National park
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Salt pans, grass plains and the Boteti River, where thousands of zebra and wildebeest gather in the dry season and lions follow.
5,071 km² · 1 gate · 3 campsites · Run by Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Botswana
About the park
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park covers about 3,900 km² on the western edge of the great Makgadikgadi salt pans, with the Boteti River along its western boundary and open grassland, Kalahari sand and salt pans dotted with grassy, tree-ringed islands further east. The park comes alive with the zebra migration: tens of thousands of zebra, often with wildebeest, spend the rains on the pans and the plains towards Nxai Pan from about December to March, then drift back to the Boteti from around April to October. Along the river in the dry season zebra, wildebeest, kudu and giraffe crowd the remaining pools, and lion and spotted hyena are regular. Visitors self-drive and camp at Khumaga on the Boteti or at the bush camps inland, or stay at the lodges along the river. It is an easy add-on to an Okavango or Nxai Pan trip and suits people who like open space and big skies. The catch is that there is far less game than in Chobe or Moremi, the pans have no shade, and wet-season heat is fierce.
Highlights
- Zebra and wildebeest crowding the Boteti River in the dry season
- The wet-season zebra migration out on the pans and grasslands
- Sunset from the steep banks above the Boteti
- Habituated meerkat groups on the pans just outside the park, visited with lodges
Good to know
- About 3,900 km² of salt pans, grassland and riverine woodland on the Boteti
- Boteti River forms the western boundary and holds the dry-season game
- Khumaga campsite on the river, plus DWNP bush camps at Njuca Hills and Tree Island
- Lodges along the Boteti outside the park; no shade on the open pans
- Guided and self-guided game drives are the only activities inside the park
Wildlife you may see
- Plains zebra (migratory herds)
- Blue wildebeest
- Lion
- Spotted hyena
- Greater kudu
- Giraffe
- Hippo (in the Boteti when it flows)
- Meerkat (just outside the eastern boundary)
- Greater flamingo
- Great white pelican
- Ostrich
Sightings are never guaranteed.
When to go
Open: 1 Apr–30 Sep 06:00–18:30; 1 Oct–31 Mar 05:30–19:00
Best time: June to October on the Boteti; December to March for the zebra on the pans and for birds
Gates
- Khumaga GateOpen: Apr–Sep 06:00–18:30, Oct–Mar 05:30–19:00Park entry and a vehicle fee are charged per day in pula. Show a paid campsite booking: Khumaga campsite is run by SKL; Njuca Hills and Tree Island by the wildlife department. Pay in advance at a wildlife department office in Maun or Gaborone, or in cash at the gate; card machines are unreliable.Western gate, on the Boteti River, about three hours' drive from Maun. You drive across the river when the water is low enough, otherwise a short ferry crosses. Tracks between Khumaga and the northern gate are corrugated with deep sand in places: 4x4 needed.
Gate times change with the seasons: check with Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Botswana before you travel.
Campsites
- Kumaga CampsiteCampsite
- Leroo La TauCampsite
- Tree Island CampBush camp4.6
Park fees
| citizen | P20 per person day |
| resident | P145 per person day |
| regional | P145 per person day |
| international | P190 per person day |
DWNP Category B park fee per person per day; vehicle fee per day extra; Khumaga camping booked with its private operator.