Why we love the Makgadikgadi salt pans
Here in the heart of the emptiness, you hear absolutely nothing. And that is precisely what makes it so special!
Nancy Vroon
Founder of Botswana Specialist
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, one of the largest salt pans in the world, is undoubtedly one of Botswana’s most striking landscapes. In the dry season, it feels as if you’ve landed on another planet: endless white plains, crystal-clear skies, and complete silence. When the rains fall, however, life returns. Thousands of zebras and wildebeests migrate across the grassy plains, closely followed by lions, cheetahs, and brown hyenas.
Overnight stays range from sleeping under the starry sky on a deserted pan to iconic lodges like Jack’s Camp or San Camp, where luxury meets authenticity. Go on a quad bike adventure across the salt flats, visit a meerkat colony, or take a helicopter flight to the mysterious Kubu Island. And perhaps most special of all: listen to the stories of the San, the oldest inhabitants of this region. Makgadikgadi is not your standard safari, it’s a journey into absolute emptiness, where truly everything happens.
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Best time to visit
The best time to visit depends on what you want from your Botswana safari. Between December and April, during the rainy season, the pans transform into green plains teeming with life. This is zebra migration season: spectacular, yet still relatively undiscovered. Birds are abundant as well. May to November is the dry season, perfect for experiencing the surreal, extraterrestrial landscapes in quiet, peaceful solitude. Secretly, the rainy season is our favorite, though the lodges are open year-round and offer fantastic experiences any time of year.
Exclusive lodges like Jack’s and San Camp
Surreal salt landscape with endless horizon
Migration of thousands of zebras and wildebeests
Helicopter flights to mystical Kubu Island
Are you ready for silence, stars, and rare encounters?
Far from the crowds, a world of emptiness, beauty, and meaning awaits. Makgadikgadi is otherworldly! We know the most stunning spots and unique experiences and we’re happy to share them with you.
What others say about this area
"Makgadikgadi felt extraterrestrial. Endless silence, sleeping under the stars, and then suddenly: a sea of zebras."
Yoshua
Traveled with Botswana Specialist in 2023
