -- I went to the pans in the winter (July) which is not the height of its wildlife season. If you can get there in the African summer when the rains are falling and animals are bearing their young and the birds are migrating, I think it would be a very different experience.

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Horst M. Vogel –

LC

Visited: April 2000 Reviewed: Dec 6, 2015

Email Horst M. Vogel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating

5/5

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Let me state at this point that all the parks and reserves in Botswana are awesome. Yes, they differ in scenery and wildlife composition but their uniqueness is always nature and wildlife pure. If you got a chance to visit several parks, then just do so but choose the time of the year carefully. Because, the Makgadikgadi Pans are very treacherous during the rainy season!

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MIGUEL –

PT

Visited: April 2015 Reviewed: Jul 10, 2015

Email MIGUEL | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating

4/5

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Nice detour/side-visit between Chobe and Okavango. Not as great as those but still good for a sunset drive into the pans. May be different (much better) in low (water) season.

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James R Rye –

UK

Visited: April 2015 Reviewed: May 31, 2015

Email James R Rye | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Overall rating

5/5

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In Makagadikgadi there were fewer tourists and the roads are quite sandy so a 4x4 is a necessity. The Rhino are very elusive and hardly anyone sees them, there were lots of birds and elephant, the scenery was stunning.

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Beverly Houwing –

US

Visited: May 2014 Reviewed: May 11, 2015

50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris

Overall rating

5/5

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Loved the Meerkat encounters and Bushmen walks. Overall the scenic beauty of the huge pans was great - an otherworldly place.

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C H –

AU

Visited: April 2015 Reviewed: May 3, 2015

50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Overall rating

3/5

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Very difficult to see wildlife. Due to the rains we were unable to quad and sleep under the stars. However, the brilliant part were the meerkats. Amazing creatures. I would also suggest the bushmen walk was very contrived and some of their group even seemed to be a bit bored. I felt this was a way for them to make money and felt obliged. The explanations were interesting but I would have rather donated to a cause.

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